Joss Whedon has become something of a tortured artist since 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' ended its highly successful seven-season run in 2003. Since Sunnydale was destroyed and 'Angel' got pulled right when it was finding its own identity post-'Buffy,' Whedon has yet to find another long-running hit. It's still hard to believe that a show as great as 'Firefly' only lasted one season!

Whedon's bad luck continues with the recent announcement that Fox is pulling the plug on 'Dollhouse,' a series that had enough of a following -- and potential -- to warrant another season. Would 'Dollhouse' have really hit its stride further down the road? We'll never know. Here are some other sci-fi television series that met their makers too soon.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

• Birds of Prey - Complete Series
• Classic TV Commercials - Ones We Never Forgot
• Dallas - Season 9
• Eureka - Season 2
• Evening Shade - Season 1
• Jesse Stone - 4 Pack
• New Adventures of The Long Ranger/Zorro - Vol. 2
• Reno 911 - Season 5
• Saving Grace - Season 1
• Swamp Thing - Vol. 2

Brian Heiler over at the Topless Robot website took it upon himself to list the ten worst superhero television shows ever made. I don't know if I agree with every choice, but he's certainly in the right ballpark.

Going through the list, we start with Birds of Prey. The first mistake they made (and there was a myriad of them) was altering Batman's daughter to have superpowers. I guess the WB was trying to copy the success of Smallville into other superhero shows and failing.

I remember seeing one episode of Once A Hero. I'm only sorry they didn't air the episode in which Adam West parodied himself. I missed Exo Man altogether (but only in the sense that I didn't watch it).