Top Tube Picks: Rome Is Back! What Else?

Share on Facebook posted 03-16-10 by Max Tedaldi

Last week we heard rumors that HBO’s short-lived but much loved series Rome was being adapted for a feature-length film. Now, it is obviously too early to get out hopes up, but apparently Bruno Heller the creator and executive of the show has just finished preparing a script which would take place two years after the original show left off. Check out the original hollywoodinsider article here if you don’t believe me.

Rome aired for just two seasons, from 2005 to 2007, and they were two of the most gloriously gory, back-stabbing television seasons of all time. Political intrigue combined with ancient chauvinism and manipulation to create one of the best, and most well-written shows in recent years. The biggest problem with Rome was actually what made the show so special; it was too expensive to keep going, and the show was canceled after only two seasons. Nothing is more depressing than a good show biting the dust before its time. Despite fans thinking that they can somehow make a difference, other than by watching a show, once a show is canceled only the most extreme circumstances will allow for a return to their beloved time slot. So how do we express the outrage that we feel when our favorite shows endure a fate that we wouldn’t wish upon even the most ineffectual pilot? Hate letters composed out of magazine clippings and sent to television networks might manage to freak-out a few studio heads, but we also thought compiling a list of shows that were completely and totally, inexplicably canceled would hopefully get us one step closer to complete catharsis.

10. Rome

Seriously though, this show really seemed like the fruition of the four unnecessary years of latin I took in high school. Apparently Rome was originally conceived of as a mini-series for HBO. Execs at the Home Box Office saw the first episode and flipped their shit at how slick and high quality the show looked and they immediately ordered a full twelve episodes of the show. For those of you looking for show to scratch that Gladiator itch you might be looking in the wrong place. Rome is much more about the intricacies of political life than the triumphant gore of gladiatorial life. That’s just fine though! Rome was chalk full of dynamic, evil characters who were all willing to kill, manipulate and screw their way to the top of the Roman food chain.

9. Sports Night

Sports Night was a sports-based half hour television show that aired in the late 90′s that had actually nothing to do with sports. It was about the relationships of the people who helped to produce an Sportscenter type show. Sports Night was written and created by dialogue genius Aaron Sorkin who went on to do The West Wing, and there are some uncanny similarities between the two shows. In fact, entire plot points are re-used in Sorkin’s subsequent project. It’s just a shame that they couldn’t keep this gem going and Sorkin was forced to return to the political sphere that he had previously owned in A Few Good Men.

8.Twin Peaks

David Lynch has made some weird stuff. By weird of course I mean, I’ve seen Mulholland Drive and still haven’t recovered from the bizarre dream-like horror that pervades every aspect of all David Lynch’s films. Twin Peaks follows a (you guessed it) strange FBI agent as he investigates the (you guessed it) strange disappearance of a young woman in the (you guessed it) strange town of Twin Peaks. That there are only two seasons of this show is tantamount to torture. Imagine what would have happened if Lost had abruptly ended at the end of season 2. Losties would have flipped out and clamored for more because even now, in the middle of season 6 there are unanswered questions, and at the end of season 2 we hadn’t even been introduced to the time travel aspect of the show. Twin Peaks was the original Lost and its cancellation was devastating.

7. Manimal

Man + Animal = Manimal. That alone warrants at least 6 seasons, 100+ episodes, 12 Emmy awards and immortalization in the urbandictionary hall of fame

6. Carnivale

Anyone who was seen the latest season of Heroes knows exactly how amazing Carnivale was. Heroes has managed to take an almost identical plot and narrative and strip it of all of its emotional intensity and biblical imagery/epicness and leave a barren corny husk of disposable TV blubber. Yes, Heroes broke my heart. And for anyone who has seen Carnivale it’s not difficult to see why. Carnivale had all of the magic and “people with extraordinary abilities” that Heroes has but with an element of mystery and intrigue that the Hayden Panettiere cheerleader vehicle has all but abandoned. A traveling carnival of performers with real powers and demonic and angelic ties is not untraversed territory, but Canivale did it with style, incredible acting and one of the best television opening credits ever seen.

