Top 10: Canceled TV Shows

These Top 10 lists I have been making appear to be coming in pairs, so here is another one for you.

The television networks are, within the week, announcing their Fall lineups for the upcoming season. Each year there is always a few shows that are pretty amazing that get the boot thanks to either terrible promoting or bad airtime given to it by the network - either way a good shows cancellation is usually the fault of the network itself.

This season I have been waiting patiently for the announcement if a few of my favorite shows would be making it back next season, or becoming yet another show that I spent time watching only to get axed before a real ending was given.

Thankfully Reaper was announced to be coming back to the CW Network for a second season on Monday, and just today How I Met Your Mother was asked back for a fourth season. Unfortunately, one of my shows didn't make the cut - and it is actually listed below.

Below are a list of 10 recent (within the last 10-15 years) shows that have been booted that I had a very strong interest in. I didn't really include comedies, due to the fact that basically every show there is an ending to a particular problem - comedies have no real cliffhangers like dramas, etc. do. This is sometimes not the case, but I couldn't come up with any off the top of my head.

Also, there has been a large cry for some shows such as Firefly, Futurama, Jericho, Freaks & Geeks and My So Called Life. I was not lucky enough to watch Freaks & Geeks or Firefly during its original broadcast, so I did not include them - not saying they aren't worth a spot on the list, just that I can't include them due to my not seeing them.

So here is my top 10 (in reverse order as always):

10) Popular
Comments: A pair of girls, who go to the same high school, but despise each other, learn that they will now be step-sisters thanks to their parents getting married.

9) Undeclared
Comments: The second attempt by Judd Apatow (Superbad, Knocked Up) in the television world. The first of which was Freaks & Geeks. Like its predecessor, Undeclared has a few of the castoffs like Seth Rogen and and Jason Segal. The show is about the first year of college and basically starting to spread your wings on your own.

8) Joan of Arcadia
Comments: I didn't get into this show right away, but I did later on thanks to it's airings on the baron Friday night. The story is about a girl that speaks to God, and her struggle to live life - as well as her families difficulties as well.

7) Playmakers
Comments: This is probably the most well done television show, or anything really, depicting life in the National Football League. Which is why ESPN (who broadcasts NFL games) was pressured into canceling the show after just one season. It followed players from a fake team and everything that went a long with them - including drugs, violence, money, adultery and homosexuality.

6) Traveler
Comments: This show really excited me, not just for its premise, but because it was shown during the summer - when all other shows had gone away from original broadcasts (which I think should happen more often). It followed a trio of college buddies on one last trip before going out into the real world - except one of them wasn't who they thought he was, and blackmailed them for a museum bombing. The show was never concluded.

5) Early Edition
Comments: This is a pretty interesting concept. Gary Hobson, played by Kyle Chandler, receives a newspaper every morning, with tomorrow's news. What would you do? He takes things into his own hands, becoming the reluctant superhero, as he saves lives by stopping accidents that he knows is going to happen thanks to his trusty newspaper.

4) Saved
Comments: This was a show very much like ER, except it followed the lives of the EMT's instead of the doctors. It was pretty interesting, but unfortunately only lasted one season on TNT - even though other shows like The Closer and Saving Grace get to return, despite not being as entertaining.

3) Standoff
Comments: I was first drawn to this show thanks to its casting of Ron Livingston (Office Space) in the lead role. But, it was yet another crime drama that I fell for, with a little different premise. Livingston and Rosemarie DeWitt are negotiating specialists, who are brought to hostage situations to try and talk the criminal out of hurting his hostages, and giving himself up.

2) Las Vegas
Comments: This show stings pretty hard. This is the show that was canceled from this season, with a huge cliffhanger in the balance. How can a network do that? Las Vegas has been on the air for five years, with very good followers of the show - and to just flat out cancel the series without at least wrapping up the loopholes is a slap in the face.

1) SeaQuest DSV
Comments: I have to admit that after the first two seasons of SeaQuest DSV it got a little too unbelievable. The third season, titled SeaQuest 2032, lost its captain and was transported even further into the future, and they lost a lot of their audience. However, the first two seasons of this show were terrific - and thankfully have been released on DVD. The show was a lot like Star Trek, but based on the ocean instead of space. The casting was great - especially Roy Scheider (Capt. Bridger) and Jonathan Brandis (Lucas Wolenczak), both who have since passed on in real life.

Top 10: Comedy Characters

I have to admit, the situation comedy of years past as all but been erased in today's television. With the limitless amount of reality television, and spin-off after spin-off of crime dramas - the comedy has sort of whithered away.

