It seems like for years FSU was always on the wrong end of game winning buzzer beaters in basketball. For the longest period of time, the only difference between an NIT-bound Noles basketball team and the NCAA tournament was a handful of last second losses. Then, a couple years ago, the worm turned and since that time, FSU has returned the favor with dividends. Here are a couple of the most exciting last second finishes FSU has had in recent history:
2013: Florida State 60-57 Clemson, Tallahassee FL
Thursday night was another example, when after trailing by as much as 12 points to Clemson the entire game, FSU pulled within range in the closing minutes and Michael Snaer hit a game winning 3pt shot with just 0.2 seconds. It was his 3rd game winning 3 in just a year and a half.
2012: ACC Championship Florida State 85-82 North Carolina, Greensboro, NC
After leading practically the entire game, including a double digit lead midway into the 2nd half, FSU could only watch helplessly as UNC chipped away bit by bit and FSU's hope of their first ever ACC basketball championship began to slip away. Up by just 1 point with seconds left, the Nole defense held and a couple of critical free throws by Dulkys sealed the deal. A desperation 3 by UNC just barely missed, and FSU took home the hardware! The last minute of the game took about 13 minutes of real time, but it's worth reliving:
2012: Florida State 63-60 Virginia, Charlottesville VA
Another 3pt buzzer beater shot from last season, this one taken by Ian Miller. I'm not entirely sure, but I think this was another game that FSU was losing up until the very end.
2012: Florida State 48-47 Virginia Tech, Tallahassee FL
I have a confession to make about this game. Last season I went to practically ever home game and always sat in the very front row of the student section next to the band. (I was even fortunate enough to get one of only 2 front row student seats at the Duke game.) I was at this game... and I left with about a minute left. That's right, I left. It was one of the most annoying, frustrating games I have ever been to. FSU was in first place in the ACC, which was unbelievable. We had just come off a last second victory against Duke (coming up soon on the list) and we were playing like one of the best teams in the country... until this game. It was horrible. We couldn't score, we turned the ball over, it was just a nasty, low scoring game, and I was mad. FSU was down by double digits with about a minute left, and I figured that was just too much. To put that into perspective, that's like being down 21 points with 2 minutes left in a football game. What transpired next was unbelievable. After walking several blocks to my car and driving about 15 minutes towards my house, I decided to turn on the radio to listen to the post game and see how much we ultimately lost by. THE GAME WAS STILL GOING ON. And as I sat at a red light, I listened to Michael Snaer drain the game winning 3 at the buzzer. I went crazy. VT hadn't been able to make a free throw to save their life and we ended up scoring the last 11pts of the game, to pull off one of the most improbable victories I've ever heard of. Do I wish I had staid? Of course. I don't regret my decision though. No matter how rabid a fan I am, it's important to remember that sports above all else is entertainment, and when it's making you're upset or your not enjoying yourself, it's best to walk away. And besides, who knows... had I been there ragging on their shooters like I always did in the front row, maybe they would've made the shots!
2012: Florida State 76-73 Duke, Durham NC
One of the most exciting, back and forth games I have ever watched. FSU led late, but with seconds remaining Duke managed to tie the game. It looked like we were headed to OT for sure, when Luke Loucks made an amazing pass to a wide open Michael Snaer, who hit his first ever game winning, buzzer beater, 3pt shot. The Cameron Crazies went silent.
2009: Old Spice Classic Championship Florida State 57-56 Marquette, Orlando FL
I distinctly recall watching this game at my grandparent's house down in Miami. Why do I say that? I don't know, but it does illustrate how much it stuck with me. This is one of the most exciting last couple of minutes to a basketball game I've ever seen. Back and forth back and forth. Up until the 1:20ish mark, FSU's only lead of the game was when it was 2-0. The last minute though, the lead would change several times but FSU came out on top. Side note: How long has Joey Moreau been here????
2009: ACC Tournament Florida State 73-70 North Carolina, Atlanta GA
Another back and forth game, this win garnered FSU its first ever trip to the ACC Championship Game. The fact it came against UNC and Tyler Hansbrough was only a bonus.
