Ive kind of wondered if a show can get cancelled by the network still if its picked up with a contract, for example Fraiser has been picked up for 2 more years, does that mean it will definitly stay on the air for 2 more years or can it still be cancelled with in that 2 time?
Thanks

Yes, the show can still get cancelled if the network makes a deal with the production company. For instance, a few years ago, ABC had a two year deal to renew "Lois and Clark" for a fourth and fifth season. But ratings really slid during the fourth season, and ABC wanted to cancel it. So they made a deal with Warner Bros. to do some guaranteed pilots with them, in exchange for letting ABC out of the second year of the "Lois and Clark" deal. Same thing happened with a potential seventh season of "Party of Five", only Columbia-TriStar and Fox were the respective studio and network.

In 1967, Gilligan's Island was renewed for a fourth season, but the head of CBS canceled it in favor of Gunsmoke, which was canceled. From the E! True Hollywood Story.

But if you think about it, Gunsmoke was cancelled eight years later.Not like the show was cancelled in '68 or sumthin.
Kinda reminds me of ABC in 1985. The couldn't decided on what to renew: "Three's a Crowd" or "Diff'rent Strokes". The chose "Strokes" which was cancelled in 1986 because it had TERRIBLE ratings.

Originally posted by TV Guy
Yes, the show can still get cancelled if the network makes a deal with the production company. For instance, a few years ago, ABC had a two year deal to renew "Lois and Clark" for a fourth and fifth season. But ratings really slid during the fourth season, and ABC wanted to cancel it. So they made a deal with Warner Bros. to do some guaranteed pilots with them, in exchange for letting ABC out of the second year of the "Lois and Clark" deal. Same thing happened with a potential seventh season of "Party of Five", only Columbia-TriStar and Fox were the respective studio and network.

If that's the case, then ABC should look into ways of cancelling The Drew Carrey Show. The ratings have slipped significantly in the past year and now have buried it next season on Monday's at 8 o'clock. Yet, ABC signed the show for an additional 3 seasons.

I think this past season (2001-02) was the first year of "Drew Carey"'s three-year pickup. And if it does as poorly as I think it will next year on Mondays, it wouldn't surprise me if ABC tries to get out of their deal at the end of next season. As things stand now, ABC has so many problems on their schedule that it's just as easy to keep it around.