Top 10 TV Flops from the 2000s That Are Actually Worth Watching

A South Florida town must rebuild after a catastrophic hurricane, and amid odd occurrences. The title of “Invasion” effectively gives away that extraterrestrials are covertly taking over the community through cloning. There were still five seasons of twists planned for this lofty mix of “Lost” and “The Body Snatchers”. Alas, less than a month before its premiere, Hurricane Katrina devastated the southern U.S. and the nation's psyche. ABC’s marketing for the disaster drama was thus reduced and reframed around the carefully plotted sci-fi twists. Though “Invasion” ended in controversy with one season, it captivated a limited audience with smart writing and elaborate drama. The many unresolved cliffhangers shouldn't discourage audiences from seeing a character-driven mystery done right. That is, when its timing is appropriate.

This boldly naturalistic HBO drama follows the messy lives of three couples in therapy, as well as Dr. May Foster herself. It wasn’t afraid to get intimate with the struggles of everyday people. With that, though, public discussion about the show was dominated by its shockingly realistic discussions and depictions of sex. Despite this scandal and weak ratings, HBO was willing to give the refreshingly mature slice-of-life a second chance. Showrunner Cynthia Mort nevertheless decided to leave it at one season because she didn’t know how to progress the narrative. “Tell Me You Love Me” may never have attracted passionate viewership, but it still gets people talking as a rare gem of adult drama–in every sense of the term.

The story of King David is modernized with a soldier who enters the court of an all-powerful king, navigating political and personal crises. “Kings” was a lofty undertaking for NBC which combined epic worldbuilding with operatic writing. Critics were hooked by its daring originality, especially with the always commanding Ian McShane at the helm. It proved to be a much tougher sell to audiences. NBC already had trouble promoting the show due to its touchy biblical themes. After three weeks of ratings underperformance, it began airing inconsistently on Saturdays. “Kings”’s graceless downfall after one season even prompted the network to walk back projects that costly. Still, if you like your political thrillers hallowed, “Kings” is a regal experience.

Five years after an animated adaptation of Ben Edlund’s superhero satire, “The Tick” returned to Fox in live-action. This stylish sitcom follows the misadventures of the eponymous earnest crusader and his meager ward. It was the perfect vehicle for the burly yet lovable Patrick Warburton. It was also maybe too quirky and pricey for its competitive timeslot. Warburton himself claimed that Fox never had much investment when the project was produced by a third party. The rave reviews couldn’t prevent the show’s cancellation, but they did give it a legacy. Amazon’s take on “The Tick” years later further empowered interest in the Fox version. The invincible cult following would say that it’s a blast regardless of the state of the superhero market.

The world is bewildered after nearly everyone in it simultaneously loses consciousness for 137 seconds. Disturbing visions suggest that the root of this phenomenon lies in the future. “FlashForward” was obviously ABC capitalizing on the ensemble- and supernatural mystery-driven format of “Lost”. It initially seemed to be more successful than “Invasion”. The show was an instant hit with critics and audiences, but ratings dramatically declined as the narrative grew too convoluted for peak primetime. ABC ultimately decided that it wasn't worth a long-term financial investment. “FlashForward”’s cancellation was so controversial that fans organized protest campaigns worldwide. One season of remains rewarding even for future fans, who can only guess at what the story’s own future might have held.

Bryan Fuller has never had much luck as a showrunner. Before “Pushing Daisies” and “Hannibal”, he and Todd Holland created Fox’s wonderful “Wonderfalls”. The quirky dramedy follows an Ivy League-educated philosopher who works at a Niagara Falls souvenir shop, where figurines come to life with cryptic instructions. Such imaginative storytelling and lovable characters quickly won a loyal audience, however limited. The show had inconsistent ratings with just four episodes before a four-month hiatus and under-promoted timeslot change. The already niche fable didn't really stand a chance. Like all of Fuller’s ill-fated masterpieces, it maintains a strong cult following that never fully got over its cancellation. Despite falling into obscurity through the years, “Wonderfalls” is still worth the trip.

Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco followed the Oscar-winning “Crash” by joining the syndicate of prestige gangster TV. Inspired by the Irish-Canadian clan of the same name, “The Black Donnellys” was an elaborate saga of immigrant culture and organized crime in Hell’s Kitchen, New York. It was a tricky drama to pull off outside of cable, with more narrative ambition than a network audience could get behind. Plummeting ratings led to NBC canceling and pulling the star-studded series halfway through its first season. The remaining episodes could only be watched online and on DVD. “The Black Donnellys” also polarized critics, but those who appreciate its unique culture and tension loved it. Many agree that it’s a worthy deep-cut for any crime TV enthusiast.

The 2000s began bitterly for fans of NBC’s coming-of-age dramedy “Freaks and Geeks”. But Judd Apatow delivered a worthy spiritual successor in Fox’s “Undeclared”. The naturalistically raunchy humor and heart in the lives of aimless college students won critical acclaim. It even seemed to do well in the ratings. Behind the scenes, though, it was a mess of production-network conflict and disorganized broadcast scheduling. 9/11 also had a sullen impact on America’ pop culture climate. Still, Fox’s own mismanagement was mostly responsible for “Undeclared”’s expulsion after one term. It’s nonetheless considered an essential stepping stone for a now-esteemed cast and the single-cam sitcom genre in general. The show’s quality alone makes it a staple of must-see cult TV.

NBC was fully invested in Aaron Sorkin’s follow-up to the long-running masterpiece “The West Wing”. “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” moved the snappy workplace drama from the White House to an “SNL”-style sketch comedy show. It was a promising debut, praised for its colorful ensemble and satire of politics within and beyond a television network. The thing is… “30 Rock” debuted to that same praise in the same season. Both comedies shared a market for NBC and made up for declining ratings with critical acclaim. With lower viewership and higher production costs, “Studio 60” fell victim to the business it deconstructed. It was a costly folly for both the network and Sorkin, but the latter’s fans can rely on the material itself.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.


“10 Things I Hate About You” (2009-10)
The Lovable Movie-to-TV Teen Comedy Didn’t Quite Graduate Into the 2010s


“The Dresden Files” (2007)
This Cult Adaptation of a Hit Book Series Had Stronger Entertainment Than Viewership


“Gideon's Crossing” (2000-01)
The Underrated Medical Drama Couldn’t Be Saved for a Second Season


“The Unusuals” (2009)
Noah Hawley’s Uniquely Eccentric Police Dramedy Didn’t Go Far on ABC


“Journeyman” (2007)
A Time-Traveling Reporter’s Underseen Adventures Are Worth Jumping Back For

After a nuclear attack on 23 American cities, a small Kansas town becomes the shaky foundation for a new civilization. CBS’s “Jericho” came long before the boom of post-apocalyptic TV. On top of the blockbuster drama’s niche market, especially during the War on Terror, a writers strike and video piracy scandal effectively blew the ambitious investment. Critical praise and fan backlash against the show’s cancellation were still so substantial that CBS commissioned a seven-episode second season. It wasn't much, but it set up a multimedia franchise to continue the story for loyal followers. “Jericho” may be more of a commitment than latecomers realize. Still, it's worth checking out this evidence that there's some hope for even the biggest bombs on TV.


What are your favorite shows of the past few decades that not many others watched? Spread the word in the comments.