2009: ACC Tournament Florida State 64-62 Georgia Tech, Atlanta GA
Dewin Kitchen saved the day in FSU's first round ACC tournament game in 2009. It was a close game as GT was the upset underdog playing in front of a home crowd.
2002: Florida State 77-76 Duke, Tallahassee FL
We go WAYYYYYYYY back for this one. Before regular NCAA tournament appearances, before almost annual NBA draft picks, before Leonard Hamilton... there was this. It was the first time FSU beat a #1 ranked Duke team, something that has happened two more times since. Of those 3 mega victories... I was at all three. Enjoy!
So what did you think? Which victory do you think was the most exciting? Which do you think was ultimately the most important? Leave your comments below or on facebook!
Q. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a wouldchuck could chuck wood?
A. Considering that woodchucks were invented by Chuck Norris and given his name, it shouldn't be surprising that they can actually chuck and astronomical amount wood in a very short period of time. The true rate of their chucking ability is impossible to calculate unfortunately, because Chuck Norris has placed restrictions on studying this magical creatures.
Q. Why is the last day of the work week called Friday and not Tuesday?
A. Friday is the end of the work week because it is only legal to consume fries after work has been concluded. Tuesday is named such because it is day "two" of the work work week. Other days of the week include: Monday, when everyone is supposed to speak in a Jamaican accent; Wednesday, when people are supposed to get married; Thursday, originally called "Herday" but women took that meaning literally and forced their husbands to do everything they wanted that day so it had to be changed; Saturday, the day you're supposed to sit; and Sunday, the day you are required by law to consume a frozen treat. It all makes perfect sense really.
If you want to accept the boring, more widely accepted reasons for the days of the week, here they are, briefly:
Sunday: Sun's Day
Monday: Moon's Day
Tuesday: Tiw's Day, Tiw was a Norse god of combat and pledges.
Wednesday: Wodan's Day, i.e. "Odin", prominent god of Norse mythology
Thursday: Thor's Day, Thor the Norse god of thunder
Friday: Frige's Day, Norse name for the goddess associated with love and beauty (like Venus)
Saturday: Saturn's Day, Roman patriarchal god
All of the days of the week come from Old English, except for Saturday which is of latin origin.
Q. Why?
A. Because we ran out of ABC's. :P
Q. Babies... where do they come from?
A. This one is much easier to answer with a picture:
Well, that's all I got folks! Thanks for the questions and be sure to ask me more next week! It seems they get more challenging every time!
Today I want to make the exciting announcement that I'm starting a monthly poetry contest that YOU can enter! It's simple, send in a poem that you wrote (it can be any style, rhyming, non-rhyming, short, long, whatever) by either replying to this post or by posting it on the Blog Intersect page. (Be sure to title it!) At the end of each month, I'll pick a winner from that month's entries and that person and their poem will be recognized the rest of the year on my blog! At the end of the year, I'll then select one grand winner who will then forever be enshrined on my blog with their winning piece of prose. So send in your submission for January today! There's only a week left!
I don't remember who suggested this topic, but meat must play a large role in their lives. I'm kind of tired today, so instead of a super long post, I'm just going to insert a couple of images and add my own commentary. Hopefully you find it entertaining and to whoever submitted this topic, keep on meatballing.
Stuffed meatballs... this looks so, so good. I've never had one, but my gosh, whoever invented these must have been a genius.
I'm not even exactly sure what this is, other than it came up on my meatball google image search. It looks good though.
This doesn't even make sense to me.
This guy looks overly excited about cooking the world's largest meatball. I have a twofold question: first off, who would want to eat just a dry meatball and secondly, who would really want to trust that thing's cooked properly?
Seems like there's a capital for just about everything. A store in Columbus, OH claims this one.
That's right, just look the other way from this post...
Have I stooped to a new low in blog posts? Well, don't blame me! Every Wednesday I randomly pick a topic that you suggested. If you don't suggest a topic, well then, random suggestions like meatballs may take over!
