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Every television fan gets used to the pain of seeing their favorite series canceled,
and we've all seen shows die because of ratings, budget, or cast problems. Sometimes, though,
the plug gets pulled for reasons that were totally avoidable—and sometimes even downright
dumb.
HOLY SET DESTRUCTION BATMAN
The '60s Batman series starring Adam West isn't anyone's idea of hard-hitting superhero
entertainment, but it's a campy classic—and one that might've stayed on the air longer
than two years if the network hadn't gotten a destructive itch. Execs at ABC weren't willing
to continue funding Batman after its first two seasons, so they decided to sell the rights
to NBC. Meanwhile, NBC wanted to make sure Batman's existing sets and props were part
of the deal. Unfortunately, during a brief production hiatus between networks, an ABC
exec had the sets destroyed. The deal died, and the Caped Crusader hung up his cowl.
ROBIN HOOD KILLED ROBIN HOOD
Jonas Armstrong, star of BBC One's Robin Hood, decided to vacate the lead role after the
show's third season. But instead of recasting the part with a new actor, the producers opted
to simply kill off the character. Since they'd already killed off Robin's love Maid Marian,
that left the supporting cast to carry the show. Y'know, the one named after a guy who
was dead. Although Robin Hood's writing staff was willing to try a revamp, the network decided
there was no point in continuing.
YOUNG JUSTICE'S LOUSY TOY SALES
When Warner Bros. hit paydirt with Young Justice—which posted triple-digit ratings increases for
its time slot on Cartoon Network—it seemed safe to assume they'd want more than two seasons.
But the show was axed it after only 46 episodes, prompting outcry and widespread speculation.
Despite great ratings, the real reason it was canceled was frustrating to its fans.
Funding for the show came from a merchandising tie-in deal for Young Justice action figures
from Mattel. But when low sales killed the toy line, the show quickly followed suit.
It's unfair when a show that's supposed to be a 30-minute toy commercial is actually
pretty great...but the toys aren't.
KINGDOM HOSPITAL VS. CSI
Few places are scarier than hospitals, so when horror maestro Stephen King made a deal
with ABC to write and produce the haunted medical drama Kingdom Hospital, it seemed
like a perfect fit. Sadly, the show's sole season was kind of a mess—not on-screen,
where it offered a solid batch of episodes that earned two Emmy nominations, but behind
the scenes, where struggles between King and the network doomed it. Convinced ABC wasn't
promoting Kingdom Hospital enough, King paid for a print ad campaign—only to see his
efforts foiled when execs moved it to a different timeslot. King learned yet again that while
ghosts are scary, what's truly terrifying is dealing with network executives.
CAST INTO CANCELLATION HELL
After Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended in 2003, fans flocked to the show's spinoff, Angel,
which was entering its fifth season. After years on the renewal bubble, Angel enjoyed
a post-Buffy ratings bump. Series creator Joss Whedon approached WB Network president
Jordan Levin about an early pickup for season six. Although Whedon's move wasn't purely
a power play—he was looking for extra security for Angel's team, who'd endured years of passing
up gigs while waiting for last-minute renewals—the Levin saw it as an ultimatum. The president
pulled the plug, all for the sake of throwing his weight around. Although the network later
admitted it was a mistake, it was too late to revive Angel.
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