The 17 Best TV Shows That Were Canceled

This week, NBC canceled its new Will Ferrell-produced, Krysten Ritter sitcom "Mission Control" - before it even aired.

Fox, too, decided to cancel "Hieroglyph," its ambitious drama set in ancient Egypt, before it even got its midseason debut.

These days, the sheer amount of quality programming has led to a crowded marketplace where only the most succesful shows manage to survive.

Sometimes, even the most critically acclaimed programs can fall victim to bad ratings.

As new series make their way to the small screen this fall, a great number of them are bound to be canceled. Here are 17 examples of well-loved shows axed before their time ranked in order from least to most painful loss.