If you know me, you know I'm proud of my town (Tallahassee) and I'm proud of my state (Florida). Now don't get me wrong, I know there are several problems with both (the crime rate for starters) but I always enjoy learning more about the history and natural aspects which make this small part of the world so interesting and unique. A couple weeks ago I examined the cultural geography of the Florida, if you missed that post, you can find it HERE.
Today I'm going to take a look a couple unique animals you may have had no idea resided in the Sunshine State, and trust me, some of these will blow your mind. So let's begin my countdown of The Top 15 Animals You Didn't Know Lived Here:
15. Burmese Pythons
Florida Range: South Florida (mainly the Everglades) with some sporadic reports in North Florida and the coastal Panhandle
Presence: Introduced, Invasive
Status: Increasingly Common
Ok, if you live in Florida, you probably do actually know about the python endemic that's currently plaguing the natural fauna of South Florida and the Everglades. The story has made national headlines with pictures and tales of missing pets, alligators swallowed whole, and now the recent state sponsored safari-like hunt which is offering rewards for dead pythons. So far this year, 27 pythons have been killed, but estimations of the population range from the thousands to hundreds of thousands, so I'm not sure that would be considered a success... As for how the invasive, non-native slithering snake got established in the Florida wild, you can largely blame Hurricane Andrew for that one (with some help from exotic pet owners). The storm damaged several reptile enclosures which let the nasty things loose and they've been on the run (or the slide I should say) ever since. The state's doing a good thing by attempting to wipe out the vermin which can grow to be 13 feet or longer and threaten our native animal species, but honestly, I'm not sure who's going to win this one: man or snake.
14. Green Iguanas
Florida Range: The Keys and South Florida, both coasts
Presence: Introduced, Invasive
Status: Increasingly Common
If you're from South Florida, you're probably already aware of these giant reptiles as well. Unlike their python relatives, however, Iguanas have quite a long and extensive history in the Sunshine State, originally stowing away aboard ships carrying fruit from South America bound for Key West. However, just like pythons they pose a threat to the native fauna, most critically an endangered species of butterfly and the Florida Burrowing Owl (gosh darn you Hoot!!!!).
13. North American Beavers
Florida Range: North Florida and the Panhandle
Presence: Native
Status: Common, by I've yet to see a live one here
Many people are surprised to learn that North Florida has an extensive, native, beaver population probably because beavers are so often associated with cooler climates. They're here though, and they build their characteristic dams amongst the small streams and pine forests.
12. American Crocodiles
Florida Range: South Florida
Presence: Native
Status: Uncommon to Rare
When many people think of Florida, they think of the state's most notable reptilian inhabitant: the American Alligator. What most don't realize though is that Florida is also within the natural range of the only crocodile species present in the Americas. The American Crocodile is native to Central and South America and the Caribbean and is able to swim great lengths across the sea. What's even more surprising is that they can grow to be up to 20 feet in length, with average male in Florida being around 14 feet. Currently in Florida, there are an estimated 2,000 crocodiles, almost exclusively living from the Everglades, south.
11. Black-tailed Jackrabbits
Florida Range: South Florida
Presence: Introduced
Status: Locally Common
While they may be a common site in the Western States, the presence of jackrabbits in Florida isn't exactly widespread knowledge. They and their long, furry ears are here though, mostly around the Homestead area south of Miami where they live amongst the grasslands.
10. Sambar Deer
Florida Range: St. Vincent Island
Presence: Introduced
Status: Common amongst limited range
Sambar Deer are among the largest deer in the world, oftentimes weighing more than 1,000 lbs. Native to Southeast Asia, they were introduced on St. Vincent in 1908 by the owner at the time who enjoyed exotic game hunting. Today St. Vincent Island is a National Wildlife Refuge, but 3 days a year hunting permits are still issued to help thin the population, which stands at 70-100 individuals.
9. Caiman
Florida Range: South Florida and the St. John's river basin
Presence: Introduced, Invasive
Status: Uncommon
The Caiman is a smaller member of the crocodile family native to Central and South American and the Caribbean which typically measures about 5 feet. Unlike its counterpart, the American Crocodile, which is native to Florida, however, the Caiman is a non-native species which established a foothold in the state when brilliant pet owners released them into the wild over the years.
