View Full Version : Shows that were "burned off" by their networks
Burned off (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_off) meaning whenever a network airs a the remaining episodes TV show that they no longer want as quickly as possible in order to meet contractional or legal obligations and agreements.
One of the more infamous examples was ABC (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ScrewedByTheNetwork/AmericanBroadcastingCorporationLiveActionShows) aired (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Drew_Carey_Show#Ratings) the final season of The Drew Carey Show during the summer. This can basically account to any show that's been placed in a "death slot" like Friday (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FridayNightDeathSlot)/Saturday nights or during the summer time. Or even worse, the network will place first run episodes in the middle of the night, as NBC did with the final four episodes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suddenly_Susan#Fourth_season_and_cancellation) of Suddenly Susan.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is probably the most recent notable example, as the final season only had 10 episodes. And NBC aired two episodes a night during the late summer/early fall (before the fall TV season formally began).
treky 11-28-2021, 03:15 AM YEARS ago (I think it was 1974) ABC aired a short-lived show called THE TEXAS WHEELERS; after it was cancelled they "burned off" the remaining episodes that summer.
They did the same thing a couple years later with another short-lived sitcom called GOOD HEAVENS
RetroGuy2000 11-28-2021, 04:33 AM The final four or five episodes of Happy Days were burned off over Summer 1984, months after the finale had aired.
I recall that some episodes of Suddenly Susan were burned off over the summer of its final year, with more episodes never airing.
AMackII 11-28-2021, 08:11 AM If I’m not mistaken, The Sixth Season of A Different World had 7 Unaired Episodes(4 were broadcasted by NBC during early-mid Summer 1993 with 3 more being broadcasted in Syndication) after the Two Part Series Finale was originally aired on May 8th, 1993
https://epguides.com/DifferentWorld/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_A_Different_World_episodes
Pavan 11-28-2021, 02:57 PM Perfect Strangers final few episodes aired in the summer of 1993.
Mace Dolex 11-28-2021, 05:47 PM I think Miami Vice after its finale aired a few eps ran during that Summer and a few more on the USA network.
Christopher 11-28-2021, 06:41 PM I recall that some episodes of Suddenly Susan were burned off over the summer of its final year, with more episodes never airing.
Veronica's Closet had the same treatment. NBC aired some of the episodes during the summer after pulling it in the middle of the season. It was USA that finally aired them all when it went into syndication.
Melrose Place was pulled during its sixth season because of low ratings. FOX burned the remaining episodes that following summer and announced it would be part of the show's last season. Samantha Who was also burned off. ABC doubled up the final episodes during the summer months to get rid of it quickly.
Both Family Matters and Step By Step were pulled in the middle of their final seasons and burned off their runs in the summer.
I think T.J. Hooker and the short-lived Glitter also had their last episodes run in late night.
Also, this happened to three of Ann Jillian(n)'s four sitcoms- It's A Living had episodes burned off in summer the first season, and then the second season, episodes were burned off on late spring after having been in the death spot against Dallas; Jennifer Slept Here had new episodes burned off in spring, and her eponymous last sitcom had episodes burned off in summer, with some episodes never airing. Only Hazel escaped having episodes burned off.
Dinosaurs final season was burned off . ABC burned off the half of the episode. And the other half was burned off in syndication the following fall.
RetroGuy2000 11-28-2021, 08:01 PM Both Family Matters and Step By Step were pulled in the middle of their final seasons and burned off their runs in the summer.
Thanks for the reminder of Step By Step, Christopher; I stopped watching Family Matters after Judy Winslow disappeared, and wouldn't have known when episodes were burned off, but I recall the SBS "burning".
Ironside was another show where the last few episodes were shown only in syndication.
I think Miami Vice after its finale aired a few eps ran during that Summer and a few more on the USA network.
The last "lost episode" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQKdLIXmkyU), "Too Much, Too Late" (https://miamivice.fandom.com/wiki/Too_Much,_Too_Late) in particular, first aired on the USA Network in January 1990 instead of on NBC because NBC's standards and practices were uncomfortable with the episode's subject matter.
AntennaTV2020 03-23-2022, 08:24 PM The Hogan Family's ratings were so bad that CBS pulled it during December 1990 after airing it's 9th episode. The final 4 episodes were burned off in July 1991.
icecream 03-23-2022, 09:00 PM One of the more infamous examples was ABC (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ScrewedByTheNetwork/AmericanBroadcastingCorporationLiveActionShows) aired (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Drew_Carey_Show#Ratings) the final season of The Drew Carey Show during the summer.The Drew Carey Show was actually burned off two straight summers. Episodes 15-26 of season 8 in 2003, and the entire 9th season in 2004.
howilu 03-24-2022, 09:33 AM Rhoda was canceled midway through its fifth season due to a sharp ratings decline opposite NBC's hit police drama CHIPs.
RetroGuy2000 03-29-2022, 01:58 PM While looking up other info, I learned that the final episode of NBC's Here's Boomer (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0599926/?ref_=ttep_ep10) was burned off in July 1982, eight months after the series was placed on hiatus. It was the only episode to debut in 1982.
icecream 03-29-2022, 04:42 PM While looking up other info, I learned that the final episode of NBC's Here's Boomer (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0599926/?ref_=ttep_ep10) was burned off in July 1982, eight months after the series was placed on hiatus. It was the only episode to debut in 1982.I hadn't even heard of Here's Boomer. :lol:
RetroGuy2000 03-29-2022, 04:46 PM I hadn't even heard of Here's Boomer. :lol:
I think it must have been similar to Benji, which was hugely popular at the time.
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