1. FlashForward
Season 2009/10,
Network ABC,
Starring Joseph Fiennes, John Cho, Jack Davenport, Zachary Knighton, Peyton List, Dominic Monaghan, Brian F. OByrne, Courtney B. Vance, Sonya Walger, Christine Woods, Genevieve Cortese. FlashForward was initially developed at HBO, a network with a reputation for sticking by its shows. What couldve become a long-running and engaging sci-fi show was sold to ABC, however, a network ruled by the advertisers, which condemns almost any show that fails to attract viewers en masse. Based on a 1999 novel, FlashForward featured a large ensemble cast as members of a society that collectively lost consciousness for around two minutes and witnessed visions of their own lives six months down the line. The series focuses on both their investigation of this event and their handling of their new-found knowledge regarding their future selves, creating a drama that incorporated both mysteries and personal battles. Intelligent, well-written and well-received, the show nevertheless failed to return for a second season, leaving it on an agonising cliffhanger that will never be resolved. And there we have it. Its a sad state when countless police procedurals and medical dramas, the formulas for which became stale long ago, keep returning to our screens whilst shows that dare to take risks and attempt to fill niches, like the ones mentioned in this article, find themselves dumped from the schedules before they are allowed to develop. Thankfully, Lost was allowed to flourish, but it seems that anything that tries to follow in its footsteps is in for a tough time, as the all-important ratings ensure that the endless array of CSI clones take precedent over anything innovate in the schedules.