15 Excellent TV Shows That Needed More Episodes

So, right off the bat, I'm cheating. There's only two seasons so far, but a 3rd has been ordered. I want many, many more! When everyone was raving about "True Detective," I was screaming about this adaptation from the movie. This show has everything people liked about the latter, without all the nihilistic crap. It's the role of a lifetime for Billy Bob Thornton. And that's saying a lot considering his film work.

You don't have to have seen the movie to enjoy this, but it does tie in. This story happened in that world. Please join me in celebrating this wonderful show! http://amzn.to/1InT83s

There are only 8 episodes in the two seasons of this British PI story. If you're a fan of Ray Donovan, this is a much better version starring Ray Winstone as an ex-cop turned private detective. None of the stories have cliched endings. Perfect for binge watching! Very few people have seen this show in the U.S. If you love British drama, this is for you! http://amzn.to/1InUVWj

We only got one season of this BBC co-production. What if you could live forever, but it costs someone else their life? When one man's wife vanishes, is it because the marriage is breaking up or is it something much more sinister? Based on a novel, this series is brought to life by Glen Morgan, late of "The X-Files." Visually and tonally stunning, the real reason to watch is for 10 year old actress Millie Brown, who is absolutely a star! http://amzn.to/1HtDmck

Our lone Japanese entry is what you get when you mix a science fiction story with a noir premise and add in jazz. They even spun off a movie on this show. One of the best anime shows out there! The overall show is about a pair of intergalactic bounty hunters, but really it's the backstory that makes this sing. And I dare you to listen to the theme music and not tap your foot! http://amzn.to/1Ol71pD

The lone comedy on this list, almost every sketch in his show is a winner. Nick Frost is probably the most recognizable of the cast from this British show, being from "Shawn of the Dead." All the skits are about how men and women deal with each other. What's important to one, isn't quite as important to the other. If you don't like British humor, steer clear. If you love irreverant, witty shows, don't miss this one! http://amzn.to/1Ndx1Os

And now, we're in the Top Ten! This is the original British series. Don't be confused and buy the American version that only went one season. Like most adaptations, not worth your time.

Fitz is a forensic psychologist that the police call in to help them solve tricky crimes. It's also the name of Robbie Coltrane's character. He cheats on his wife. He gambles. He drinks too much. But he's brilliant. Dr. House looks at this guy and thinks he just might have a problem.

Each episode is really a movie. None go where you think they'd go. Characters change over the course of the series, unlike in most American shows. When someone screws up, there's consequences.

I came into this show in the middle of the series and had to track down the early episodes back in the day when there was no Netflix. That's how much I love this show! http://amzn.to/1NdxY9p

Confession: I'm a HUGE Robson Green fan! So, when this show started on PBS, I was sooo onboard. But I warn you, this is a dark, dark show. Robson plays Creegan, a cop that was once shot in the head. He's putting his life back together, but he's also hunting down the worst of the worst criminals. I'd compare this show to Helen Mirren's "Prime Suspect," but the crimes are so much worse. This show isn't so much a whodunnit as we know who the guilty person is. The trick is in catching them! http://amzn.to/1Ndyx2W

On the complete opposite of the spectrum is this dramedy about a cut throat attorney who finds out he has a brain anuerysm and turns his life around. He starts having visions. He's either a prophet of the Lord or hallucinating because of the aneurysm. The show balances both possibilities really well. It's a legal procedural drama with a twist. The show had a real heart. And Jonny Miller is great in the title role! http://amzn.to/1InZMXl

Do NOT confuse this with the really bad American movie! This is a British horror show set in a world where there are vampires living among us, but the word "vampire" is never used. A team of government agents have to figure out if they're a race out to destroy humanity or simply trying to peacefully co-exist, but unable to due to preconceived notions. If you like your horror cerebral, this is your show! It only went one season, but it does feature Idris Elba in one of this earlier roles, so you can't go wrong. http://amzn.to/1NdzAjn

Spielberg put out two series for NBC, "SeaQuest DSV" & this one "Earth 2." Neither were ratings giants and when push came to shove, the network picked the former to continue. That was a mistake.

"Earth 2" is about a colony mission to a similar world to our planet that mysteriously goes awry. The ship breaks apart upon arrival, forcing the colonists use the escape pods. Instead of landing at the proposed colony, they are hundreds of miles away with limited supplies. Not only do they have to cross hostile territory to get where they're going, but they have to deal with a possible saboteur, who might still be among them! Also, maybe they aren't the first humans to set foot on the planet, like they thought.

