# Once popular shows that sank into obscurity **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 19, 2005, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768 "2005-11-19T04:07:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/1 "2005-11-19T04:07:34Z")
This thread is inspired by the fact that I just learned that “Malcolm in the Middle” is still on the air!.. Not just on the air… New episodes are being shown. This show was one of FOX’s flag ship shows and even has a few Emmys if memory serves. Sure we can talk about Arrested Development being cut down in its prime… but let’s talk about those shows that were big and and then just…faded… away… before mercifully getting the axe. Anyone else know that the Drew Carey Show once a popular network show was on for 9 seasons? I thought it ended about the time the actress who played Kate left the show. Apparently not. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/2 "2005-11-19T04:10:04Z")
Ally McBeal? I never watched the program but it seemed to be really popular for a while and then suddenly it just wasn’t on the air anymore. Marc ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/3 "2005-11-19T04:21:22Z")
Speaking of, the show Cybil had, I think, two successful seasons. Then Ally McBeal premiered against it and decimated the show. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/4 "2005-11-19T04:22:05Z")
The longest running medical drama on TV (at least, it held that title and I don’t think it’s been unseated yet): **Medical Center**. I don’t think anyone remembers it now – it doesn’t appear to be in syndication. There was also **Mister Ed**. A big deal in the beginning, but for most people, it vanished from the airwaves. That was because it was eventually shown late Sunday afternoon (around 4:00) for several seasons. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/5 "2005-11-19T04:24:48Z")
Twin Peaks started off as a phenomenon only to have its popularity decline severely in the second season. Moonlighting was hugely popular, then off-screen problems led to its disappearance. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/6 "2005-11-19T04:30:08Z")
Dinosaurs. Not the Moma! Whack dady with a pan. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/7 "2005-11-19T04:33:41Z")
_Murphy Brown_ went off the air around the same time as _Seinfeld_ did. And I remember thinking that _Seinfeld_ was getting all this attention and _Murphy Brown_ was just quietly cancelled. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/8 "2005-11-19T04:49:13Z")
Grace Under Fire. [http://www.tv.com/grace-under-fire/show/299/summary.html?q=grace+under+fire](http://www.tv.com/grace-under-fire/show/299/summary.html?q=grace+under+fire) ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/9 "2005-11-19T05:45:19Z")
I’ve told this story before, but it fits the thread perfectly so I’ll tell it again. A few years ago when my mom was still alive she used to really enjoy **The Weakest Link**. As we probably all remember, this show was white – I mean _white_ – hot at its peak. As it began to cool it was moved around the schedule, causing my mom to chase it down. This was annoying enough to her, but when it seemed to disappear entirely it really disappointed her. My mom was not too technology savvy so I told her not to fret; I would do a quickie search on the web to discover where the schedulers had moved it this week. I was confident it was still on the air, just hiding out in a new time slot where it would entertain the greatest part of that uncountable army of fans that surely still loved the show. After all, this show was white – I mean _white_ – hot only a few months earlier. Well, sure enough, TWL was still on the air – running once a week on Tuesdays at like 2:30 a.m.! I could not believe how far the mighty had fallen. I mean, this show had been white – I mean _white_ – hot in its prime! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/10 "2005-11-19T06:14:55Z")
I was going to mention Drew Carey, but the OP beat me to it. I remember around the time it finally ended (with more hype than it had seen for the previous three seasons) thinking, “That’s still on?” ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/11 "2005-11-19T07:07:28Z")
**Just Shoot Me** ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/12 "2005-11-19T07:25:05Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > _Murphy Brown_ went off the air around the same time as _Seinfeld_ did. And I remember thinking that _Seinfeld_ was getting all this attention and _Murphy Brown_ was just quietly cancelled. Holy $\*%#! I had no idea Murphy Brown was on as late as 1998. It seems like it belongs to a whole different era of television than Seinfeld, which also ended in '98. (Maybe all the Al Gore jokes just date it too much…) And while Seinfeld is still playing like 3 or 4 times a day on Fox and TBS combined (and still feels fresh), Murphy Brown has graduated to the Indian graveyard of sitcoms, Nick at Nite… “Wings” was on for a lot longer than I would ever have expected. I remember seeing it listed on NBCs Tuesday (?) lineup and being comforted somehow by the fact that it was still around. (Why comforted? I dunno; I guess I had fond memories of watching it when it first started…) Of course, Wings was never white – and I mean _white_ – hot in its non-existant prime. But it was always a pretty solid little show anyways. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/13 "2005-11-19T07:49:24Z")
I was surprised when someone started an **ER** thread the other day. That show’s still on? Huh. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/14 "2005-11-19T08:32:10Z")
Okay, quick trivia quiz. There are nine series, currently being broadcast, that premiered before the year 2000. (For purposes of this quiz, I’m only talking about regular American primetime fictional series; not shows like 60 Minutes, Monday Night Footall, or America’s Most Wanted.) Can you name all nine surviving 20th century series without looking them up? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/15 "2005-11-19T08:35:17Z")
Answer Charmed (1998), ER (1994), The King of Queens (1998), Law & Order (1990), 7th Heaven (1996), The Simpsons (1989), That '70s Show (1998), The West Wing (1999), and Will & Grace (1998) ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/16 "2005-11-19T09:10:49Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > Answer > > Charmed (1998), ER (1994), The King of Queens (1998), Law & Order (1990), 7th Heaven (1996), The Simpsons (1989), That '70s Show (1998), The West Wing (1999), and Will & Grace (1998) I had to look these up to confirm, but I thought of two more: Law & Order: SVU (1999) and Family Guy (1999). Granted, the latter had a cancelation break up the run. But technically it survived into the 21st Century, died, was revived and is still running today. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/17 "2005-11-19T09:15:37Z")
:eek: The King of Queens is still on? The rest of them I can see for various reasons, but…did it just hit some secret magic chord of mediocracy? ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/18 "2005-11-19T10:42:51Z")
> [@betenoir](#): > > :eek: > > The King of Queens > > is still on? The rest of them I can see for various reasons, but…did it just hit some secret magic chord of mediocracy? I love The King of Queens. make that I’m in love with leah remini ---
**Author:** ![PinkShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/76d3ee/32.png) [@PinkShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkShoes)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/19 "2005-11-19T12:00:35Z")
7th Heaven is getting cancelled after this season. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2005, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768/20 "2005-11-19T15:06:24Z")
Except 7th Heaven never faded away. It remains one of the WBs most popular shows. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-popular-shows-that-sank-into-obscurity/331768.md?page=2)