Here it is, my annual look at the “new obscurities” that came and went on network television during the past year. My definition of a “new obscurity” is scripted television series that aired on network television for 13 episodes or fewer. By my count, 2020 produced 13 of these short-lived TV shows, down from 19 in 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the networks delayed launching their new and returning shows for the 2020-2021 TV season. Last September, just three new scripted TV shows debuted on network television and all three were soon cancelled.
Two other new shows premiered last fall: B Positive on CBS and Big Sky on ABC. Both have received back orders for additional episodes and remain on the air.
Network TV’s New Obscurities, 2008 – Present
2008 – 16
2009 – 19
2010 – 18
2011 – 17
2012 – 20
2013 – 17
2014 – 29
2015 – 15
2016 – 24
2017 – 22
2018 – 13
2019 – 19
Mid-Season
Deputy (FOX)
13 episodes
January 2nd, 2020 – March 26th, 2020
Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector (NBC)
10 episodes
January 10th, 2020 – March 13th, 2020
Outmatched (FOX)
10 episodes
January 23rd, 2020 – March 26th, 2020
Katy Keene (The CW)
13 episodes
February 6th, 2020 – May 14th, 2020
Indebted (NBC)
12 episodes
February 6th, 2020 – April 16th, 2020
Tommy (CBS)
12 episodes
February 6th, 2020 – May 7th, 2020
Council of Dads (NBC)
10 episodes
March 24th, 2020 – July 2nd, 2020
Spring
Broke (CBS)
13 episodes
April 2nd, 2020 – June 25th, 2020
The Baker and the Beauty (ABC)
9 episodes
April 13th, 2020 – June 1st, 2020
Summer
United We Fall (ABC)
8 episodes
July 15th, 2020 – August 26th, 2020
Fall
Filthy Rich (FOX)
10 episodes
September 21st, 2020 – November 30th, 2020
neXt (FOX)
10 episodes
October 6th, 2020 – December 22nd, 2020
Connecting (NBC)
8 episodes (4 Unaired)
October 8th, 2020 – October 29th, 2020
Were you a fan of any of the short-lived TV shows listed above? How many have you never heard of? Hit the comments with your thoughts.
Although it’s far from being an obscurity, it’s well worth nothing that Supernatural was the last surviving show from the defunct WB network. It survived it by more than a decade and probably holds the record for any show surviving the longest after it’s original network run.
Do you have anything on Lottery that was on ABC in 1983? Seemed like a good premise for a show. Any idea if it will ever be realeased for streaming or on DVD?