# Any shows that were cancelled because the Networks didn't like the show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-shows-that-were-cancelled-because-the-networks-didnt-like-the-show/330746 "2005-11-12T17:58:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-shows-that-were-cancelled-because-the-networks-didnt-like-the-show/330746/41 "2005-11-14T16:57:55Z")
What about _MST3K_? Comedy Central hated it, from what I gather-they didn’t like the format, didn’t like the show, and were always trying to screw it over, even though viewers loved it. So they cancelled it. Fortunately, the show was then picked up by Sci-Fi. And then later on, Sci-Fi got a new program director who didn’t like the show, so she did the dicking around with time-slot thing so that the ratings would go down and she could justify cancelling it. They tried again to find a new market, but this time, since it was season 10, they weren’t as eager as before, and just let it go. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-shows-that-were-cancelled-because-the-networks-didnt-like-the-show/330746/42 "2005-11-14T17:16:31Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Lawrence Welk’s variety show still had very strong ratings i nthe early Seventies, but it was cancelled because the networks didn’t like the demographics of the audience. > > Welk’s fans were mostly folks over 60, and those viewers are considered undesirable by advertisers. A more recent but similar case would be “Jane Quinn, Medicine Woman.” The show had pretty good ratings when it got yanked because the demographic group it was pitched toward were older, more settled, and spent less frivolously. [shameless plug]The excellent new film [Good Night and Good Luck](http://wip.warnerbros.com/goodnightgoodluck/) deals in part with the fact that Edward R. Murrow’s show was yanked off the air because he took on ‘indelicate subject matter’ and the network brass would rather have aired fluffly, non-controversial entertainment shows.[/shameless plug] p.s. I didn’t bother with a spoiler box for that because it’s a matter of public record. I don’t imagine anyone who will go see the flick will be that surprised by the ending. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-shows-that-were-cancelled-because-the-networks-didnt-like-the-show/330746/43 "2005-11-14T17:22:18Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > D’ya think Arrested Development would fit the bill here? I know that its ratings aren’t great, either, but the ratings definitely aren’t helped by the pre-empting, the moving around the schedule, the general non-marketing of the critically acclaimed, award-winning show. All of these are network problems. The show was moved only once. And that was after two years in a great time slot. The ratings were horribe. And the first couple of seasons, the series was well promoted. The pre-emptions didn’t help, but I think it’s safe to say the series was cancelled because not enough people liked it. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-shows-that-were-cancelled-because-the-networks-didnt-like-the-show/330746/44 "2005-11-14T20:21:01Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > **Bridget Loves Bernie** had the distinction (at the time) of being the highest-rated show to be cancelled after only one season. The ratings were good, but it was a lightning rod for angry mail and such. I guess they just figured it wasn’t worth the aggrevation. I haven’t seen an episode of the show since I was a kid but I remember the sole reason it got good ratings (since it certainly wasn’t a critically-praised show) was because it inhabited the prime 8:30 Saturday night time slot between ratings-powerhouses “All in the Family” and “Mary Tyler Moore”. Yet, even with this in its favor, the ratings for “BLB” still lagged behind those of the other CBS shows on that evening so that there was a “valley” in the network’s Saturday night line-up. Seeing the show was a weak link that would likely quickly sink in the ratings if put anywhere else (and–as mentioned–would continue arousing controversy for its “stereotyped” characters), CBS cancelled “BLB” and put the struggling but critically acclaimed sitcom “MASH” in its place thereby creating what many think is the best single night of network programming in American TV history. ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-shows-that-were-cancelled-because-the-networks-didnt-like-the-show/330746/45 "2005-11-14T20:44:43Z")
> [@Art Vandelay](#): > > [shameless plug]The excellent new film [Good Night and Good Luck](http://wip.warnerbros.com/goodnightgoodluck/) deals in part with the fact that Edward R. Murrow’s show was yanked off the air because he took on ‘indelicate subject matter’ and the network brass would rather have aired fluffly, non-controversial entertainment shows.[/shameless plug] I definitely want to see this movie. Art, why “Shameless”? Were you involved in the production? ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-shows-that-were-cancelled-because-the-networks-didnt-like-the-show/330746/46 "2005-11-14T21:54:37Z")
