Canceled, But Not Forgotten: Part 2

By the request of arianrhod, we delve into another TV show canceled before its time.

Jack and Bobby


This show was actually much further down on my list of shows to cover because unlike most of my "Canceled, But Not Forgotten" shows, this one actually had a very fulfilling finale. In fact, its one season on the air is pretty much perfection.

There were so many reasons to love this show.

One of which was the hotness of Matt Long. But there were lots more reasons that actually speak to the quality of the show outside of its WB demographic.

The Plot: The series is framed with a documentary about the future President McCallister. In each episode, those close to the President talk about his principles and milestones from his career; the actual show then has teenage brothers Jack (Matt Long) and Bobby (Logan Lerman) learn the same thematical lessons that will help one of them grow into a future President.


Okay, so you find out in the pilot that Bobby is destined to become President. But the strange thing is--since that was a major risk in the story-telling--that you still can't stop watching it.

Yes, you want to know about how Bobby grows into one of the greatest American presidents, but at the same time, you care about the here-and-now: Will Jack and Courtney hook up, despite the fact that she becomes Bobby's first lady? Will Jack come out from the death of his former girlfriend unscathed? Will Grace (the mom) get in trouble for sexing up hot, virile Bradley Cooper before settling down with Courtney's dad Peter (played by John Slattery, in the role that made him my in-his-forties-yet-still-smoking crush of choice, before he did Desperate Housewives or Mad Men)? Or does anyone else remember Bobby's goth girlfriend?

The show was relevant politically without being preachy, showing every side of an issue. Perhaps the best way it did that was in the religion episode where Bobby has a spiritual awakening, much to his liberal mother's chagrin, and she proceeds to show him a different religion every week. Grace's liberalism would fight over Peter's conservatism; the show famously shot two endings, depending on if Kerry or Bush won the 2004 election, the Bush ending resulting in a catty remark from Grace to Peter through Bobby about how all would change when Hillary was elected in 2008 (oh! the irony of now!). But really, it was about how vision and, more than anything, determination, can get one through any problem, from teenage dramas to international incidents.

Something that will soon become a theme bordering on whiny in these reminiscent posts will be how most of these shows were very high-concept, ended up on the WB or FOX, and then got their asses kicked. Jack and Bobby is just one more example of something outside of the WB's main demographic (why would teens watch "The West Wing for 18-49 Age Bracket" when they could watch the pure drama without political ramifications of Mr. Dawson and his creek?), and it failing.

I would highly recommend Jack and Bobby. While I'm not the beacon of class, I do generally know something great when I see it. Jack and Bobby was a phenomenal show with a fantastic season with a wonderful series finale that summed up everything perfectly, meaning no cliffhanger angst for you and your kiddies.