Classic TV Shows Forgotten By Time
By Sophia Maddox | March 1, 2024
Beauty and the Beast
Think you've got what it takes to be a television trivia master? Get ready to put your knowledge to the test! From forgotten series featuring Lucy's return to TV to George Clooney's lesser-known appearances in emergency room dramas, we're diving into the world of classic TV shows that have slipped from memory.
Beauty and the Beast is a popular fairy tale and the inspiration for a 1987 TV show of the same name. Linda Hamilton was Catherine Chandler, the victim of a violent crime, who wakes to find a mysterious man named Vincent saved her life. Though Vincent is more man than beast, they form a lasting relationship. In the first season, Catherine learns about the hidden underground world where Vincent lives and the strange Father who takes care of Vincent and others.
Starring beside Hamilton was Ron Perlman hidden under layers of makeup. The former Sons of Anarchy and Hellboy star made Vincent seem both loving and terrifying. By the end of season two, Hamilton was on her way out, and the network was desperate to breathe new life into the series. Though CBS brought in new actors, they couldn't capture the Perlman and Hamilton magic. The CW launched a reboot in 2012 that ran for four seasons.
Manimal
What do you get when you cross a man with an animal? Manimal! This NBC series followed the adventures of Dr. Jonathon Chase, a superhero who could transform himself into different animals. Chase could pick and choose the animal he became and used his powers to assist the police in solving cases. Though he often became a black panther or a hawk, he also transformed into a snake, bull, dolphin, and any animal that helped him get the job done.
Adding to the fun of the series were the relationships he had with his cop buddy and his love interest. Manimal started out strong with a 90-minute TV movie that got high ratings. While fans loved the movie, they weren't as fond of the series, which only lasted for seven episodes. After NBC canceled the show, Dr. Chase appeared in an episode of the '90's series, Night Man.
Three's a Crowd
Three's Company made John Ritter a household name. Good things always come to an end though, which is why ABC pulled the plug on that show. Knowing that fans weren't done with Jack and all his madcap adventures, the network gave Ritter a spinoff called Three's a Crowd. Ironically, the first episode aired just a week after the other show's finale. The new show got rid of Janet and put the focus on Jack and select new characters.
Jack moved in with his girlfriend Vicky, who first appeared on Three's Company. Instead of a nosy landlord, the couple now had to contend with Vicky's father, who wasn't a fan of Jack. Though based on the British series Robin's Nest which ran for four seasons, Three's a Crowd wasn't as popular. It ended its first season somewhere around the middle of the pack, leading to its cancellation.
McCloud
McCloud took the fish out of the water plot so often seen on TV to the next level. Originally envisioned as a starring vehicle for Fess Parker, Dennis Weaver took on the role when Parker passed. Weaver played the title character, a good old country boy from Taos, New Mexico. Tasked with transporting a prisoner to New York City, he wound up sticking around after losing the inmate and finding himself embroiled in a murder case.
The pilot episode of McCloud aired in 1970 on NBC as a television movie. It was so popular that the network brought it back as a full-fledged show. It aired for seven seasons from 1970 to 1977. McCloud later came back for one last special in 1989 with Weaver once again taking on the lead role. The complete series is available on DVD, giving you the chance to relive the excitement of NYC police work in the '70s.
Dark Angel
Dark Angel was a smash hit for FOX. Before she was a working mom and the brains behind The Honest Company, Jessica Alba was Max, an enhanced supersoldier. Max looked like other teenagers except for the barcode tattoo on the back of her neck that designated her one of the test subjects from a government experiment. Working as a bike messenger, she hid from the government while helping Logan Cale, a journalist, expose the experiment and the government's secrets.
The chemistry between Alba and her co-star, Michael Weatherly, was clear on-screen and carried over into real life when they two became engaged. Adding to the thrill and excitement of the sci-fi tale was the addition of Jensen Ackles as Alec, a clone who looked just like Max's brother. Season two introduced the lovable Joshua, a man and dog hybrid, but it wasn't enough to save Dark Angel, which ended on a cliffhanger.
Hey Dude
If you grew up in the '80s, the chances are good you caught an episode or two of Hey Dude. During the early days of Nickelodeon, the studio took a chance on anything they thought kids would like. "Anything" included this series, which sent a group of teens to a dude ranch called the Bar None Dude Ranch. Though the series only ran for a little over a year, it had five seasons and 65 episodes. Long after it ended, you could still catch reruns on Nickelodeon.
Quincy M.E.
Though you may not remember Quincy, M.E., your parents or grandparents probably do. Quincy was a medical examiner played by Jack Klugman of The Odd Couple fame. Loosely based on a book written by an FBI agent, the series featured a medical examiner working in Los Angeles who used each episode to find the cause of a person's death. Quincy was committed to his job but not above finding romance while he worked.
