In the age of streaming, all shows (old and new) should be available to the public. After all, numerous companies are fighting for the viewer’s money, and each aims to have as vast a digital library as possible. Surprisingly, a few old shows are nowhere to be found. Fans have thus been left wondering whether their producers forgot about them or whether streaming service executives concluded that these small-screen projects would make no money.
Older generation viewers might argue that this is no problem worth talking about since, for decades, TV shows used to disappear after they stopped airing. It was hard to get them on VHS, and it wasn’t until the emergence of DVD that this problem was fully solved. Unfortunately, DVD is now considered ‘dinosaur technology,’ so any show released via that medium but still isn’t available for streaming qualifies for this list. Necessary updates shall be made once any of the shows becomes available.
10 Ed
2000 – 2004
NBC’s early-2000s nerve-shredding comedy-drama, Ed, centers on a hotshot New York lawyer desperately trying to recover from two major misfortunes. Ed (Tom Cavanagh), gets fired for putting a coma in the wrong place on a contract, costing his firm $1.6 million. On the same day as his dismissal, he returns home to find his wife canoodling with the mailman. He thus heads back to his hometown where he sets up a new firm and tries to win back the heart of his high school sweetheart.
Unresolved Ownership Issues for Ed
Premiering to a whopping 16 million viewers, Ed had what it took to be one of the greatest legal dramas of all time, and it sure did come close. It had the quips and running gags that could appeal to fans of Better Call Saul and Suits. It could also get dark at times. Managing a four-season run, the show was ideal for a streaming service. Perhaps a Netflix run could have even boosted its popularity.
Sadly, the comedy-drama is still missing online and no one, including co-creator Rob Burnett, seems to have the answers. He told Vulture, “I don’t even know exactly why there is no Ed available,” guessing that it could either be because of the music rights or the fact that it is co-owned by two competing studios: NBC-Universal and Paramount. If only they could come to a decent co-parenting agreement.
9 Tales from the Crypt
1989 – 1996
What goes around comes around in Tales from the Crypt. Based on the 1950s EC Comics of the same name, the series tells creepy independent stories fueled by karma and poetic justice. The episodes are hosted by The Cryptkeeper, an animated corpse who enjoys employing ghoulish humor in his speech. This is a slight deviation from the comics, where The Cryptkeeper is human. However, everything else is pretty much the same.
A Legal Mess Prevents Tales from the Crypt from Streaming
Tales from the Crypt’s hilarious dialogue and harsh lessons on morality will resonate with modern viewers. Even better, it has an impressive list of guest stars, featuring the likes of Brad Pitt, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Hanks, and Benicio Del Toro. Regrettably, the ’80s and ’90s horror-comedy show is nowhere to be found. Former TNT president Kevin Relly’s explanation after a failed revival means the lack of availability could be all down to court drama. He told Deadline: “That one got really caught up in a complete legal mess, unfortunately, with a very complicated underlying rights structure.”
8 Murphy Brown
1988 –1998
In Murphy Brown, the titular character (Candice Bergen), a journalist and recovering alcoholic, returns to work after a stint in rehab. Despite her challenges, the CBS news magazine host shows no signs of rustiness. She easily picks up where she left off, challenging male coworkers and guests equally, reclaiming her spot as one of America’s toughest media personalities.
Murphy Brown Is Not Really a CBS Show
With its female empowerment and career growth themes, Murphy Brown garnered a big enough fan base to enable it to last for 10 seasons. The demand was so high that CBS ordered a revival in 2018, which was canceled after 13 episodes. Given such a move, fans expected old seasons to be made available, but that hasn’t happened. It’s hard to make sense of it all, but Decider did some digging and came up with answers. Apparently, the show was produced by Warner Bros, so CBS cannot dump it on Paramount+ until certain rights issues are resolved. Additionally, the show used plenty of music that would require clearing first.
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7 Police Squad!
1982
A spoof of popular police procedurals, Police Squad! follows the bumbling Sgt. Det. Lt. Frank Drebin as he solves various cases thrown at his desk. He would rather grab a beer and flirt with women, but duty calls, so he does his best. The various cops under his usually shaky leadership make up a wonderful ensemble as well.
The Story Went On in Naked Gun
Gags come in as fast as cases in Police Squad!. After all, it’s the creation of David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker, a trio that had wowed the comedy world with Airplane!. Sadly, ABC pulled the plug after only one season, and the show hasn’t been available since. This is surprising, considering that the story continued years later in the wildly popular Naked Gun movies. While the movies can be consumed on their own, those with knowledge of the show’s events are likely to enjoy them more. So, why isn’t it available? There has been no official explanation, but it could be another case of ownership issues. The spoof series might have aired on ABC, but it’s a Paramount production.
6 Once and Again
1999 – 2002
In Once and Again, Jake (Jeffrey Nordling), a divorced father, and Lily (Sela Ward), a soon-to-be-divorced suburban soccer mom, meet and begin dating. Soon, both learn that catering to each other’s hearts is no picnic, as they have demanding children. Furthermore, each of them always has urgent life problems to address.