8. Southern Flying Squirrels
Florida Range: Statewide, minus the Keys
Presence: Native
Status: Common (I've never seen one)
Who knew that there were flying squirrels in Florida? Besides being extremely cute, these critters are skilled gliders and highly sociable, living in families which often exceed 30 individuals.
7. Texas Horned Lizards
Florida Range: Statewide, sporadic and largely along the coasts
Presence: Introduced
Status: Uncommon
Another example of pet owners messing around with nature when they release animals into the wild. These harmless, albeit odd looking, reptiles occupy sandy spots across the state and provide a thrill for any vacationing TCU grad who happens to stumble upon one.
These South American rodents escaped from a research facility in the Gainesville area (I have my suspicions from where) and currently reside amongst the forests and swamps of the sparsely populated counties west of I-75. They grow to be the size of a sheep and resemble a giant guinea pig (to me anyways), which leads me to wonder if this could be the next great American pet.
5. Common Seals
Florida Range: Atlantic Coast as far south as Central Florida
Presence: Native
Status: Rare
This probably comes as a surprise, but Florida was once a haven for a flourishing seal population before Europeans arrived and nearly (or in some cases) hunted them to extinction. As the species lost territory, they retreated further and further north into the arctic regions where refuge was easier to find. Fortunately, due to greater regulation in modern times, the seal population is once again thriving and slowly creeping further and further south. Seal sightings along the Florida coast were once an unheard of event, but now are becoming increasingly common, although they're still a pretty rare occurrence.
4. Rhesus Monkeys
Florida Range: Central Florida centering around Ocala
Presence: Introduced
Status: Common
If you've never been to Silver Springs, then this almost certainly is a surprise to you: Florida has wild monkeys. Of course they're not native in any respect, but they have been here since the 1930's. The true story of their origins may never be fully revealed but a commonly accepted story is that a tour boat operator at the park, Colonel Tooey, released the monkeys on an island in the middle of the river to enhance his Jungle Cruise ride. It's obvious that Mr. Tooey didn't realize that rhesus monkeys are excellent swimmers because no sooner did he release them, than they swim across and escaped out into the surrounding forests. To this day, there are still wild monkeys on the island, but they're also along the surrounding shore, in the surrounding national forest, and now all across Central Florida. In fact, there are so many rhesus monkeys that they've actually formed their own little tribes over the years and stage battles for territory from time to time. So if you're itching to see our primate friends out in the natural environment, there's no need to fly to Africa or Asia anymore, just hop in a car and drive a couple hours down the road!
3. Jaguarundi
Florida Range: Unknown
Presence: Introduced
Status: Extremely Rare
I have to admit, when I began this topic the presence of a third large cat in Florida came as a complete shock to me. Ironically, it helped explain a big mystery which had been plaguing me the past couple of weeks. Over the course of our many conversations, Miranda mentioned to me that her brother Dakota had once seen a panther near their home in North Central Florida. Naturally, I wanted to believe this but my knowledge of the Florida Panther species told me otherwise. After research I confirmed what I believed to be true: the panther population is far too small and monitored too well to have ever ventured that far north. The Florida Panther, which resides almost exclusively amongst the Everglades has never been reported north of Tampa. I told this to Miranda and commented that it must have been a bobcat, but she insisted otherwise, so I just left it at that. A couple weeks later we went to the Seacrest Wolf Preserve and the managers there told of a panther that had been sited recurrently on their property. I was at lost. I mean, here are more people who I would considered qualified to differentiate a panther from a bobcat, and yet, they made the same assertions. I didn't know what to think, but I knew it couldn't have been a Florida Panther. Fast forward to today. While researching for this post, I come across the Jaguarundi: a close relative to the panther, which as it turns out, was introduced at some point to Florida. No one is exactly sure where they came from or when they were released, but they've been here (and are very well documented) since at least the early 1900's. It's said that a writer released them near his home in Chiefland... which is coincidentally very close to Miranda's hometown. Jaguarundi are about 3-4 feet long and nocturnal, making them extremely allusive. In fact, to date, there has never been one photographed or captured in Florida, although the frequency of their sightings and documentation make it nearly a certainty that they're out there. So if you ever see a strange looking cat that you think might be a panther... take a picture!