Quincy, M.E., started as part of the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie and found as much success as McCloud on the network. NBC released multiple movies with Klugman in the lead role before bringing the character back with a weekly show. Klugman appeared in 177 of the 178 movies and episodes, which aired between 1976 and 1983. The show even picked up fans overseas when it aired in the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, Germany, and Australia.
Emergency!
Long before fans clamored for the escapades of Grey's Anatomy and even before ER made George Clooney a household name, Emergency! had a hold on the country. Yet another drama from NBC, it's also one of the more successful mid-season replacements. Based on the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the show followed the exploits of the paramedics and emergency workers in Fire House 51. Most of the action surrounded John and Boy, but it didn't take long for Emergency! to expand its character roster.
Emergency! was popular with fans because paramedic departments were still a relatively new thing. They tuned in weekly to see the characters save people from bears and engage in other actions that left them on the edges of their seats. Some of the characters even crossed over to other series like ChiPS and Sierra. Emergency spawned books and toys over its 135-episode run.
Misfits Of Science
Friends wasn't the first sitcom that featured Courteney Cox. Before she was Monica, she was Gloria, a telekinetic teen and the fourth billed actor in the forgotten Misfits of Science. The show went live on October 4, 1985, but only managed to hold onto its time slot for a few months. It featured Dr. Billy Hayes and Dr. El Lincoln who recruited teenagers with unique abilities, including Gloria and Johnny.
Though you might think the story focused on their sci-fi abilities, it was more of a sitcom that just happened to have some sci-fi in it. NBC aired a 90-minute pilot followed by 14 episodes. Citing a lack of interest, the network canceled the show before airing the final episode. Many fans recall the funky theme song and the credits, unlike anything on TV at the time. Misfits of Science is a forgotten show today that didn't even get an American DVD release.
Voyagers!
It's hard to explain the hold that sci-fi had over the country in the early '80s. Every network wanted a piece of the Star Wars action, which led to multiple shows that people barely remember today. One of those was Voyagers! which had a unique premise that helped set it apart from the competition. Phineas Boggs was a member of a time-traveling group called the Voyagers. Boggs became stuck in 1982 after saving the life of a young boy named Jeffrey.
The two characters worked together in every episode to right the wrongs of history. A few of the show's constants were the romantic escapades of Boggs and the humor of Jeffrey. Though the network gave the series a full season of 20 episodes, it didn't renew it for a second season.
Beyond Westworld
HBO Max wasn't the first company to continue the Westworld story. Before streaming was even an idea, CBS aired Beyond Westworld. Famous author Michael Crichton wrote and directed the original film, which focused on a group of androids in an Old West theme park. Beyond Westworld moved the action back to Delos, the theme park from the movie. It starred Jim McMullan as a security guard tasked with stopping a man's plot to use the androids and take over the world.
While the special effects might look dated today, they were cutting-edge back in 1980. The show even picked up Emmy nominations for makeup and art direction. Those nominations didn't get fans to tune in though. CBS stopped production after filming just five episodes, only three of which the network showed. The only way to watch the action of Beyond Westworld today is via the old DVD release.
Firehouse
You might be old enough to remember when every major network aired a TV movie of the week. ABC even made its films a spectacle for more than five years with ads and trailers for upcoming releases. While some were better than others, few were as successful as Firehouse. Shaft himself, Richard Roundtree appeared as Shelley Forsythe. Shelley was a rookie and a new addition to a firehouse filled with all white men. The men learned how to work together by the end of the flick.
The show was such a hit that ABC turned it into a weekly series. Its focus changed to exciting adventures every week. Instead of dealing with the men of the firehouse, the series had the men stage a rescue and put out a fire within a 30-minute episode. Fans, who wanted to see the film's plot continue, weren't happy. ABC ended Firehouse after just 13 episodes.
Flying High
Flying High wasn't the first dramedy, but it was the first one set in the sky. Every episode detailed the lives of three gorgeous flight attendants as they dealt with life on and off the plane. It was the first starring role for Connie Sellecca, who would later gain fame and pick up award nominations for the series Hotel. As Lisa, she had a flirtation with Captain Doug March played by Howard Platt. Their relationship carried over into real life as the two dated and became engaged.
Producers originally went to Tanya Roberts of Charlie's Angels with plans to cast her in one of the lead roles. When she dropped out, they cast an unknown actress in the role. The first episode focused on the women's experiences going through training and starting their careers. Critics claimed the show took a stereotypical view of flight attendants, leading to its cancellation after only 18 episodes aired.
