Sadly, several TV shows only last one season no matter how much we hope they return for a second outing. And there were so many from the 1980s that we brought you six of the best in an article.
However, we also asked which of the shows our lovely readers hoped might make a return, and the results were pretty decisive. 62% voted for the beloved comedy cop series Police Squad! to come back for a second season.
Meanwhile, 17% were hoping that The Duck Factory, which was one of Jim Carrey's earliest projects, would make a long-anticipated return, and a further 13% were hoping that magical crime series Blacke's Magic could come back.
It's not surprising that so many wanted Police Squad! to return, with the show only lasting for six episodes before ABC executives decided to pull the plug. The reason behind its cancellation was poorly received, with it being claimed that viewers really had to be paying attention to catch all of the sight gags.
At the time, TV Guide said the reasoning was "the most stupid reason a network ever gave for ending a series".
Despite the show's cancellation, it launched a film franchise, with three movies, titled The Naked Gun, being produced between 1988 and 1994. A reboot of the movie series was released in 2025, now starring Liam Neeson, although it currently remains unclear whether the series will be back for another entry.
What was Police Squad!?
Police Squad! was an ABC show that aired between March and July 1982. The show focused on plenty of visual gags alongside wordplays, and it was designed as a spoof of the popular cop drama genre of the time.
The series starred Leslie Nielsen, Alan North and Peter Lupus as Frank Drebin, Ed Hocken and Norberg, respectively. Also featured in the main cast were Ed Williams as technician Ted Olson, William Duell as Johnny the Snitch and Ronald "Tiny Ron" Taylor as Al, a freakishly large officer whose head is never in shot.
© Alamy Stock PhotoEven though the show was swiftly cancelled by executives, modern-day critics look back fondly on the show, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a 90% approval rating and bemoaning that it was "tragically ahead of its time".
Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons, once said in an interview: "If Police Squad! had been made twenty years later, it would have been a smash. It was before its time. In 1982 your average viewer was unable to cope with its pace, its quick-fire jokes. But these days they'd have no problems keeping up, I think we've proved that."
