Birds Of Prey (2002-2003)
There were a lot of things wrong with Birds of Prey – namely its constant butchering of canon – but the potential for an exceptional show was there. The casting was good and the narrative appeared to be on the right track before it hit the curse of 13 episodes.
The series started off with a sensational bang, pulling in a phenomenal 7.6 million viewers for its premiere. Unfortunately, it peaked far too soon and it was all downhill from there, with the ratings plummeting week after week. Not long after that, the network did what everyone expected and put it out of its misery.
Thinking about it, Birds of Prey would be the perfect series for The CW right now. While it’d probably work better in current times than the future New Gotham City of its predecessor, it’s not hard to imagine how this show could be extremely popular if it were released today.
The Crow: Stairway To Heaven (1998-1999)
When you think of The Crow franchise, it’s safe to say its highest point was the 1994 film starring Brandon Lee. Everything that diverged away from Eric Draven’s story never really excited like the original tale did.
The Crow: Stairway to Heaven realized this and worked as a reimagining of Draven’s tragic love story. While it had a lot in common with the film, it also filled in the blanks and allowed us to learn more about Eric and Shelly Webster’s romance. Additionally, the casting of Mark Dacascos was inspiring as he certainly looked the part with the face paint and long hair.
Regardless of the positive reviews and ratings, the series was canceled after one season when Polygram was sold to Universal and the decision was made to end the show. The producers wanted to make a TV movie to tie up the loose ends from the final episode, but this never came to fruition and we’re still left pondering several questions about it.