Highcliffe Manor
Highcliffe Manor was one of several TV shows that hoped to capitalize off the success of Dark Shadows. After gaining fame as a singer but before popping up on Coach, Shelly Fabares was Helen Blacke, a widow who owns the mansion featured in the show's title. It was up to Helen to keep the zany doctors and others who worked for a secret foundation housed in the manor from getting out of control.
The show launched with quite a lot of attention. Some critics thought it was the perfect mix of gothic horror and comedy. Not everyone felt quite the same way. Highcliffe Manor premiered on April 12, 1979, and aired its last episode on May 3 of the same year, leaving at least two completed episodes unaired. Despite good chemistry among its leads and some funny moments, the show became just another forgotten sitcom.
Logan's Run
Logan's Run wasn't the first or the last television show based on a hit movie, but it quickly joined the ranks of other failed adaptations. The series picked up almost exactly where the movie ended, with the main characters fleeing the city. Logan and Jessica returned in name only as the original actors decided not to return. Once the two found a hovercraft, they embarked on an adventure to find the Sanctuary with help from an android and a mysterious group.
Though the TV show had some of the same action as the film, it didn't have nearly as much money in its budget. That combined with the sudden appearance change of the main characters led many fans to turn it off after the pilot film. Even bringing in the original authors of the book didn't help. Logan stopped running after 14 episodes aired in the US on February 6, 1978.
Millennium
Fox took a lot of risks in the 1990s in the hopes of catching up with the big three networks. The success of The X-Files led to the network airing other shows with sci-fi elements like Harm Realm, Freaky Links, and Millennium. Chris Carter, the man behind The X-Files, created the series. Lance Henriksen starred as a former FBI agent who worked for the Millennium Group as a consultant. As Frank Black, even he didn't know what the organization did.
While the first season was more by the book as Frank attempted to capture serial killers, the second season brought in some mysterious elements relating to the Millennium Group. Despite good reviews and millions of viewers, Fox moved the show to a new time slot and day. By the third season, the show had lost more than half its viewers. Though Fox canceled Millennium, The X-Files wrapped up Frank's story with a special episode.
Duck Man
In the early 1990s, The Simpsons was the only animated show in primetime, but it was more for families. Duckman let adults know that animated shows could be just for them. USA Network broadcast bought the rights to the show based on a popular comic book and aired the first episode on March 5, 1994. The show featured a talented cast of voice actors, including Jason Alexander from Seinfeld. Alexander voiced the title character Duckman, a private investigator and family man.
Set in a world where creatures were half human and half duck, Duckman offered something new in the world of comedies. USA Network aired 70 episodes over four seasons, making the show one of the network's early successes. Just a few years later, Comedy Central picked up the rights to the show and introduced it to a new legion of fans. Though some forgot about Duckman, fans continue hoping for a conclusion to the show's cliffhanger.
Eerie, Indiana
Eerie, Indiana was the first scary show designed for kids. Omri Katz was Marshall Tucker, a young boy who moved to the title town. It didn't take long before he realized that strange things happened in Eerie. Fans of the R.L. Stine book series Goosebumps couldn't get enough of the series. The writers drew inspiration from spooky movies and books like The Mummy and The Raven but came up with fun twists to appeal to kids.
The chances are good that you probably watched Eerie, Indiana on multiple networks. Though it originally aired on NBC, The Disney Channel later acquired the rights. It also aired on the Fox Kids Network in the late '90s, helping kids who weren't yet born when the show started to find it and fall in love. Though the show only included 19 episodes, many viewers still remember some of the chilling episodes.
Sports Night
Peter Krause now saves lives weekly on 9-1-1, but one of his biggest roles was in Sports Night with Josh Charles. Set behind the scenes of a fictional show based on ESPN SportsCenter, the series gave viewers an inside look at the making of the show. Aaron Sorkin created the series and honed some of the skills he would later use on The West Wing while working on it.
Much of the action revolved around Dan and Casey and their on-screen foibles. Sports Night garnered two Emmy Awards in its first season and four nominations in its second season among many other awards. Though it also appeared on multiple lists of the best TV shows, it never quite got the ratings ABC wanted. The network pulled the plug on Sports Night after just two seasons. Comedy Central later briefly reran the series.
Gemini Man
Gemini Man was one of two NBC series based on The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells. The first aired in 1975 under the same name as the book. Following its cancellation, NBC launched Gemini Man. If you don't remember it, you're not alone. It only aired for a single season and got such low ratings that it doesn't seem like many people watched it.
Ben Murphy starred as Sam Casey, a secret agent who became invisible after an accident while on the job. Casey worked for a government agency that developed a special watch, which let him switch between being seen and being invisible. To complicate things, the watch only worked for 15 minutes at a time. NBC aired a special pilot for Gemini Man in May of 1976 but waited until the fall to launch the series. Only five of the 11 episodes aired in the United States.