2. Plains Bison
The bison grazing on Payne's Prairie.
Florida Range: Payne's Prairie near Gainesville
Presence: Originally Native, Reintroduced
Status: Common amongst limited range
That's right. Bison. In Florida. Just let that sink in for a second while I explain their history. A largely unknown fact is that at that prior to the arrival of Europeans, bison roamed wild amongst the peninsular prairies which were at that time much more extensive than they are today. Of course they were wiped out and for several hundred years were absent from the Florida fauna, that is, until they were reintroduced in 1970 in Payne's Prairie. By 2011, the population had ballooned from the original male and eight females to over 70 individuals. To my disappointment however, last year the state culled the vast majority of the herd to be sold off to farms around the state. Their target is to have just 8-10 bison roaming the prairie wild, which I think is a shame. Nevertheless, they're still there and what a sight to see!
1. Red Wolves
This picture was actually taken on St. Vincent Island.
Florida Range: St. Vincent Island
Presence: Originally Native, Reintroduced
Status: Rare even amongst limited range
Wolves are in Florida. It shouldn't come as a surprise that I, a wolf-lover, would list this as the biggest surprise Florida species, but think about it. WOLVES ARE IN FLORIDA. Isn't that just crazy? Nowadays, outside Yellowstone National Park and the Canadian border, wolves of any species are virtually nonexistent in the United States. We did too good a job of wiping them from existence. The Red Wolf, which is slightly smaller than the Grey Wolf and appears similar in some respects to a Coyote, once roamed all across the Eastern and Southeastern United States. As I alluded to, with the arrival of the Europeans, they were all but wiped out of existence. So few remained, only a handful in the Louisiana bayou, that in order to save the species, they were all taken into captivity and for several decades were declared extinct in the wild. About 25 years ago, the federal government began a breeding program to reintroduce the species back into the wild. Through this program, Red Wolves are bred at various zoos and museum sites (including our very own Tallahassee Museum) and then shipped up to eastern coastal North Carolina where a small population of about 100 wolves has been established. But it's not the captive Tallahassee wolves this post is about, after all, the topic is surprising wild species in Florida. So where can they be found out in nature then? Well, it just happens that that same St. Vincent Island which houses the Sambar Deer also participates in the breeding program. The National Wildlife Refuge maintains a breeding pair, wild and free, on the island to produce offspring which are then rotated off to the North Carolina population. So next time you find yourself along the Forgotten Coast, don't howl too loudly or else you might just get a reply!
I hope you enjoyed today's topic and let me know if you found it to be interesting. As always, if you have any comments or questions, leave them in the comment section below (if you're registered) or on Facebook! Happy Tuesday!
Ok, ok, I know it says "Movie Mondays" but aren't I allowed to expand that to include tv shows as well?
Random fact of the day: I am a huge TV fan. Well, by the number of different shows I watch, not by the amount of time I spend watching the tube I should say. I estimate I watch on average, 3 hours of television a day, but I probably have 6-7 different shows that I follow at any given time. That shouldn't be a surprise: like anything in life, I like variety. From The Amazing Race to The Mentalist, to Being Human and Grimm, I have my reality shows, westerns, fantasy shows, and so forth. I guess the common denominator is that I enjoy shows that force me to think or expose me to new things I've never seen before. I like creativity and originality. Unfortunately, it's oftentimes the most original and most thought provoking shows which are cut the fastest, and so, I've had my long list of shows that made it just 1 or 2 seasons before being cancelled and tossed on the heap.
Interestingly, almost all of these shows aired on either ABC or NBC, so I'm not sure what to make of that... either these channels are the most cutting edge with their development of television shows, or they're too quick to pull the plug. I'll let you decide as I count down my eight favorite Here & Gone TV shows:
8. Pan Am (ABC, 1 season)
Too bad we still don't have service like this on flights nowadays...
