Fox is known for its edgy, character-centric comedies, from long-running animated series like The Simpsons to fan favorites like Brooklyn Nine-Nine. But what about the projects that weren't so self-sustaining? These genre and medium-bending series, for example, lost their initial claim to fame after being pruned from the network early. Some went on to greener pastures, while others were left behind the endless streaming graveyard.
So, what can the ghosts of these series tell us about the future of programming for the network?
Son of Zorn
It's not easy being jacked!
Set in an alternate world where He-Man-esque characters live among us, this story follows the blended Bennett family living in modern-day Orange County. Before he was Ted Lasso, Jason Sudeikis voiced Zorn, a kick-ass barbarian from the fantasy island of Zephyria. The show follows Zorn as he tries to reconnect with his half-Zephyrian son, Alangulon, a.k.a. "Alan". His interactions with his son, an unassuming vegetarian with legs of steel, the new man in his ex's life, and the public in suburbia at large were nothing short of delightful.
While unrealistic in aspects beyond the obvious, (the "teenage" son in question, for example, was in his mid-thirties in real life), with actors like Cheryl Hines, Tim Meadows, and John Pemberton in the mix, it's a wonder this series didn't slash its way straight into a second season. In the end, low ratings spelled the downfall for this series. The show today maintains a respectable audience score on Rotten Tomatoes of 70%. Those looking to relive the magic can currently stream it on Hulu or get their hands one the Son of Zorn Funko Pops! made for the occasion.
Rel
Inspired by the life and standup of comedian Lil Rel Howery, this show aired for one whole season from 2018-2019. Co-starring the likes of comedy legend Sinbad, the series featured Howery as a nurse whose marriage ends abruptly after he finds out his wife cheated on him with his barber. Turns out, finding a new barber is just about as hard as finding a new wife.
Just after the season one finale wrapped, the Rel family learned that the co-creator on the show had died suddenly of pancreatitis while on vacation. To add insult to injury, while still reeling from this news, they earned that the show, which had not been back ordered for more episodes, was canceled as well.
Enlisted
Three brothers found it difficult not to get on each other's nerves when they were assigned to the same unit in this Fox series. Geoff Stults played Staff Sergeant Pete Hill, the brother in charge of getting his brother's platoon of misfits up to snuff. The other two brothers, played by Christopher Lowell and Parker Young, brought some hilarious heat to Enlisted as all three of them struggled to come to terms with themselves and each other throughout.
In a move that would prove disastrous for plot continuity, the episodes premiered out of order, the hope being to bolster the strongest episodes upfront. One episode (number 10) was even bumped up to fourth place in order to coincide with the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, this created a continuity nightmare of missing meet-cutes alongside a litany of other story plot holes. Although critically acclaimed, Fox was forced to replace the series with episodes of Kitchen Nightmare after only nine episodes. While the rest were eventually shown over the course of that summer, the series found itself canceled from there.
Making History
Three friends from different centuries teamed up for time travel in this short-lived series featuring Adam Pally, Yassir Lester, and Leighton Meester (in a wild departure from Gossip Girl fame).
Filmed on sight at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA, Making History featured cameos from the historical likes of Samuel Adams and John Hancock. While Fox originally planned for 13 episodes, they cut the order down to a measly nine before the show even aired in March 2017. This unfortunate trend only continued after the show was officially canceled within its first three months. Nonetheless, the series boasts an impressive showing of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, so it's clearly worth a watch.
Grandfathered
Disney-ABC Domestic Television
Not one but two returns of famous supporting cast members to the small screen made Grandfathered worth tuning into in 2015. John Stamos of Full House and Josh Peck of Drake & Josh helmed the series alongside the ever-hilarious Paget Brewster. Stamos played a confirmed and successful bachelor who learns he's not only a father, but a grandfather to boot! The network continued to order more and more of the series in the first few months before finally settling on 22 episodes in total. In the end, it was one of four other freshman comedy projects cut that season.
Method & Red
This show (which is sometimes referred to as Meth & Red) featured recording artists Method Man & Redman as fictionalized versions of themselves. The show centered around the titular pair after they move to the suburbs. Method Man has since come out as critical of the editing on the show, which, among other things, did not have a laugh track. No love was lost between the studio and the pair when the show was canceled mid-season; four whole episodes remained unaired to this day.
Bless the Harts
To say this cast was star-powered would be the understatement of the year. Headliners from SNL alums Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig to Ike Barinholtz, Fortune Feimster, and Kumail Nanjiani were prominently featured throughout—alongside many, many others.
Bless the Harts centered around a young mom and her dysfunctional family scrambling to get by in the Deep South. Their can-do attitudes and quirky antics made them a favorite among diehard fans but never gained traction in comparison to the rest of Fox's animated comedy slate. This jointly owned-and-operated venture between Disney’s 20th Television and Fox Entertainment just wasn't able to garner high enough ratings in comparison to the rest of Fox's slate.
In the meantime, Fox has continued to push its animation game following the purchase of the animation studio Bento Box.
The Grinder
It was brother versus brother in this series, which premiered in the Fall of 2015. Fred Savage has had his hands in a little bit of everything since his early days on The Wonder Years, so teaming up with Rob Lowe seemed like a no-brainer. In the series, Savage played a lawyer forced to welcome his plays-a-lawyer-on-TV brother into the family firm. Needless to say, their chemistry was fire from the start.
The Grinder has been compared to the likes of Arrested Development and Better Off Ted for its small, but strong, fan base. Unfortunately, this base was not enough to keep the show going long-term. It was canceled due to low ratings by May of the following year after showing one whole season. While not cited as a reason for cancelation, it should be noted that Savage was accused of inappropriate on-set behavior, for which he was investigated and cleared in 2016.
Futurama
Benders never say die!
While by far not the only beloved animated series to get canceled on Fox, (we're looking at you, Family Guy), Futurama is definitely the lovable, unkillable cockroach of the adult animated space. This consistently on-again, off-again series originally aired on Fox from 1999-2003. After years of Cartoon Network re-runs (and a few movie offshoots), Cartoon Network rebooted the series in 2010. It ran on the network until 2013.
Since then, there's only been an audio-only episode presented by The Nerdist podcast in 2017. Mumblings about yet another reboot finally came to fruition with the announcement that Hulu would revive the series later this year.
The Mick
The Mick featured a brash, two-bit hustler who, after years of shirking any semblance of responsibility, is forced to parent her sister's kids after she's forced to flee the country. While the premise for this series was far from novel, the utterly hilarious antics of pro-funny woman Kaitlin Olson was just the breath of fresh air the show needed to succeed. Tomatometer readings on the show are mixed, with a 58% on the Tomatometer next to a 92% audience score. While the show was canceled after a hefty two-season run, it easily had enough ammo to last for much longer.
It's worth noting that the preceding series were far longer lasting than many of their drama series. Most finished a whole season, for example, or at least survived long enough to garner a cult following. Even beloved shows like Family Guy, which was canceled and reinstated by the network in 2002, were given a second chance. Other short-lived shows on the network, like Futurama and Brooklyn Nine-Nine were picked up by other platforms. This studio's short track record and mix of likable characters with toned but edgy storytelling make these shows not only instantly relatable but compatible for the long run.