It’s important to note that salty and sad are different feelings when it comes to me and TV crime dramas being canceled. I can feel both for some, but salty is another feeling as I do believe the shows had more life in them and had something to offer.
I wanted to get that statement out of the way as I’ve done a salty post recently, and some of the shows on this list will match that one. However, this post isn’t about canceled shows that have ended abruptly. We’re also looking at shows that got an ending, but that doesn’t mean I have to be happy I had to say goodbye!
When it comes to sadness, it means that moving forward that is an empty feeling on the TV screen. I’ll miss chatting about the show with others, or I’ll miss having that staple to tune into.
Blue Bloods
Let’s start with a show that came to an end and really shouldn’t have done in 2024. CBS decided not to renew Blue Bloods for season 15, and that’s what makes me more sad than salty about the ending. I am happy that the show got a chance to wrap up the story for the Reagan family, but that doesn’t mean I won’t miss the Friday night family dinners.
There were a few things that didn’t quite work for me in that family. I never really shipped Danny and Baez, so that bit was disappointing. I also wish that the show didn’t end with the surprise pregnancy and re-marriage (especially without Nicky around). However, the show did what it could with the time available. I just wish the series got a 15th season to hit that milestone.
NCIS: Hawaii
You know me! This had to make the list. Yes, it’s one I’m still salty about, but I’m also just genuinely sad. Look, the numbers make it clear that NCIS: Hawaii still had a loyal fanbase. It’s rare for a show to see an uptick in the ratings between seasons, but NCIS: Hawaii did.
The show brought a lot of people something they needed. For me it was seeing a woman be a boss and a mom at the same time without any comments about how she rose to the top and actually showing that it’s okay to be human. I also loved seeing Lucy and Kate’s very real relationship portrayed, and I adored Ernie, who quickly became my spirit animal. Not having them on my screens each week is sad and makes me feel empty.
Walker
I’m not quite salty about this show being canceled. It didn’t hurt me as much as others, but that doesn’t stop me from feeling sad. There was still plenty of ground for Walker to gain, and so many more stories to tell. I loved seeing how Cordell was able to grow the more he accepted his wife’s death and was able to put the focus back on his children.
Part of me is sad at the overall situation for The CW, though. Walker was canceled due to a huge changeover within the network, and The CW isn’t what it used to be. It’s left a hole for Millennial TV.
Magnum PI
NBC made some odd decisions with scheduling for its shows. Magnum PI ended up being a casualty of those decisions. It all started with the decision to air episodes after reruns rather than start the night or run after The Blacklist, and then it came down to just not giving it a chance when it became clear there would be the actors strike.
So, the show was technically canceled in 2023, but it came to an end this year, getting to air its final episodes. While we finally got the relationship that we wanted, it was too little, too late. The show deserved better, and Hawaii is definitely missing from our screens. Okay, so there’s Rescue: Hi-Surf, but it’s nothing like what Magnum PI and NCIS: Hawaii were able to bring.
Snowpiercer
There was a point that we feared we wouldn’t get the fourth and final season of Snowpiercer. TNT canceled it after filming it, and then it took a long time to find a new home. AMC came in with the rescue, but it was just to bring us the final season. That added to the sadness, but at least we got to see how it all came to an end.
There was a little missing when it came to the series finale. I would have loved more time with a reunion, and I was heartbroken by some of the deaths. However, it was great to see the people come together and some goosebump moments that mirrored the first season. I’m just really sad a great dystopian series has come to an end. Now I need to find another one.
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