10 TV Shows That Led To Other TV Shows Being Cancelled (And Why)
6. Two & A Half Men And Mike & Molly Worked Together To Kill Lone Star… After Two Episodes
Lone Star, a Fox drama series following the double life of a married man running his father’s oil business whilst simultaneously maintaining a secret second life (with a beautiful mistress, naturally) four hundred miles away, debuted in 2010 to rave reviews. Many critics called its pilot, directed by 500 Days of Summer/ appropriately-named Amazing Spiderman helmer Marc Webb, the best of the season, and the show seemed primed for success.
Unfortunately for Lone Star, it was scheduled alongside The Big Bang Theory creator Chuck Lorre’s unstoppable sitcom Two and a Half Men, which was enjoying renewed relevance at the time thanks to the antics of star Charlie Sheen.
Add in the more modest but still considerable competition from Melissa McCarthy sitcom Mike and Molly, and Lone Star struggled to come close to the ratings necessary for its continued survival, prompting a desperate showrunner to plead with potential viewers, noting that the show would only survive if it doubled the ratings of its first episode.
Alas, it was not to be, and Lone Star only made it to two episodes before being kicked off the listings for good.