As suggested by it's title, Pan Am was set aboard the namesake airline during the mid 1960's, a time when air travel was still viewed as being unique and exciting. It largely followed one crew in particular, with an emphasis on the stewardesses which worked on board. Naturally it went heavy on the romance and scandal, but it had potential as the nature of the series provided for ever changing scenery and a seemingly infinite possibility with the script. There was even a recurrent spy under-plot which was intriguing. Unfortunately, after a strong start, the second half of the season began to slide a bit too far into the activist narrative and rapidly lost interest as it went from developing a well constructed plot to more of a "what boundaries can we push this week?" sort of deal. Don't get me wrong, television, movies, and books are natural galleries to explore the many issues of human society, but I'm just saying that filling the entire second half of a premier season with episodes on socialism, women's rights, race relations, gay rights, and of course lots and lots of sex, might not be the best strategy ever for getting a brand new show renewed. I'm not saying any of that should or shouldn't be aired over time, but doing all that in such a small time frame wasn't smart. It was too bad, but when it got cancelled it wasn't a surprise to me and by that point it probably deserved to be.
7. The Cape (NBC, 1 season)
So much potential hides in this epic picture... and yet, the show never lived up to any of it.
Brilliant concept, terrible, terrible, terrible execution. The superhero plot-line, in my opinion, is a HUGE untapped genre when it comes to television. People enjoy the classic idea of good versus evil, and there's no reason that couldn't be turned into a one hour weekly TV series. The only catch is, it actually needs to be a good show. NBC first explored the genre with their series Heroes, which had some success but perhaps outran its life expectancy. Encouraged by this, they launched The Cape, in which they essentially created their own superhero: a police officer thought to be killed who was rescued and came in possession of an enchanted cape which he was able to use to fight bad guys. Not a great premise for a hero, but not horrible either. Where it really messed up was in its production. The villains were quirky and unbelievable, the main character was lacking, and the continuity of the show as a whole was sporadic at best. I mean, who would ever believe in a circus of clown-misfits aiding a superhero and a disfigured mafia lizard man? I don't know what else to say, other than at least 'Arrow' on the CW has finally gotten it right.
6. The River (ABC, 1 season)
The River was just as creepy as its promotional picture suggested, but it was cool.
This might just be the epitome of 'unique' and 'interesting' to me. The premise of the series was that a mother and son travel to the Amazon River and join a small expedition that's searching for their father: a world renowned TV naturalist (think Steve Erwin) who has recently gone missing down there. As they sail along the mysterious and dark tributaries of the river, they come across increasingly disturbing and shocking sights, ranging from killer water-demon spirits to ghost ships to murderous shaman tribes to even a secret government research facility which has unwittingly created a zombie plague. It was a truly fascinating, if not sometimes terrifying, series. Even though I'm not a fan of scary shows or movies, I really enjoyed it because of its uniqueness and the fact that the entire thing was shot as if it were a documentary. It was a good show and it really did deserve at least one more season (it was set up perfectly for another).
Steven Spielberg + Paranormal Activity = The River
5. Crusoe (NBC, 1 season)
It made getting stranded on a deserted isle look like fun.
Loosely based on the famous book by Daniel Defoe, Crusoe combined elements of that classic tale with other narratives such as The Swiss Family Robinson and Pirates of the Caribbean. All together, it proved to be a highly engaging, if not escapist, adventure which I loved from the get go. It never caught on I suppose, as it was cancelled and no one but me seemed to take notice. It wasn't all for waste however, as it did inspire me to purchase a copy of the namesake story and read it cover to cover.
4. Awake (NBC, 1 season)
Like this image, Awake used distinct color patterns to indicate which reality was being shown.
