There are some cancellations that hit us harder than others. 2024 saw some major TV crime dramas get canceled or final seasoned. There are some we’re still salty about months down the line.
There’s nothing wrong with being salty your favorite TV show has come to an end. Some people may want to fight for something that you’re not interested in, and that’s okay. We all have our own interests. I’ll admit that I couldn’t understand the need to fight for a few shows in the past, but that’s because they didn’t connect to me in the way other shows have over the years.
That doesn’t mean others can’t enjoy a series. It doesn’t mean that the fight isn’t real. There are some cancellations of 2024 that hurt the most. This list includes those shows that have been abruptly canceled and those that have come to an end—and we just weren’t ready for.
NCIS: Hawaii
Of course, NCIS: Hawaii is the first show on my list. It’s one of those TV crime dramas that brought much more than just a hunt down for criminals. This was a series that brought us a diverse team that showed us what people could be when they’re encouraged to be the best people they can.
Let’s look at Jane Tennant, who showed that you can be a mom and a tough leader. Then there’s Lucy Tara, who showed that there’s nothing wrong with putting a career first. She still made her relationship with Kate Whistler work, and we got to see that sort of real lesbian relationship happen on TV.
My favorite character by far was Ernie, who had a heart of gold. He showed that you can be rejected by a woman and still wish her the best. He showed that you can be passionate about something you love, and it doesn’t matter what other people think—as long as you actually get on with the job while geeking out about something!
This series showed us Hawaii in a different way to the likes of Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum PI. It had a grittier feel to it, and that made it something intriguing.
Blue Bloods
CBS had a lot of cancellations in May 2024 that I’m still not quite over. Blue Bloods technically ended, but it still felt a bit like a cancellation. After all, this show didn’t end the way the show wanted to—with so many people fighting for the series to get to 15 seasons. What didn’t make sense is that it remained one of the strongest shows on the network despite being a Friday night series!
Blue Bloods brought us a family of cops and legal professionals. We got to see all areas of law enforcement, whether it was Frank Reagan’s position as Police Chief or Jamie Reagan’s place on the beat. There was a chance to see how it worked legally with Erin, and we got to see how the sides could clash at times.
Sure, Blue Bloods at least got time to end, but it wasn’t quite an ending. There was a lot left open, leading to us needing a spin-off series. I vote Eddie and Jamie!
Dead Boy Detectives
I’ll admit that this series wasn’t one of those I had to watch right away. I’m sorry, The Sandman just didn’t work for me. However, I love crime dramas and I love ghost shows. It took a couple of watches, but once I figured it out and felt connected to the characters, I was sold.
Dead Boy Detectives was more than just a supernatural crime drama. It brought us a look at life after death. It focused on the topic of leaving things behind, and on feeling like you could only feel like you were living while dead. There was this topic of finding the people you’re meant to be with decades after or before your time, hinting at this idea that souls don’t follow traditional timelines.
I would love to see the Dead Boy Detectives characters come up or at least be mentioned in The Sandman’s future seasons. The show has a much deeper meaning than you would initially think, and that’s what makes so many people salty about the cancellation, including me!
Warrior
Okay, so technically, this series was canceled in December 2023. It was so close to the end of the year that it feels like it was canceled in 2024. It doesn’t help that Netflix picked up the series from Max and brought all three seasons to a bigger audience in February 2024. This offered a little bit of hope that it could be saved, only for nothing to happen.
Warrior brought us a story in the 18th century. It was a mixture of gang and crime drama. We got a chance to see the realities for the Chinese people coming over to America for a fresh start, and if you don’t think areas like Chinatown could still happen, then you just have to look at some of the comments about immigration online right now. I urge you to look at the things said about immigration in Canada to see it.
On top of the social commentary that still connects to today, the series brought us a mixture of loyalties, relationships, and realities of the past. It was beautiful written and crafted, in a way that I’ve never seen another show handle it. And that third season cliffhanger was brutal!
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