RIDE WITH A TRICKSTER AND A JAVELIN MAN

I put it off as long as possible. I just couldn't commit to the kind of heartbreak I saw at the end. I knew I'd only be setting myself up for disappointment, but I did it anyway.

Afterwards, when it was all over and I was alone in my apartment, I just felt... sad. I wasn't angry at anyone, and there was no one to really blame, but I was still more than a little depressed. Of course, I knew going into it that it would happen, but I still went through with it. I'm glad I did. It was a learning experience, but it still hurt like hell.

Now I just really, really miss TERRIERS.

If you don't remember that show, you're not alone. It ran for one 13-episode season on FX back in 2010. It was about two private investigators (Donal Logue and Michael Raymond-James) in San Diego who continuously bite off more than they can chew. The writing is great, the characters are fantastic and I loved literally everything about it from top to bottom. There's a larger story throughout the season, but there are also a few "case of the week" type stories that are just perfect for the kind of show that it was.

It was the perfect mix of detective-noir, comedy and drama. Logue and Raymond-James had amazing chemistry and everyone else on the show always gave it their best. Ted Griffin, who wrote the OCEAN'S 11 remake created it, and then teamed up with Shawn Ryan, creator of THE SHIELD to make it happen.

There was so much talent behind and in front of the camera that it should have been around forever. Sadly, no one watched it while it was actually on the air. Shortly after it was cancelled, John Landgraf - who is actually a really, really smart TV executive, which is incredibly rare - did an interview with the LA Times and laid out just why he made the decision to cancel it. Basically, it was the lowest-rated show FX had ever aired.

I'm chalking it up to two things: A terrible title and a horrible ad campaign.

I visited some friends in New York just before the show started airing that year and there were ads for it all over the subway and taxi's and busses and billboards so no one can say they didn't spend money on advertising. But the ads totally misrepresented what the show actually was.

The ads had no effect on me, but once it started airing, all the comic book writers that I admire started raving about it. By then, the season was half over and I didn't have a DVR or Netflix. I was kind of out of luck and not long after, it was cancelled. But it was always in my mind that I'd get to it someday and when I finally did, I just really wished it had gone longer.

Now that ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT has been brought back to life through Netflix, TERRIERS is the next show that everyone is hoping they'll revive at some point. I really hope that happens because I just want to hang out with Hank and Britt for a few more hours.

And in addition to everything I've just written about it, TERRIERS has one of the great TV theme songs and it gets stuck in my head for days on end. Seriously, listen to it then go home, fire up Netflix* and binge through all 13 episodes. And call me when you do. I'll come over and watch them all again. I'll bring popcorn.

*March 2020 Coronavirus Update - It's now available on Hulu. I probably won't come over since, you know, we're not allowed. But text me when you finish it and we'll chat.