I know that The Jokers Wild(1990 version) went to USA Network pretty soon after it was canceled in 1991, and that Lifetime picked up China Beach when it was canceled by ABC in 1991. Can that happen these days?

A current one is when CMT picked up "Nashville" in June 2016 after ABC canned it in May 2016.


"Friday Night Lights" ended on NBC in Feb. 2008 after 2 seasons and DirecTV picked it up for 3 more seasons starting in Oct. 2008.


"Southland" was dropped by NBC after its first season in May 2009 and TNT picked it up for 4 more seasons starting in March 2010.

Cougar Town (2009-2015) spent 3 years on ABC and then moved to TBS for 3 more seasons.

The Game was on CW for 3 seasons (2006-2009) then was picked up by BET for 6 more (2011-2015)

The long-running reality show "America's Next Top Model" was dropped by The CW (it was originally on UPN) in Oct. 2015.

VH1 picked it up in Feb. 2016, though host Tyra Banks was replaced by Rita Ora.

super girl was canncled it after first seaon then cw picked it up for the second seaon!!

super girl was canncled it after first seaon then cw picked it up for the second seaon!!

That's network-to-network, not network-to-cable.

The Paris Hilton-Nicole Ritchie reality show "The Simple Life" aired on Fox for 3 seasons ending in Oct. 2005.

E! picked it up in Nov. 2015 where it ran for 2 more seasons.

Another recent example:

Unforgettable (2011-2016) - 3 seasons on CBS, 1 season on A&E.

I think it depends on the arrangements these shows have with the original network.

There could be a clause in the contract that says if the show is cancelled, then broadcast rights revert to the producers. Or, the networks that pick up the shows could have made arrangements with the network to take over the broadcasting.

It's cool that these canceled shows got a second chance.

I can think of others that didn't.

My guess(i could be wrong) is that USA bought the rights to rerun The Joker's Wild(the 1990 version) from Orbis Communications when TJW was canceled. They likely did the same thing with Hollywood Squares too. Lifetime likely bought the rights to rerun China Beach from Warner Bros. Television Distribution. CBS Eye On People bought the rights to On Scene: Emergency Response from Group W Productions. My guess is the cable channel buys from the distributor, rather than the production company.

The long-running "COPS" (1989-2013 on Fox) was picked up by Spike not long after Fox dropped it.


"America's Most Wanted" had a short run on Lifetime (Dec. 2011 - Oct. 2013) after Fox ended it in June 2011.

"Betty White's Off Their Rockers" moved to Lifetime for its 3rd Season after 2 on NBC.

Lifetime only aired reruns of China Beach, not new episodes.

But yes, it can happen, and occasionally still does happen.

I know it does happen more than once. Futurama later went to cable after being dormant for a few years, so...why not?

Lifetime only aired reruns of China Beach, not new episodes.

But yes, it can happen, and occasionally still does happen.

USA Network only aired reruns of The Joker's Wild too. same thing with American Gladiators.

Sliders ran 3 seasons on Fox, then 2 more on the Scifi Channel.

One example of this from many years ago is the show "The Days & Nights of Molly Dodd" that was cancelled by NBC in 1988 and aired another four seasons on Lifetime until 1991.

I remember that AG was airing in reruns on USA Network, while still in production. That was amazing about that was i was watching the first season episodes on USA on weekdays, but would see the current day shows on weekends in syndication.

I thought that a show had to last 5 years in order to have reruns?

Would The Kidsongs TV Show count too, as it aired on Disney Channel (in reruns) after being syndicated for a year? I can think of 2 more shows, the 1980s Sale of The Century, with Jim Perry which aired on USA Network and High Rollers with Wink Martindale, it aired on USA too.

The same distributor for The Kidsongs TV Show also distributed The Joker's Wild with Pat Finn too.