It's a large cast show with great female characters. Everybody has a secret. Everybody has a reason to want to leave everything they ever knew behind for what was a one-way journey. And there are native lifeforms that might not be as primitive as originally thought to be! It's one full season of 22 episodes. http://amzn.to/1NdCGUH

After "The X-Files" exploded onto the scene, Fox took risks on a lot of edgier, niche fare. Indeed, this show had the pedigree of "The X-Files" since it was created by two of the more popular writers of that hit show.

The series starts with a colony being established on another world. Everything is going great until it's attacked, Pearl Harbor style, by an alien race. War ensues. Young people start enlisting. This show is about one squadron from basic training to becoming an elite fighting force. But this isn't jingoistic. War is not pretty. And maybe, just maybe, the aliens aren't the bad guys we thought they were. Maybe they were provoked into attacking. It's "Band of Brothers" meets "Battlestar Galactica." http://amzn.to/1NdDxVq

Produced by Jim Henson's company, this show was one of SciFi Channel's first forays into original series. Shot in Australia with mostly unknown actors to the U.S. audience, "Farscape" is the polar opposite of "Star Trek."

An American astronaut (Ben Browder) goes on a test flight of his new engine design, but things go wrong when he opens a wormhole that sends him galaxies away into the middle of a space battle. He ends up on a ship of escaped prisoners, none of whom trust each other. They play mind games with each other. They back stab each other. But circumstances force them to stay together.

It went two seasons and a miniseries, but ultimately SciFi Channel junked the show because it was expensive and they had a hit on their hands in the "Stargate" franchise. If you like space operas, this is your show! http://amzn.to/1NdF5yw

I'm going to take a lot of heat by not making this #1, but it'll have to settle for #1 SciFi show on the list.

Another Fox show, this time by Joss Whedon (of "Avengers" fame now), was a cross between a western & a science fiction show. Having lured Joss away from The WB, Fox managed to screw this show up to all get out. First, they aired the shows out of order, opting not to air the 2-part pilot that introduced the large cast. Then they pulled the plug before all the episodes had aired.

Considering how rabid the fan base is today, nearly 15 years after cancellation, Fox made a mistake. Joss had created this intricate world that has elements of adventure, mystery, humor all mixed together.

"Firefly" is the story of a ragtag crew of smugglers living on the fringe of civilized space. The captain and first mate are veterans of a civil war their side lost. There's an irreverent pilot, sweet mechanic, selfish mercenary rounding out the crew and that's not even counting the intricate characters that comprise the passengers! This show is truly special! http://amzn.to/1NdGm8O

Coming off the wildly successful show "The Shield," Producer Shawn Ryan teamed up with Ted Griffin for this quirky show that just never got any traction with an audience. Some blame the title, which has nothing to do with what the story is about, but I think that's a cop out.

It's the story of two PIs, one a disgraced cop going through a divorce, but still painful in love with his wife, & an ex-con in a good relationship, trying to put his life back on track. They get the case of their lives. Like in the movie "Chinatown," it's a small case that leads to massive corruption. Unlike the famous movie, this is a noir set in the San Diego area of California. It's as far as seedy LA as you can get, but just as dirty underneath as it turns out.

I've seen tweets of people who find this show, watch it and then apologize to Shawn Ryan for not being onboard the first time around. His Twitter handle is @ShawnRyanTV. Watch it here: http://amzn.to/1Tiw8JI and then you can tweet him your apology as well!

The Writer's Strike killed this innovative show. Before you question me on the word "innovative" because it's a cop show, shush! My father is a very hard critic when it comes to TV (worse than I). I've only managed to convince him to watch two shows: "Breaking Bad" and this one.

Damien Lewis plays a cop that was wrongfully convicted of a crime. A vigorous defense team finally gets him out of prison where he was serving a life sentence. He gets a sizable financial settlement (how big, we never know), but all he wants is to be a cop again in the precinct where everybody STILL thinks he's guilty. But really, he's looking for the person who framed him. Someone who may be related to his newest partner played by Sarah Shahi.

The cases are unique and interesting. It's filled with dark humor. And now that I think about it, also has Donal Logue, so he's got two shows in the Top 2! I highly recommend the episode "Jackpot." http://amzn.to/1HtTGd8