Where Have All the Shows Gone

Do you remember – not that long ago – that the USA Network, TNT and even Syfy had so much good programming airing each week that you couldn’t keep them all straight?

Sure, we now live in a time where there is so much programming on all of the streaming services that you could drive yourself crazy keeping pace with them all, but I am talking about that golden period of TV time starting around 2002 through the next 15 years or so when the USA Network had their “blue-sky” shows – those breezy dramas that were just plain fun to watch – TNT had a multitude of cop shows to divest our time into watching and Syfy had not only the Stargate franchise but really good sci-fi and fantasy series that were not just one horror-fest after another.

First, let’s take a look at just some of the shows that used to air on the USA Network. Keep in mind that in 2003 the cabler underwent a rebranding that altered its programming. This was the time when the USA Network made efforts to stand apart from the darker, more gritty dramas that were airing on its competitors. The Tony Shaloub comedy-drama Monk was the one holdover during this timeframe, and was soon joined by a number of original series that fell under the aforementioned “Blue Sky” programming, which ran from 2005 to 2016.

Those shows included:

Psych from 2006 to 2014 [which has since spawned three “reunion”-like movies on Peacock]
Burn Notice from 2007 to 2013
In Plain Sight from 2008 to 2012
Royal Pains from 2009 to 2016
White Collar from 2009 to 2014
Covert Affairs from 2010 to 2014
Suits from 2011 to 2019

NOTE: For those unaware (or living under a rock), Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, was introduced to the viewing audience thanks to Suits.

As for TNT, the network was the home to numerous cop shows starting with The Closer, which aired from 2005 to 2012; Saving Grace, which aired from 2007 to 2010, Rizzoli & Isles, which aried from 2010 to 2016 and Major Crimes, the spin-off of The Closer, which aired from 2012 to 2018. Also during that time the network introduced viewers to Leverage, which ran from 2008 to 2012 [and is now back with new adventures on Amazon Freevee under the moniker Leverage: Redemption] and then The Librarians – based on the network’s movie franchise of the same name that ran from 2014 to 2018 as well as the apocalyptic dramas Falling Skies from 2011 to 2015 and The Last Ship from 2014 to 2018.

NOTE: The Closer brought Kyra Sedgwick to the small screen while Saving Grace brought Holly Hunter to there too and then Major Crimes had Mary McDonnell not only back in a lead role (after being on Battlestar Galactica) but also reprising her role from The Closer.

Jumping over to Syfy during its heyday of sci-fi filled programming, the network was the home to the Stargate franchise, which included seasons 6 through 10 of the flagship series Stargate SG-1. That was then followed up by Stargate Atlantis from 2004 to 2009 and Stargate Universe from 2009 to 2011. In between those years, we were introduced to the reboot of Battlestar Galactica that ran from 2004 to 2009, Sanctuary from 2008 to 2011, Warehouse 13 from 2009 to 2014, Haven from 2010 to 2015; Eureka from 2006 to 2012 and later 12 Monkeys from 2015 to 2018.

NOTE: Jason Momoa, Aquaman himself, was part of the cast of Stargate Atlantis well before his time as the famous DC character or his time as Khal Drogo on Game of Thrones.

All three networks have, of course, continued to provide programming that captures audiences’ attention; but these were golden years of TV that will be fondly missed.

Do you watch any or all of these shows? Which ones were your personal favorites? Please share your thoughts with us.