While using internal return values in the success function, promise code can sense that you are missing one most obvious thing: the error controller. The missing error can cause your code to stand still or get into a catastrophe from which it might not recover. If you want to overcome this, simply throw the errors. How? See the following code:

this.getserial = function(serial) {
    return $http.get('/api/tv/serials/sherlockHolmes' + serial)
        .then(
            function (response) {
                return {
                    title: response.data.title,
                    cost:  response.data.price
                });
            },
            function (httpError) {
                // translate the error
                throw httpError.status + " : " + 
                    httpError.data;
            });
};

Now, whenever the code enters into an error-like situation, it will return a single string, not a bunch of $http statutes or config details. This...