Awake was one of the more original television series I've seen to date. At first glance it appeared to be just your typical investigative drama about catching bad guys, until you added the fact that each episode had two different cases being solved concurrently by the main character who was simultaneously living in two different realities. You see, ever after a mysterious car crash the main character (a policeman) began flipping between two realities: the switch coming the moment he loses consciousness (whether sleeping or for other reasons). In one reality his son survived the car crash and his wife died, and in the other, the roles were reversed. What was more interesting was that clues from one reality would help solve the case in the other and vice versa. It was an intriguing plot and the writers did a great job at hinting at a more sinister cause behind it all. Like so many truly thought provoking shows, however, it fell victim to what I suspect was a viewership disinterested with complex story lines. Let's face it, if you turned on the show halfway through the season, what are you going to do, spend days researching what's going on, or just watch a crime show on some other channel? The only bit of good news is that the writers must have had some inkling the show wasn't going to make it, because they closed the season with one of those perfect episodes which harks on ambiguity like the ending of Castaway or Inception. My personal opinion is that he was in a coma and that neither reality was in fact the correct one, but we'll never know. And maybe that's how it should be.
3. PitchMen (Discovery Channel, 2 seasons)
RIP Billy Mays, we will miss your loud commercials... and your beard.
A bit different than the other series on this list, PitchMen was in fact a documentary which followed infomercial kings Billy Mays (OxyClean) and Anthony Sullivan. It was a really interesting and entertaining show because it tracked the whole process of someone trying to sell their invention or product to the commercial production company to eventually having the commercial filmed. Naturally there was a little humour, but mostly I just found the entire thing to be fascinating, especially since some of these commercials I had actually seen on TV (it was neat seeing the backstory). Also unlike the other shows on this list, PitchMen was not cancelled due to lack of viewership but rather due to a much more tragic circumstance: the death of Billy Mays. While I personally enjoyed hearing Anthony Sullivan's expertise and critiques more, there is no doubt that Mays was the life of the show, and when he passed away, the show passed away with him.
2. V (ABC, 2 seasons)
No honest clue what to say about this promotional picture... it's kind of boring actually.
'V' was the remake of a 1980's series that itself was based off an old episode of the Twilight Zone. Basically, it was about an alien invasion, but what made it unique amongst the science fiction genre was that in V, the aliens were not conquering Earth by means of fighting and warfare, but rather through peace and propaganda. The first season started off a little slow as you could tell the writers were finding their ground, but by the second season the show was in full swing and bordering on brilliant in my opinion. The special effects were phenomenal (light years ahead of even current shows like Once Upon a Time which sometimes appear a little cheesy) and the acting got better and better. Unfortunately, I feel the show just never got over that first mediocre season as probably too many viewers turned away. Despite an extremely loyal following, the show got canned after two years. The really annoying bit too, was that in an obvious ploy to attempt to get renewed, the writers left what was ultimately the series finale, with a major cliffhanger, so we never found out what happened. We're all still here, so I guess we won?
Just look at the CGI! Dang, that's pretty impressive.
1. Journeyman (NBC, 1 season)
Truly a great show cut down before its prime.
My all-time favorite television series to be cut down before it could even begin to soar. The best way I could describe the show would be to say that it was like if you took two other old shows: Early Edition and Quantum Leap, and combined them together. The premise of Journeyman was that there's a newspaper reporter who inexplicably starts flashing back in time. Each episode he would uncontrollably travel back in time to different dates, following the life of some individual whom he quickly realized he had to affect in some way: perhaps it was to keep that person from committing suicide or saving a bus of children from crashing off a bridge, or whatever. What made it truly enthralling was the backstory that the writers were developing, that there was some mysterious reason this was occurring to him and even hinting as much that there was a benevolent or malevolent force behind it all. There even was another "time flasher" who made sporadic appearances in the later episodes. It was just all together an amazingly well thought out and original series, but honestly, it was too intellectually demanding I feel for most people. Time travel is always a difficult subject to follow and if you're just watching TV to rest your mind, most people don't want to think about that. It's a real shame, because it had such great potential.
So there you have my list of shows that I liked to watch when they made their brief debuts. What are a couple shows you really liked but were quickly destined for the television graveyard? Hopefully most of yours have fared better than mine!
Today on Faith Through the Fire, I discuss some recent changes that have been going on in my church and how God uses change in our lives to draw us closer to His purpose. Read the full post here: Staying Open to Change or by clicking the navigation tab above.
