Single Season TV Shows

This list is for those who don’t want to commit to a long series. These one season wonders can also be seen as a palette cleanser between the pandemic binge watching. I wish they all could have continued but they were denied the time to shine and gain an audience. Even The Night Of could have explored other season-long cases. Oh well, here are some of my favourites.

1. THE NIGHT OF (HBO)

Creators: Richard Price (The Outsider), Steve Zaillian (The Irishman)

Stars: Riz Ahmed (Rogue One),
John Turturro (Quiz Show)

Episodes: 9 Years: 2016
Available on: Crave   

Premise: After a night of partying, a Pakistani-American picks up a woman then wakes up to find her stabbed and he’s arrested for murder.

Why It’s Worth Your Time: The acting in this drama is incredible and it’s fascinating to watch this seemingly innocent student adjust to the prison system as his quirky lawyer tries to save his life.

Best Episode: Part 1: The Beach (Ep.1)

I almost guarantee that as you watch this opening episode you’ll be yelling at the television when you watch Naz make a number of foolish mistakes.

2. THE GRINDER (FOX)

Creators: Andrew Mogel &
Jarrad Paul (Yes Man)

Stars: Rob Lowe (West Wing),
Fred Savage (Wonder Years)

Episodes: 22 Years: 2015-2016
Available on: Netflix   

Premise: A television lawyer moves back to his small town and thinks his time on TV qualifies him to join his family’s law firm

Why It’s Worth Your Time: The humor in this sitcom is top-notch. The premise works surprisingly well. Lowe is so full of himself it’s hysterical and Savage is the pitch-perfect straight-man with amazing eye-rolls.

Best Episode: Dedicating This One to The Crew (Ep.6)

Being a theatre guy, watching the dad trying to convince his son to do backstage crew instead of a flashy lead role is so much fun.

3. FIREFLY (FOX)

Creator: Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel,
The Avengers)

Stars: Nathan Fillion (Castle), 
Adam Baldwin (Chuck)

Episodes: 14 Years: 2002-2003
Available on: DVD

Premise: A space-western where a rag-tag group of outlaws take on sketchy clients and avoid the authority agents.

Why It’s Worth Your Time: Whedon is a master at mixing humor and adventure. The cast is perfect and the stories are engaging, even if you hate westerns like I do.

Best Episode: Our Mrs. Reynolds (Ep.3)

A woman claims to be Mal’s wife and everyone is suspicious of her true intentions. A great episode full of classic facial expressions.

4. STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP (NBC)

Creator: Aaron Sorkin (West Wing,
Sports Night, Social Network)

Stars: Matthew Perry (Friends),
Bradley Whitford (West Wing)

Episodes: 22 Years: 2006-2007
Available on: DVD

Premise: A behind-the-scenes drama about a fictional sketch-comedy television show that is full of walk-and-talks.

Why It’s Worth Your Time: It’s not as good as West Wing but watching Perry and Whitford have fun with the crackling Sorkin dialogue is wonderful. You’ll also love Steven Weber.

Best Episode: The Cold Open (Ep.2)

It’s a tie between this one and the pilot. They both have great confrontational dialogue and monologues and deal with the struggles of creativity.

5. WATCHMEN (HBO)

Creator: Damon Lindelof (Lost)

Stars: Regina King (Ray),
Jeremy Irons (The Borgias)

Episodes: 9 Years: 2019
Available on: Crave

Premise: An alternate history as masked vigilantes are treated as outlaws.

Why It’s Worth Your Time: It is beautifully shot and crafted. I would highly recommend reading the graphic novel and/or watching Zack Snyder’s film first though. 

Best Episode: This Extraordinary Being (Ep.6)

Through some nostalgia inducing drugs, the origins of Hooded Justice is revealed and it is mind-blowingly awesome.

Wonderfalls: (14 eps) Imaginative drama about a sarcastic souvenir shop worker who is told to do things by knick-knack in her store.

Freaks and Geeks: (18 eps) A smart girl hangs with burnouts while her younger brother struggles with freshman year. Perfectly cast.

Andy Richter Controls the Universe: (19 eps) A manual writer with a fertile imagination and his quirky coworkers have fun.

The Nine: (13 eps) Nine surviving hostages of a bank heist relive their haunting memories in twisty-turny flashblacks. Kept me guessing.

Limitless: (22 eps) A man with the ability to use his full brain’s capabilities is hired to help the FBI. Jake McDorman is awesome.

What are your favourite one season wonders?