Let’s face it, there have been a lot of great television shows that never got to spread their wings and develop an audience. Whether it was poor ratings, trouble on the set, network shuffles, or Jay Leno wanting their time slot, most of these shows were canceled before their time, never to return again. I could probably do a top 20 list, but I’ve narrowed it down to five, for the sake of sparing you the agony of all the great TV we’ve been missing out on over the years. Grab a box of tissues, and let’s reminisce then, shall we.

5. Birds of Prey

Loosely based on the DC comic, this show lasted for just one season on the WB in 2002, even though it had the networks largest audience in the 18-34 demographic and was pulling in 7.6 million viewers each week.

Set in New Gotham after Batman has abandoned his post, Oracle and Huntress have picked up the crime fighting mantle, joined by Dinah, to battle metahumans. Good drama, good acting, and good plot twists were all present in this show, yet it never stood a chance. Why WB? Why?

4. Deadwood

I’ll admit that I’ve never been a big fan of the western genre, but when Deadwood came along in 2004 on HBO, I was blown away. The acting, the set designs, the story, all of it captured my imagination and made me want to live in the old west. With some of the best, grittiest, and realistic writing ever on television, I thought for sure this one would live on for years. Nope, it got the axe after just three seasons. The worst part is that it never had a proper ending. God, I hate when that happens.

3. Dead Like Me

With eight award nominations in just two seasons, Deal Like Me looked like a runaway hit for Showtime in 2003, but no, it got the boot after just two seasons. With a great cast comprised of Ellen Muth, Mandy Patinkin, Jasmine Guy and Callum Blue, this was one of the quirkiest shows on TV at the time, centering around a young girl who bites the dust after a toilet falls on her, only to return as a Grim Reaper. Execs at Showtime said that the ratings for the show were triple that of the networks prime-time average, but when questioned by critics about them, Showtime’s CEO, Matthew Blank, responded, “I really don’t think we know.” Good job, Showtime. Good job. Luckily, there was a direct-to-DVD movie in 2009 called Dead Like Me: Life After Death, which came with an option to restart the series. Yeah, don’t hold your breath.

2. Arrested Development

Critical acclaim, awards, a loyal fan following and some of the funniest comedy ever on television couldn’t save this one. Lasting only three seasons, the show focused on the dysfunctional Bluth family and their post-wealth antics. Perhaps ahead of its time, this one was shot pseudo-documentary style with hand held cameras, narration, archival photos and historical footage that had you busting a gut with each episode. Despite its early demise, the show still has a huge cult following, and a big screen adaptation is rumored to be in the works for 2011, with all the original actors reprising their roles. FOX, you’ve done a lot of stupid things, but canceling this one was one of the stupidest.

1. Firefly

If canceling Arrested Development was ONE of the stupidest moves FOX ever made, giving this one the axe was the stupidest. When Joss Whedon, the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, comes to you and says he has an idea for a show, you let him run with it. FOX, though, never gave this one a chance and sent it to an early grave after just eleven aired episodes. Since that time, Firefly has spawned comics, role playing games (RPG for the geeks out there), and a big screen film called Serenity that properly wrapped up the series. The complete series is also available on DVD for Browncoats like me to enjoy over and over again.

That’s the top five of the best shows that were canceled before their time, but honorable mentions go to the following: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Dark Angel, Freaks and Geeks, Pushing Daisies, and yes, Dollhouse.

Do you have a favorite show that when you turned on your set to watch it, POOF!, it was gone? Air your grievances below and let’s compare.