More Questions than Answers for Once and Again
From amazing chemistry between the leads to one of the most satisfying implements of queer representation on network television, Once and Again impressed in multiple ways. On top of that, it attracted an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress. Still, the show is yet to reappear, and there should be no hope, given how sluggish Buena Vista (the once-notably home-entertainment branch of Disney) was while releasing the DVD. After dropping Season 1 in 2002, it took several more years, plus a major petition to get Season 2 out. The execs ignored Season 3, and by 2007, the company’s license had expired. When asked about the streaming service absence by Variety, series creator Edward Zwick said, “It’s a mystery and a vexing one.”
5 Shogun!
1980
The old Shogun! has been eclipsed by its admittedly masterful remake, which has earned comparisons to Game of Thrones. It’s arguably just as good. The story is about shipwrecked English navigator (Richard Chamberlain) who ends up joining a warlord’s bloody power struggle in 17th-century Japan. The miniseries is loosely based on the exploits of British navigator William Adams, who sailed to Japan in 1600 and climbed the ranks in the service of the shogun.
Shogun! Is Sitting in the Dust
The legendary Jerry London received an Emmy for his work in this sharp little jewel, which uses a spellbinding narrative device to explore the pettiness of power struggles. With a budget of $22 million ($69 million when adjusted for inflation), the miniseries represented opulent television. It also smashed screen taboos by featuring scenes of beheading and even golden showers. Given the new show’s popularity, the old show might just do well too, but according to Vulture, NBC has no claim to its distribution rights.
4 Thirtysomething
1987 – 1991
Thirtysomething follows several Philadelphia baby boomers who are now in their thirties. The show examines how they deal with the changing culture of the ’80s, having grown accustomed to 1970s counterculture. Most of the plots are stitched around the husband-and-wife duo of Michael Steadman and Hope Murdoch and their baby Janie.
The Fight Continues for Thirtysomething
Thanks to its relatable characters, Thirtysomething had a huge cultural impact. It popularized the idea of the hour-long drama, covering the domestic and professional lives of young urban Americans, and in the process, it collected 13 Emmys. Modern audiences are likely to enjoy it too, but it’s nowhere to be found. Actors Mel Harris and Peter Horton have been pushing for a streaming release and even called for a reboot, but their cries have fallen on deaf ears. In a thread, Harris clarified that there are “no ownership questions,” urging fans to “swamp MGM/Amazon with messages, then swamp some more!”
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3 Journeyman
2007 – 2008
A gripping thriller about an average Joe, Journeyman will resonate with anyone who’s ever had their life disrupted by circumstances beyond their control. At the center of the story is Dan Vasser (Kevin McKidd), a news reporter, who suddenly begins jumping back in time. The temporal displacements occur when he least expects it, and either throw him a few years into the past or as far as a quarter of a century. With each jump, he is required to change someone’s destiny.
Fans Were Left in the Cold with Journeyman
There are numerous great time travel shows, so Journeyman’s absence might hardly be felt by genre fans. Still, it’s an ideal show for a streaming service, since every episode ends on a major cliffhanger. Besides that, McKidd gives a performance of a lifetime as the titular character. The show had very passionate fans too, who sent boxes of Rice-A-Roni to NBC to convince the network to renew it. There has been no reason for a lack of availability, but it could be presumed that executives are unconvinced about bringing back a show that had been canceled anyway.
2 Chicago Hope
1994 – 2000
Chicago Hope is an essential medical drama that the more popular, ER, somehow overshadowed. Set in a fictional private charitable hospital in Chicago, Illinois, the show follows Dr. Jeffrey Geiger (Mandy Patinkin), a talented surgeon plagued with emotional trauma stemming from the time his wife drowned their infant son. The lives of other doctors in the hospital are examined in detail.
A Singing Problem for Chicago Hope
Told with artistic panache and a dizzyingly romantic tone, Chicago Hope’s medical stories are the kind to wow even the most casual viewer. From adulterers to purists, viewers get to see all kinds of characters. Surprisingly, the drama isn’t on any streaming services. However, there is a reason for that. Dr. Jeffrey Geiger had a habit of singing songs during surgery, and some of them would be quite expensive to license. Understandably, the producers have opted not to jump over hoops to make the show available to modern viewers.
1 The Adventures of Sinbad
1996 –1998
The Adventures of Sinbad follows Sinbad and his brother as they go on a dangerous ocean adventure that pits the primacy of expeditions against the hand of fate. After gathering a strong crew, they set sail from Baghdad on a ship known as Nomad. Their goal is riches and adventure, but along the way, they encounter all kinds of monsters, wizards, and hostile tribes.
The Adventures of Sinbad Remains in Low Circulation
The series is a heartwarming, awe-inspiring piece of entertainment, combining supernatural fantasy, action, satire, and philosophy. Crafted with great care by science fiction writer, Ed Naha, the show is gorgeously shot and choreographed. Considering how well fantasy shows have done over the past decade, The Adventures of Sinbad is likely to be a hit on streaming. Regrettably, it was only ever released on DVD in Canada after its original run ended. Whether it will ever appear on Netflix or Hulu remains to be seen.
