The late, great cable network Trio created a concept called “Brilliant But Cancelled,” where they spotlighted shows that started strong, had great potential, but were quickly sent into oblivion by their respective networks because the ratings weren’t anything to write home about. Some of the shows given the spotlight were “Deadline,” by “Law & Order” producer Dick Wolf, “Johnny Staccato,” starring John Cassavettes as a jazz pianist who’s also a private detective, and “Parenthood,” based on the movie of the same name, but with Ed Begley, Jr., taking over the Steve Martin role.

Well, unfortunately, Trio is pretty much dead as a network, having been dropped by virtually every cable and satellite system, but it still exists on the ‘net, and it’s inspired a series of full-series DVD releases of one of its “Brilliant But Cancelled”-spotlighted shows: “EZ Streets,” starring Ken Olin, Jason Gedrick, and Joe “Joey Pants” Pantoliano.

Makes you wonder what shows will receive this treatment, belatedly giving them the respect they deserve.

I’ve got a few suggestions…

Quark – I might be one of the only people who even remembers this show, but it aired on NBC in 1978, in the immediate wake of “Star Wars” taking over the galaxy, and the premise had Adam Quark, captain of an intergalactic garbage scow, cruising the galaxy and getting laughs a plenty. Well, some laughs, anyway. It was a Buck Henry creation, and his comedic pedgree is pretty strong, since he and Mel Brooks created “Get Smart.” (He also hosted many an episode of “Saturday Night Live” during the show’s first five years.)

Fast Times – What a great show. It continued the adventures of the students and faculty at Ridgemont High, albeit in a watered-down-for-network-TV way. I’m actually rather surprised this hasn’t made it on DVD yet, given that the cast included Patrick Dempsey (as Damone!); from the original cast, both Vincent Schiavelli and Ray Walston returned as Mr. Vargas and Mr. Hand, respectively.

Police Squad! – This is the most inexcusable show to not yet be on DVD. It seems like a no-brainer, given that it’s the adventures of Leslie Nielsen as Frank Drebin, the same character Nielsen continued to play in the “Naked Gun” films. The series was available on VHS for years; how hard is it to just put the handful of existing episodes – there are only six of them, fer chrissakes – on DVD…? Preferrably while Nielsen is still around to do audio commentary…

Square Pegs – Again, another real shocker, since it stars Sarah Jessica Parker. This was really THE comedy of the ’80s, the perfect time capsule piece. Created by Anne Beatts, who wrote for “SNL” during the early glory years, it was kind of a predecessor to “Freaks and Geeks,” except in a more traditional sitcom format. It was being re-run on either TV Land or Nick at Nite (I forget which) a few years ago, so its profile has remained relatively high. I can only presume that it’s to do with music licensing…which, come to think of it, might also be why “Fast Times” remains lost to the ages.

Curiosity Shop – Another real obscurity, but it was a kids show from the ’70s that was created by Chuck Jones, the legendary Warner Brothers animator…except that it was live action. There were puppets instead of animated characters, but voices were provided by folks like Mel Blanc, Don Messick, and June Foray (a.k.a. Rocky the Flying Squirrel), and Mr. Wizard (Don Herbert) was on the show as well, providing science facts.

Uncle Croc’s Block – Oh, what the hell, here’s another total obscurity, so much so that TV.com doesn’t even have a page for it! It was very much ahead of its time, and, in all actuality, probably never had any chance in hell at being successful on Saturday mornings. Charles Nelson Reilly played Uncle Croc, a guy hosting a cartoon show who hated his job, not least of which because he had to wear a crocodile costume. He was cynical and constantly getting grumpy with his director and the other characters on the show, including the great Jonathan Harris (the original Dr. Smith on “Lost in Space”) as Basil Bitterbottom. I used to think that David Letterman was responsible for my sense of humor, but, in retrospect, Uncle Croc may have been the one who truly set me on my path…

The Fantastic Journey – Airing on NBC in 1977, this was a great sci-fi show that never had a chance to breathe. It’s a cross between “Lost in Space,” “Stargate,” and “Sliders,” basically. Here’s how the opening narration went: “Lost in the Devil’s Triangle, trapped in a dimension with beings from the future and other worlds, a party of adventurers journey through zones of time back to their own time. Varian, a man from the 23rd century, possessing awesome powers; from 1977; Fred, a young doctor just out of medical school; Scott Jordan, the thirteen-year-old son of a famous scientist; Liana, daughter of an Atlantean father and an extraterrestrial mother; and Jonathan Willaway, a rebel scientist from the 1960s. Together they face the frightening unknown on… The Fantastic Journey.” You could put this on the Sci-Fi Network now and it would be a success. Hell, it’s not all that far removed from their miniseries, “The Triangle,” come to think of it…