So, here we are. Living in the crazy post-Office/Pushing Daisies/30 Rock world that none of us wanted, and of course it's only about to get worse. With shows falling off like Bud Selig's credibility (zing!), the time to start seeking out alternatives is now. Of course we've already given you a good start, but believe me when I say those recommendations are the tip of the television iceberg. Lucky for you, I have the odd (and sometimes pricey) hobby of collecting canceled television shows- the fewer episodes aired, the better. Especially considering the bland reputation TV has, it's amazing some of the shit they've let on air, albeit for a short amount of time. So for as long as the strike's going, I'll tell you on a semi-regular basis about some of the weird, wonderful, and forgotten alternative TV shows. Because really, who the fuck wants to rent Felicity again?
Now of course, it's important to remember that you might get these shows on DVD, and DVD residuals are an issue of debate in the strike, so you might not feel comfortable renting them. If that's the case, I'd recommend watching Clark and Michael on loop. For everyone else, it's Canceled TV Disco Party Island after the jump!

Playmakers

Could be used to replace: Friday Night Lights, Grey's Anatomy
Playmakers had everything you'd look for in a new drama- great acting, mostly strong scripts, an interesting setting, and a network encouraging its creators to push the limits. But what separated the ESPN drama (which was about a pro football team in a fictional league) was how well the creators pushed those limits- sometimes to over-the-top insanity (a player calling his psychologist, yelling "I am the Antichrist!")- but mostly geared towards off the table topics in sports, talking about gay athletes, spousal abuse and drugs. What's more remarkable than a hyper-masculine soap is the fact that it whole thing worked, garnering good ratings and better reviews. Sadly, it turned out the show was too real for the NFL, which demanded that the show be pulled because it portrayed professional football players in a bad light. Because, you know, the NFL has never had any player act inappropriately. Seriously, fuck the NFL. This is a top-notch show that should have been given it's time to shine. And any show that had saved the awesome soap opera plots for the fellas and the ass shots for the ladies (see above) is all right in my book.

Episodes aired/available: 12
Episodes you'll actually watch: 12
How to watch: Try to space them out. Sometimes the same plot line gets hit on episode after episode, and it can get a bit repetitive if you watch them back-to-back. One per day, or longer, works best.
Harsh Realm

Could be used to replace: Bionic Woman, Supernatural
You're Chris Carter, circa 1999. Your show, The X-Files, has an amazing cult following, but you're looking for something new. So what exactly are you looking for? Well, if Harsh Realm is indication, V.R. Troopers for grown-ups. Realm is about a solider, played by Scott Bairstow, trapped in a virtual military training project turned into a dictatorship and defeating the dictator there. Confused? Yeah. Think Heart of Darkness meets World of Warcraft. It's high concept with tons of intrigue, but there's a reason this failed where X-Files succeeded. Mulder and Scully had tons of 'monster-of-the-week' episodes, allowing for the occasional comedy and character-building. Harsh Realm didn't have any of that. It tried to add development by having Bairstow write corny letters to his wife in the Real World in voice over. He also calls his wife "my girl". Is this the 40's? Looking back now, it'd be easy to call Harsh Realm visionary- it predicted both the popularity of Second Life style programs, as well as the awesomeness of Terry O'Quinn, aka Locke from Lost, who plays the evil dictator. But of course, it was easy to predict Harsh Realm's failure from the second it cast Scott Bairstow lead. Really, Chris Carter?

Episodes aired/available: 3 aired, 9 available
Episodes you'll actually watch: 6
How to watch: Even though the show didn't get a chance to build its mytharc, there are still complexities that are better understood if you watch 'em back to back.

Next up on Canceled TV Disco Party Island: surrealist comedy and the Iraq War! Also, if you have any show you'd want us to do, name it in the comments. Any canceled shows are fair game, but the shorter, the better.