No chance at goodbye: Shows that ended prematurely

HBO’s recent adaptation of the celebrated DC Comics, "Watchmen," will not be renewed for a second season after creator Damon Lindelof expressed a loss of interest.

With a highly respected rating of 96% on rotten tomatoes and 8.1 on IMDb, fans are puzzled and disappointed with Lindelof’s decision.

While it seems unlikely for a creator to cancel a hit TV show, we’ve all had at least one guilty pleasure end sooner than we had hoped.

Shows we indulged in like “The Carrie Diaries,” “Up All Night,” “Happy Endings,” “Trophy Wife,” “Veronica Mars” and so many more were taken off the air too soon or without a proper goodbye for its fans. 

Characters were left underdeveloped, cliffhangers were never answered and storylines had yet to be finished.

In the past 20 years, some television shows stand out more than others. Here are the top five television shows that ended way too early.

What I Like About You (2002-2006)

After Holly’s dad moves to Japan, she moves in with her much older sister Val who lives in New York City.

Through heartbreaks, school, work and friend turmoil, Holly and Val face the world together. Despite their frequent disagreements with one another, the Tyler sisters were always there for one another.

As cliché as it may seem, this plot was never executed before and it ended far too early. 

Although the Warner Bros. gave its fans a well-deserved exit as Val and Holly both ended up with their dream guys, its raw comedy had the material and relevance to keep going for at least one more season.

Baby Daddy (2012-2017)

Every now and then someone can surprise you and prove every stereotype wrong. “Baby Daddy” did just that when protagonist Ben opened his apartment door to find a baby girl at his front steps. 

After confirming that he fathered baby girl Emma, the 20-something-year-old bachelor decides to keep and raise her to the best of his ability with the help of his two best friends, brother and mom. Mirroring a modern day “Three Men and a Baby,” the ABC Family sitcom started off as a hit.

The show oddly came to an end after just 11 episodes in its last season, half of what viewers were used to, ending with unanswered questions and unfinished storylines. 

Ben never found his dream girl that creators had been hinting toward for the previous two seasons. Fans also missed out on the long-awaited wedding of best friends, Riley and Danny.

It may have gotten more seasons than most, yet, fans deserved closure.

Friends with Better Lives (2014)

Since the success of “Seinfeld,” every television show afterwards has tried to mimic its originality by writing around a group of close-knit friends. Television shows “Friends” and “How I Met Your Mother” are successful examples of the proven formula.

“Friends with Better Lives” attempted to follow the successful recipe in this failed sitcom. 

Each character represented a different aspect of life. Andi and Bobby were the married couple, Will the divorcee, Kate the workaholic and Jules and Lowell the honeymooners.

Every character was easy to relate to, and every storyline was immersed in genuine comedy and optimism. 

The show came to an unfortunate cancellation without a proper ending. 

Whitney (2011)

Comedian Whitney Cummings plays herself in this “Mad About You” imitative sitcom. Whitney and Alex face the obstacles of maintaining a healthy and long-lasting relationship with the help of their emotionally unstable friends.

Perhaps if “Whitney” had aired ten years earlier competing against hits like “Will & Grace,” it could’ve survived longer than two seasons.

Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)

Celebrated director Judd Apatow’s first attempt at a hit TV show was “Freaks and Geeks.” Similar to “That ‘70s Show,” the show revolves around Lindsay and her younger brother Sam.

Growing up in the ‘80s, goody-goody Lindsay finds herself befriending the stoners and slackers of the town, while Sam tries to find popularity despite being the common nerd by his peers.

Stars Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, James Franco and Busy Philipps all got their start on this show that was just too early for its time. The last episode ends on a cliffhanger disappointing its fans who never found out what happened to Lindsay after she was last seen running away from home.