The Fox TV Network has had many successes over the years, but the nature of the television landscape is such that even quality series are canceled before their time. On other occasions, certain shows do go on for a few years but their popularity is hindered by being overshadowed by other franchises.
The industry has changed considerably thanks to the rise of streaming services, and audiences have only recently gotten used to a certain style of storytelling. There have been many underappreciated shows on Fox that will appeal to viewers today, so it’s worth checking out the dramas, sitcoms, and science fiction shows that once aired on the network and deserve more recognition.
The Cleveland Show (2009-13)
With so many funny moments involving Cleveland in Family Guy, a spin-off featuring him and his family was commissioned. It depicted the Browns in a different city, with this show being much less slapstick than the original and more focused on traditional sitcom material.
The spin-off didn’t last all that long, however, because it was a bit too nice. Family Guy fans were used to nasty characters like Peter and Stewie Griffin, so the spin-off had difficulties finding its footing. Still, it’s a series that can be viewed by those that prefer the normal sitcom experience and viewers who like adult animation.
The Ben Stiller Show (1992-93)
Among the very first works directed by Ben Stiller, his self-titled series might have been ahead of its time. It was released in an era when laugh tracks were commonplace, so the fact that it didn’t feature one didn’t land too well with audiences.
This sketch comedy series featured satirical takes on pop culture of the ‘80s and ‘90s, which wasn’t something viewers were accustomed to seeing. But, the show’s quality is proven by Stiller’s Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program. Looking back, many of the jokes are even more relevant now because people can associate with the stereotypes that Stiller’s show poked fun at.
Raising Hope (2010-14)
Audiences have become more interested in the films and TV shows starring Garret Dillahunt after his successes with series’ like Fear the Walking Dead. His fans will appreciate Raising Hope as well, which sees a family raise a child that the son had after a one-night stand with a serial killer on death row.
It received solid reviews during its time of airing but struggled in keeping consistent ratings. Now that the series is over, it can be appreciated for its quality in telling what was seen as a bold story. For a sitcom, the show also took risks with many mature storylines related to parenting struggles.
The Mick (2017-18)
A show that might have tasted more success had it been a limited series or a movie, the story here is about Mickey Molng. Mickey has to raise her sister’s children after the latter flees for tax evasion. The outline is mainly around Mickey’s difficulties raising three children after having been a troublemaker herself.
The Mick provides a good balance in dramatic and funny elements for its theme, which unfortunately didn’t connect with viewers as much because this was around the time streaming services were really picking up in popularity. Another viewing of the series shows the potential it had in telling its story about family.
Mulaney (2014-15)
Comparisons with other TV shows are never a good thing, especially when a sitcom is in its first season. Mulaney has a very similar premise to Seinfeld, in that it featured the main character as a comedian who had engaged in shenanigans with his close friends.
Without those comparisons, however, the series can be enjoyed for being something of a love letter to multi-cam sitcoms in general. Mulaney was released when Fox was moving toward single-camera comedy shows, but it doesn’t account for the great performances by John Mulaney, Martin Short, and Elliot Gould.
Killer Instinct (2005)
Johnny Messner played Detective Jack Hale, who was the son of an infamous serial killer and had inherited the same instinct as his father that he channeled toward finding other criminals. The series was perhaps too ahead of its time when such morbid outlines weren’t too mainstream, and it only lasted a season.
Ironically, Fox had greater success with Prodigal Son over a decade later, which had the exact same concept. Killer Instinct was thus unlucky to have such a short runtime, as its episodes hold up even well when seen today. Its stories were also more realistic than other network shows, willing to feature the brutality of killers.
Keen Eddie (2003-04)
Not many Fox TV shows dared to go beyond the US back in the day, making Keen Eddie a bold move toward trying something new. The series features a brash detective from America who decides to stay in the UK to cover up for his own mistakes during a case.
Unlike the majority of crime-based shows at the time, Keen Eddie injected a lot of humor into its presentation. It wasn’t appreciated much because audiences were more geared toward straight-up crime dramas, yet the jokes and cases in this show were never not enjoyable.
Wonderfalls (2004)
While Fox shows usually follow a tried-and-tested formula, Wonderfalls was one that took on a new spin on things. The show is about a young woman working in a gift shop at Niagara Falls who somehow communicates with animal figurines that instruct her to do random acts of kindness.
The rather bizarre premise never seems to be an issue in the series proper, mainly because of the heartwarming nature of every episode. Network TV shows rarely take risks in storytelling, and while Wonderfalls only lasted one season, the creativity is still something to marvel at.
Firefly (2002)
Before Nathan Fillion could be found starring in episodes of The Rookie, the actor had a cult status for starring in Firefly. The show has gained fans in recent times but was largely overlooked when it was on-air. Set in 2517, it features the main characters exploring a variety of planets and moons in a "Firefly-class" spaceship.
It had great production value for a network TV show, with the protagonists landing in new and exciting environments in each episode. Firefly is largely considered to be a series that was canceled too soon, as the expansive storytelling was probably too ambitious for Fox at the time.
Living Single (1993-98)
While Friends has been lauded for making the “friends in the city” concept a mainstream hit, the original show to do so was Living Single. It features six friends in Brooklyn who navigate professional and personal struggles together, wrapped in the usual sitcom style.
The show wasn’t promoted as much as it could have been at the time, although it still managed steady ratings. It’s underrated mainly because Friends ran away with the concept, yet Living Single is just as enjoyable and worthy viewing even more than two decades after it ended.