There are still a few gems out there if you look in the right place. Even had a difficult time coming up with a handful of comedies that I will watch on a regular basis. Comedy is probably my favorite type of movie to watch, but for some reason (and perhaps it's the lack of quality) my DVR is mostly queued for the crime dramas as well.

But, I have come up with 10 characters from comedies on television today that usually have me laughing each and every episode - and here they are in reverse order.

10) Josh Gates - Destination Truth

Though technically on a reality show (I told you it was hard to find good comedies in today's television), Josh displays a very good sense of humor. His humor is not unlike my own - and usually has a quip or two during each and every show.

9) Bert "Sock" Wysocki (Tyler Labine) - Reaper

Sock is also technically not on a comedy, more of a dramedy, but his character is hilarious. He is the buddy to the main character, Sam, who is forced to capture escaped souls from Hell due to his parents selling his soul to the devil before he was born. Sock, and other friend Ben, help Sam capture these souls - with Sock usually being the comic relief throughout. His comic style reminds me a lot of Jack Black.

8) Stewie Griffin - Family Guy

Family Guy is pretty well known nowadays, especially after being rescued from cancellation thanks to positive DVD sales. Now most people are Peter Griffin fans, but the true comedy on the show comes from Stewie. He is the devil-baby that is constantly trying to rid himself of his mother, making fun of his brother and sister, and making life hell for the family dog. Although years ahead of others his age in development, it's the times where he shows his true innocence that stick out the most.

7) Darnell "Crabman" Turner (Eddie Steeples) - My Name Is Earl

This was a pretty hard decision to make, the true brilliance of the show My Name Is Earl is its ensemble cast. Each member brings something to the table, and without even one of them the show might not be as funny. But, I twisted my own arm and in my opinion Crabman has probably made me laugh the most. He is definitely smarter than another other character on the show, and because of that his comments can totally throw you for a loop - and of course you can't forget his love for Mr. Turtle.

6) Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) - Big Bang Theory

This is a new comedy I found on CBS that leads into How I Met Your Mother. It's about a pair of geniuses who live across the hall from a gorgeous, normal girl. Howard is one of the pairs friends, who wears unbelievably dated clothing, is constantly pining after beautiful women he can't get, or throwing out hilarious one-liners. Shelden, one of the two main geniuses, also is very entertaining and I am amazed at his ability to keep a straight face - but I have to give the edge to Howard on the laugh-out-loud quality of his humor.

5/4) Johnny "Drama" Chase (Kevin Dillon)
& Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) - Entourage

This listing is a combination. You can't have one without the other, it's like Laurel without Hardy or Peanut Butter without Jelly. Turtle and Drama from Entourage are what make that show hilarious. I love it when they stick the two of them together for some silly reason, because you know you are getting good laughs. Turtle will be making fun of Drama for some various reason, and of course Drama will snap back at Turtle the only way he knows how. The pairing is magical together.

3) Homer J. Simpson - The Simpsons

To me it's amazing how The Simpsons was once focused around Bart. Although Bart is a great character - there is no other animated character like Homer, and that may never be matched. Homer is a simple minded man, who will do anything he can to help out his family - as long as it doesn't get in the way of eating, watching tv or drinking beer. Over the years Homer has developed into more and more of a simple man - but his thoughts are hilarious (when spoken, or when just inside his head).

2) Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) - How I Met Your Mother

It's pretty interesting that a gay man can play such a womanizer so well, but it might only be able to be done by the great Neil Patrick Harris. Barney is the glue that holds How I Met Your Mother together. His 'bible' of life is legend(wait for it)dary. He constantly suits up and ever since getting dumped by his one true love - has become a womanizing mad men, who makes up stories to either get in bed with a girl, or get out of seeing her again. But it isn't just comedy for this guy - he actually cares about his friends. Even though by showing it, he is in some way, shape or form setting up some hilarious line.

1) Janitor (Neil Flynn) - Scrubs

The top spot goes to the most hilarious person on television - on what has possibly been the most hilarious show on television for the past seven years. The Janitor, as he is only known, is one of the most original and comedic characters ever created - and he is played fantastically well by Neil Flynn. The Janitor has chosen Sacred Heart doctor J.D. to be his dart board - the person he is constantly picking on or doing things to. He is dedicated to making J.D.'s day at work (and sometimes beyond work) impossible. The dedication is what makes it so great - as he was put on this earth just to make J.D.'s life miserable.

Well, there you have it - My Top 10 comedic characters on television right now. Sure there were great one's in the past (although it's tough to crack the top 3 of this list). Comedy may be on it's way out in television, but these characters will always have you smiling.