5. Futurama

The brainchild of Matt Groening and David Cohen, the creator and writer for The Simpsons, Futurama‘s main problem was not being liked . . . by the FOX network. FOX seriously has an issue with canceling the best animated programming ever (see below). Futurama was the tale of dimwitted/charismatic delivery boy named Fry who was accidentally cryogenically frozen and awakened 1000 years later. Along with his potential love interest cyclops and kleptomaniacal robot best friend, Fry does the same job that he was doing in the year 2000 as he does in 2999. Cleverly written and irreverent, Futurama deserved better than to be cancelled after five seasons . . . tear. Stay tuned though, Futurama is supposedly coming back this year!!

4. Family Guy

Whoever at FOX thought that a stupid and fat husband, a hot and slightly slutty wife, a punching bag daughter, a scatter brained but charmed older brother, an evil genius toddler, and a booze-hound hound was not brilliant programming really shit the bed. Family Guy was originally cancelled after season 2 but without a replacement for the time slot the show was renewed for an additional season. Following the cancellation after season 3, Family Guy delivered stellar numbers in syndication and sold 2.2 million DVDs in only one year. So FOX renewed Family Guy and the show is scheduled to air at least until 2012. This is one of the only happy endings for the tale of the prematurely cancelled show, and we are glad that at least fans can affect one of the decisions made by a network. gigidy gigidy gigidy goooo!

3. Firefly

For all of the hullabaloo, yes I just used the word hullabaloo, over Firefly one might think that the show had aired for several seasons and that some essential plot elements were left unresolved. In fact, Firefly never really got off the ground, ironic?. There were only 14 episodes made and the show was canceled before the end of its first season. But Firefly has a hardcore fanboy presense, so much so that based on fan response alone a Firefly film called Serenity was released in 2005. Joss Whedon, the genius behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer, conceived of the idea for Firefly after reading The Killer Angels, a novel about the battle of Gettysburg. Whedon wanted to make a show that depicted the losers of a civil war and their subsequent lives after being a a part of the losing side, and set that show in space! Firefly is stuffed to the brim with ridiculously eclectic characters and cool story-lines. For anime lovers, the plot is eerily reminiscent of Cowboy Bebop. If you haven’t seen the show, pick up the DVD and I guarantee you’ll buzz through every episode in one red bull fueled binge.

2. Deadwood

For those who think that Eddie Murphy standup is overloaded with swears and foul language for the sake of foul language than you obviously haven’t seen Deadwood. Holy shit there’s a lot swearing. It can catch you off guard if you’re not ready for it, but once you settle into the filthy 19th century cowboy dialect you will find yourself completely entranced by two of the coolest characters ever. Timothy Olyphant played Seth Bullock the sheriff of Deadwood and the man who brought justice to the town, but not without a cost. Bullock was also an enterpriser looking to provide a good life for his family and throughout the three seasons of the show Bullock must constantly choose between bribes and doing what is right for the town. Olyphant clearly played this role well because he seems to be playing an identical role in Justified which airs for the first time tonight (can’t wait!). Then there’s Al Swearengen, played with skeezy suaveness by Ian McShane who steals the show. Just watch McShane swear his face off in this clip you will have a reinvigorated sense of chivalry and romance.

1. Arrested Development

The Bluth family’s level of self-involvement and extravagance is all at once charming and addictive. I feel no hesitation in saying that if you watch an episode of this show and “don’t get it” or you aren’t “obsessed” than you have no soul and you are devoid of human compassion and empathy. Think that’s harsh? Fans of this show are hardcore and were deeply wounded by the canceling of AD after only three seasons. Arrested Development has dozens of fan-sites (The Banana Stand is our favorite) and fan reaction has been so strong that a movie is currently in the works. You need more Arrested Development. You crave it . . . and we understand. We understand more than you’ll . . . never know.