The Most Unjust Cancellations Of 2022

Over the last year, more than 100 shows concluded their runs, and while it hurt to say goodbye to many of them, there is a select group that truly deserved to make it into 2023 with a renewal. Or in the case of one pick, to just see the light of day.

Below, TVLine has selected nine shows (and one streaming movie) that were unceremoniously axed as part of our list of the most unjust cancellations of 2022. Note: This roundup doesn't include series that announced they were ending on their own terms, nor does it include every single comedy and drama that was cancelled in the past 12 months.

Instead, we're highlighting shows that were unfair casualties of business and financial maneuvers like the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery, and the sale of The CW to Nexstar. But don't expect all of the victims of those cancellation bloodbaths to make an appearance. For us, there were two particular CW shows that definitely deserved better, while the shelving of the nearly complete Batgirl movie truly had us scratching our heads.

Then there are creatively promising series like Hulu's Maggie and Prime Video's Paper Girls and As We See It, all of which met their demise after just one season — before they were truly given a chance to find an audience and fulfill their potential.

And hey, Peacock, do you maybe want to reconsider letting go of one of your only buzzy shows in Saved by the Bell?

Scroll on to review TVLine's list of shows that unfairly ended far too soon, then hit the comments with your picks for the most unjust cancellations of 2022.

Got cancelled despite... delivering the kind of emotionally impactful writing and acting that viewers have come to associate with creator Jason Katims (Parenthood, Friday Night Lights). And with the power of Amazon behind it, we imagine the critical darling also could have eventually nabbed some awards recognition.

Date of Cancellation: Oct. 20, 2022

Got cancelled despite... a very strong Season 2, a perfectly cast young ensemble and smart, moving scripts that made the dramedy a must-watch for both tween audiences and their folks. The death of Claudia's Mimi didn't hurt this much, guys!

Date of Cancellation: March 11, 2022

Got cancelled despite... it being downright batty that the Leslie Grace-starring standalone DC movie, which was bound for HBO Max and largely complete, would not get released anywhere. Instead it was basically buried in a deep hole, never to be seen, so that Warner Bros. Discovery could take it as a tax write-off. Amid conflicting reports of test screening feedback, WBD boss David Zaslav — tasked with trimming some $3 billion in company debt — said, "We're not going to launch your movie until it's ready. We're not going to launch a movie to make a quota. And we're not going to put a movie out unless we believe in it."

Date of Cancellation: Aug. 2, 2022

Got cancelled despite... Bee's status as one of only three female voices in late-night comedy (and a delightfully scathing one, especially during President Trump's time in office). With Full Frontal now gone after seven seasons, only Peacock's Amber Ruffin and Showtime's Ziwe remain as late-night's female hosts.

Date of Cancellation: July 25, 2022

Got cancelled despite... the fact that stalwart fans of the HBO/BBC co-production waited more than three years for Season 2 to see the light of day, only to learn just weeks after the sophomore finale that the progressive period drama would not be back. Jack's jilting is one of TVLine's most-commented cancellation stories, which speaks volumes about how much the series will be missed.

Date of Cancellation: July 7, 2022

Got cancelled despite... the fact that this long-standing franchise, which began with The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, deserved to go out with a bang after 13 years on the network. Though the producers were able to scrape together a semi-satisfying conclusion, we'd have preferred to spend more time at the Salvatore School — and we probably would have, had it not been for Nexstar's acquisition (aka gutting) of The CW as we knew it.

Date of Cancellation: May 12, 2022

Got cancelled despite... the fact that, much like Legacies, the long-running series would have probably gotten a proper final-season renewal if not for Nexstar's then-pending acquisition of The CW. After seven seasons, the show deserved that much.

Date of Cancellation: April 29, 2022

Got cancelled despite... being an effortlessly charming romantic comedy that could have easily grown into a sleeper performer alongside How I Met Your Father and Hulu's backlog of rom-coms if the streamer actually promoted it.

Date of Cancellation: Sept. 9, 2022

Got cancelled despite... a promising (but barely publicized) freshman season, in a genre — female-led science fiction — that's still woefully underrated.

Date of Cancellation: Sept. 9, 2022

Got cancelled despite... all of the heartwarming nostalgia produced by the original cast's reunion. Plus, the new kids were all massively talented, Tracey Wigfield's writing was razor-sharp and the potential for Jesse and Slater's rekindled romance was just heating up. Sigh.

Date of Cancellation: May 4, 2022