Becoming a successful comedic performer is a tough road, but the ones that make it can last for years in an unforgiving business. Comedy stars like Eddie Murphy and Adam Sandler are great examples of those who have reached the top and stayed there.

During the 90s, Ben Stiller became a famous face on the big screen, but before becoming a film star, he had his own show that had a brief and critically-acclaimed run.

So, why was The Ben Stiller Show cancelled, despite its critical acclaim? Let's take a look and see.

Ben Stiller Has Had Some Major Comedy Hits

Having been in the entertainment industry since the 80s and even coming from a show business family, Ben Stiller is a performer who hardly needs an introduction. It may have taken him some time to finally become a star, but once his career took off, the man was a box office powerhouse who was making millions.

Stiller worked plenty in film and on television earlier on, with some notable credits like Empire of the Sun, Reality Bites, Friends, and Happy Gilmore coming his way. Everything would change in 1998 once he starred in There's Something About Mary. That film was a massive hit, and it made Stiller a star.

From that point on, Stiller began to forge a legacy on the comedy side of entertainment, and he was cranking out hit projects left and right. His box office numbers were impressive, and he was responsible for a number of hilarious films that have been able to stand the test of time.

While it is amazing to see what Stiller has done on the big screen, it's important to take a look back at his short-lived show from his MTV days.

Related: Ben Stiller Actually Beamed His Wife In The Face While Making 'Dodgeball'

He Had His Own Show In The 90s

Back in 1992, The Ben Stiller Show made its debut on MTV, and even though most people have genuinely never heard of this show, it is certainly worth taking a look at. Ben Stiller might have come from famous parents, but this series proved that he had some serious comedy chops of his own.

Featuring the likes of Ben Stiller, Bob Odenkirk, Janeane Garofalo, and co-created by Judd Apatow, The Ben Stiller Show boasted a ton of young talent and was able to generate a decent amount of buzz on the network. Clearly, the short-lived show never became a huge hit, but it did manage to catch the attention of the right people.

Critically, The Ben Stiller Show received a ton of praise. The series has a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is a pretty big indication of what the professionals thought of the show during its brief run on the small screen.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, "The Ben Stiller Show was a show for people who didn’t just love to laugh, but loved comedy. It was for people who saw comedy as a sacred tradition, an important history to be studied and savored, a sacred calling and a state of mind. It was for comedy geeks with the misfortune to arrive in a pre-comedy geek era."

And yet, even with all of this critical acclaim, the series was done and gone after just a single season.

Related: How The MTV Movie Awards Created Ben Stiller's Most Iconic Character

Why It Was Cancelled

So, why was The Ben Stiller Show canceled, despite the fact that it was receiving acclaim from fans and critics alike? Unfortunately, the series just simply was not able to generate the ratings that the network was hoping for.

Now, even though the series ended up on the chopping block, the acclaim that it found wound up netting the show a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program. The win was completely unexpected for all involved, including Stiller himself.

"Seriously, I gotta say there were people out there who liked the show. I run into them in the street every once in a while. For the people who liked the show, this is nice. It kind of translated," Stiller said.

The short-lived series did not get the proper chance to have a lengthy run on the small screen, but its Emmy win solidified the fact that it did just about everything else right while it was being produced. Ultimately, the series was a launching point for a number of its performers, making it an invaluable piece of their careers.

Related: Why Ben Stiller Rejected This A-List Actor For 'Zoolander'

Stiller never returned to the small screen in the same way that he did during the 90s, but judging by his successful film career, we can't really blame him for doing things his own way.

Next: Fans Say This Is What Ben Stiller's Wife Has To Put Up With