Every dedicated TV fan knows the pain of finding a new favorite show only for it to be canceled. Frustrated viewers often bemoan how networks never keep good shows running, but over time, their disappointment fades, and they move on. Sometimes though, when they don’t forget, the shows take on a second life.

In the spirit of Halloween, it seems appropriate to take a stroll through the television graveyard and examine the most beloved casualties.

“Firefly” is perhaps the most quintessential “gone-before-its-time” classic. Though Joss Whedon’s 2003 show ran for only one season, totaling 14 episodes, the show gained a large and staunchly dedicated fan base in the years following its cancellation. 

Set 500 years in the future, “Firefly” follows a ragtag spaceship crew living on the outskirts of the law, taking on morally dubious missions to survive. “Firefly” devotees cite the show’s primary draws as its unique space-Western worldbuilding, charismatic characters and smart, quippy humor. 

Although the show is futuristic, Whedon rejected the genre cliché of a sleek, modern aesthetic. Instead, the spaceship, its inhabitants and the worlds they visit have a distinctly gritty Western style. He contrasts this outlaw lifestyle with the crew’s occasional visits to the wealthy and refined “central” planets, which reflect the more typical high-tech futuristic style. The characters are similarly unique, with distinctive personalities that perfectly play off each other during the challenges of deep-space life. Each episode is incredibly quotable, and while the characters’ quick humor keeps the episodes light and easily watchable, Whedon weaves in complicated themes of loss, grief and community.

Unfortunately, these qualities were not enough to save “Firefly.” The show’s devoted fanbase blames Fox’s mishandling of “Firefly” for its untimely demise. The network aired episodes out of order, placed the show in the infamous Friday night “death slot” between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. and, due to creative differences with Whedon, marketed the show inaccurately. 

Fan pressure later led to a 2005 movie called “Serenity” that continued the story, but the community still mourns the series’ loss.

However, “Firefly” fans might find comfort in knowing their show didn’t endure the same rollercoaster ride as “Arrested Development.”

Another cult classic, “Arrested Development,” ran for three seasons before its cancellation in 2006. Seven years later, the series was rebooted, initially delighting fans, but the revival was widely criticized. Much of the original audience complained that the reboot had lost the signature wit and character dynamics that made “Arrested Development” special. After two seasons aired in 2013 and 2018, the show was canceled again.

Frequently referred to as one of the best comedy shows ever produced, it is hard to imagine where the Emmy-winning show could have gone so wrong. 

Most “Arrested Development” fans agree that the show was years ahead of its time. It premiered before the popularization of streaming services, meaning that most comedy shows at the time operated Seinfeld-style, allowing viewers to miss episodes without consequence. Unfortunately, “Arrested Development” was made to be binged. The show is a master class in long-running gags and subtle background jokes, making each rewatch an entirely new experience that requires viewers to pay attention and remember the events of previous episodes. 

The show tells the story of its everyman main character, Michael Bluth. After his father is arrested for shady bookkeeping, Bluth takes over the family real estate business but has to deal with his vastly dysfunctional family, who struggle to adjust to not living the high life. Every character, even guest appearances, is uniquely hilarious, and viewers can quickly get invested in the insanity of the Bluth family’s lives. 

After its cancellation, the show’s razor-sharp humor and incredible characters helped it amass a loyal following, leading to its revival. However, due to scheduling issues, many of the actors could not be on set together, resulting in a patched-together storyline that lacks the acerbic wit and character dynamics of the original seasons. Fans were widely disappointed. 

“It’s more chore than pleasure trying to get through the latest (and probably last) season of the show, and not only do the storylines slog along, but the actors seem to know that they’ve reached the end themselves,” wrote Rachel Page for Forbes in 2019.

But if “Arrested Development” fans were disappointed, there isn’t a word to describe the fanbase of the recently canceled Prime Video series “My Lady Jane.”

The show is a fantastical retelling of the true story of Lady Jane Grey, also known as the “Nine Days’ Queen,” who ruled England and Ireland for, as her name suggests, nine days before her execution. Fans have praised the lead couple’s chemistry and the show’s campy humor and strong female characters. However, the network announced the show would not be renewed for a second season only eight weeks after its premiere due to low viewership ratings.

Though the fledgling show has not nearly reached the acclaim of “Firefly” and “Arrested Development,” its devotees’ reaction to its cancellation after one season provides an interesting look into the modern streaming service industry. When “Firefly” and “Arrested Development” were taken off the air, there were few things fans could do to protest. For fans of “My Lady Jane” though, the advent of social media enabled a more unified and organized response to its cancellation.

Fans launched a website to organize the campaign for the show’s reinstatement, drafted a series of email templates to send to network executives, flooded Prime Video’s social media posts with the hashtag #SaveMyLadyJane, played the show in the background on their computers to increase viewership and shared a change.org petition that has received over 98,000 signatures as of Oct. 30.

Even George R.R. Martin, the author of the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series, has weighed in on the controversy, wishing the fans luck in their efforts and remarking that “Jane deserved more than nine days, or eight episodes.”

It remains to be seen if the fans’ campaign will successfully get “My Lady Jane” revived or if the show will eventually become a cult classic for future generations of devotees to mourn. But whether revived or just remembered, these shows prove that passionate fans can keep the spirit of a story alive long after the final episode has aired.