It’s always a letdown when shows don’t get to shine. Even worse is when a series shows so much potential but gets canceled after only one season. Many of them go on to become cult classics, but we still have to wonder what could’ve happened if they went on for longer. C’est la vie.
“Battlestar Galactica” (1978-79)Â
ABC sought to capitalize on the popularity of “Star Wars” with a space epic, spending a then unheard-of $8 million on the pilot episode alone. But after initial success, ratings lagged and the show was canceled. A letter-writing campaign led to a 10-episode revival called “Galactica 1980” — and then a full-scale revival by the Sci-Fi network (as it was then called) with a three-hour movie in 2003 and four-season run starting in 2004.