> [@Imasquare](#): > > I remember that incident. Wasn’t the show cancelled half way through the 2nd epsiode? I think \*\*don’t ask \*\* is right. The show was taken off air half-way through its first (and only) episode. For once Mr Packer displayed some taste. ---
**Author:** ![WilhelmGefallen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@WilhelmGefallen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WilhelmGefallen)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-shows-that-were-cancelled-because-the-networks-didnt-like-the-show/330746/47 "2005-11-15T00:11:15Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > I think \*\*don’t ask \*\* is right. The show was taken off air half-way through its first (and only) episode. For once Mr Packer displayed some taste. I didnt think it even got that far, wasnt it at the first commercial break? though it is possible that is just where I turned it off, hell I cant even remember what it was about any more, just that it was the most unfunny show I can remember seeing. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-shows-that-were-cancelled-because-the-networks-didnt-like-the-show/330746/48 "2005-11-15T18:45:46Z")
**Crusade** , a babylon 5 spinoff, was basically killed by meddling executives at TNT. They subjected it to a lot of the problems that firefly saw - rewritten pilot, shown out of order, other problems. The creator of the show is/was a usenet regular, and pretty much documented the whole story as it occured. Basically, TNT wanted more sex and violence, and a lot of creative control over the story. The creative staff didn’t budge much. The network then showed the episodes out of order, and preempted some (I think) and cancelled halfway through the airing of the first batch of episodes… ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-shows-that-were-cancelled-because-the-networks-didnt-like-the-show/330746/49 "2005-11-15T19:27:11Z")
> [@zoogirl](#): > > I believe Edward Woodward had a heart attack - perhaps several. At any rate, I think he simply wasn’t up to the physicality of the role. He had a heart attack like after the 2nd season (there were four seasons total IIRC.) And then they introduced his on again off again “side kick” Mickey who was also ex-CIA. This character took up much of the slack for an entire season while Woodward recovered. But I’m pretty sure after that 3rd season Woodward was good to go and in great shape and spirits for season 4, and then the series was cancelled abruptly after the season 4 ending. What’s telling is there’s truly no conclusion at all at the end of season 4. If Woodward had decided to throw in the towel then the producers of the show would’ve worked in some sort of concluding episode, at least IMO. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-shows-that-were-cancelled-because-the-networks-didnt-like-the-show/330746/50 "2005-11-15T21:21:24Z")
No cite, but I remember hearing that **The Critic** got decent ratings on Fox, but got cancelled after one season because the new head of programming (not the executive who picked up the show after ABC dropped it) simply didn’t like the show. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-shows-that-were-cancelled-because-the-networks-didnt-like-the-show/330746/51 "2005-11-15T21:47:39Z")
> [@](#): > > A more recent but similar case would be “Jane Quinn, Medicine Woman.” A minor nitpick, but the show was called “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”, and I believe her first name was Michelle. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-shows-that-were-cancelled-because-the-networks-didnt-like-the-show/330746/52 "2005-11-15T22:01:43Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > A minor nitpick, but the show was called “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”, and I believe her first name was Michelle. Michella, or however that’s spelled. Dr. Mike to the uncouth. Uh. My mom loved that show. Yeah, that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2005, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-shows-that-were-cancelled-because-the-networks-didnt-like-the-show/330746/53 "2005-11-15T22:19:32Z")
Most recently the WB’s **Seventh Heaven** has been canceled after this season. It’s rating were actually very good but the production costs got too high because the cast was so big. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-shows-that-were-cancelled-because-the-networks-didnt-like-the-show/330746.md?page=2)