Two and Through

If a network cancels a series and nobody cares, did the series ever exist?

''Head Cases'' is the first casualty of the season. Fox cancelled this awful series a week earlier than I expected, causing me to rearrange my posting schedule. Today I'm going to introduce ''The TV Shorty List,'' introduce other TV series that only aired twice, and update a few features for ''TV Shorty Watch.'' If you clicked looking for ''TV Power Ratings, Part Deux'' today, that blog entry has been pre-empted to bring you this more timely entry.

First, the new features for ''TV Shorty Watch.''

A series that is cancelled while on Shorty Watch will remain on the list with strikethrough text. That skein will immediately be added to ''The TV Shorty List.''

Shows that are on hiatus, but not yet cancelled, will appear in bold italicized text. No network has officially placed a show on hiatus yet, but I can just feel it. Can't you?

Expandable lists. I've added ''The TV Shorty List'' to the near right column today. I'll soon be adding ''Power Ratings'' to the near right column as well. It just makes sense to conserve some space in that column and use expandable lists for all features.

''The TV Shorty List'' presents TV Shorties in three groups, based on number of airings. Remember, a TV Shorty is any series that the network intended to show at least four times but aired three or fewer times.

Why is it important that the network intended to show the series at least four times? Two-part specials and two-part movies are not TV Shorties. If a presentation only has two parts and both parts air, then that show has run its course. It's not really short-lived at all. The show had a short life, but it was a full life.

The main purpose of ''The TV Shorty List'' is simple. The list celebrates successful failure. Every show on this list was picked up by a network to be a series and aired at least one time, and we know how difficult it is to reach that milestone. In this sense, all TV Shorties were wildly successful. But these shows did fail to meet expectations since they were cancelled before they could complete their full run.

Fox aired two eps of ''Head Cases'' and has four more eps in the can. We can officially welcome ''Head Cases'' to the party, joining the other series that were Two and Through:

''AFP: American Fighter Pilot'' (CBS, 2002)

''Aliens in the Family'' (ABC, 1996)

''America.01'' (ABC, 2001)

''Apple Pie'' (ABC, 1978)

''Big Shamus, Little Shamus'' (CBS, 1979)

''Charlie Lawrence'' (CBS, 2003)

''Clerks'' (ABC, 2000)

''Confessions'' (CourtTV, 2000)

''Danny'' (CBS, 2001)

''ElimiDATE Deluxe'' (WB, 2001)

''The Fifth Corner'' (NBC, 1992)

''Four Corners'' (CBS, 1998)

''girls club'' (Fox, 2002)

''Guess Again'' (CBS, 1951)

''Imagine That'' (NBC, 2002)

''Joey Faye's Frolics'' (CBS, 1950)

''Love and Marriage'' (Fox, 1996)

''The Mike O'Malley Show'' (NBC, 1999)

''My Guys'' (CBS, 1996)

''The Paula Poundstone Show'' (ABC, 1993)

''Prince Street'' (NBC, 1997)

''The Princes of Malibu'' (Fox, 2005)

''The Real Roseanne Show'' (ABC, 2003)

''Roxie'' (CBS, 1987)

''Ryan Caulfield: Year One'' (Fox, 1999)

''Sammy'' (NBC, 2000)

''Sleepwalkers'' (NBC, 1997)

''Sunset Beat'' (ABC, 1990)

''Tag the Gag'' (NBC, 1951)

''Take Five'' (CBS, 1987)

''That Was Then'' (ABC, 2002)

''Wind on Water'' (NBC, 1998)

''Wonderland'' (ABC, 2000)

''You’re the One'' (WB, 1998)