https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOUYwQNelEo

Way to anger the fans! For this list, we’ll be looking at the most notable television programs that were axed for reasons that were either bad, silly or just plain ridiculous. Our countdown includes shows "Futurama", "Longmire", "Clone High" and more! Which of these cancellations angered you the most?

20. Futurama (1999-) - Canceled because of bad scheduling: According to creator Matt Groening, Fox didn’t care for the show. Instead of Fox putting the show in the more favorable Sunday night slot next to The Simpsons, the network threw it on Tuesday night. Futurama was moved back to Sunday’s, but at a different time. The show suffered low ratings, and Fox stopped ordering episodes. Futurama was revived by other networks.

19. Underground (2016-17) - Canceled due to budgetary concerns & subject matter: WGN America was in the process of being purchased by the Sinclair broadcast group. Sinclair broadcast group demanded the company cut costs, so they decided to end Underground after two seasons. Some speculate that the show’s subject matter about the Underground Railroad in Antebellum, Georgia didn’t sit well with the conservative Sinclair broadcast group.

18. Robin Hood (2006-09) - Canceled because the lead actor moved on: After the third season, lead actor Jonas Armstrong (Robin Hood) decided to leave the show. The network considered killing off the main character and moving on, but it wouldn’t have made sense to do so. The network decided to axe the show before its fourth season.

17. The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008-09) - Canceled because Disney acquired Marvel: The show was supposed to air for five seasons and the show runners planned to create movies that would connect each installment. Unfortunately when Disney purchased Marvel, it took away Sony’s rights to continue distributing the show.

16. Longmire (2012-17) - Canceled because of its older audience: Despite the show’s high ratings, A&E decided to cancel the show after three seasons because the main watchers was those over 50 because that age group isn’t attractive to advertisers and less appealing to networks. Netflix picked up the show for three more seasons.

15. Police Squad! (1982) - The Naked Gun movie franchise was based on the very short lived series. Canceled because audiences didn’t get the humor: The show was canceled after six episodes because the network felt the comedy required viewers to pay close attention in order to get the joke.

14. Happy Endings (2011-13) - Canceled because it wasn’t “on brand”: ABC decided after three seasons, the show was too narrow and didn’t fit their brand.

13. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-14; 2020) - Canceled because it was getting “too graphic”: After acquiring Lucasfilm, Disney didn’t want to produce a hit show for a competitor network. But Daniel Logan who voiced “Boba Fett” felt that Disney ended the show because it was getting too graphic. Disney + aired the final season in 2020.

12. Veronica Mars (2004-07; 2019) - Canceled to make way for cheap Reality TV: Despite positive reviews and high ratings, the CW put the show on hiatus so they can air their new reality show Pussycat Dolls: The Search for the Next Doll. When Veronica Mars returned two months later, the ratings sank, leading to its cancellation.

11. Angel (1999-2004) - Canceled because Joss Wheaton asked for an early renewal: Angel was a highly successful spinoff of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Head writer David Fury explained a confident Joss Wheaton went to the head of the WB and demanded an early renewal so their crew wouldn’t worry about their future job prospects. Instead, the WB flaunted their power and canceled it.

10. Clone High (2002-03; 2023) - Canceled because of its depiction of Gandhi: Clone High returned in 2023, twenty years after its cancellation in 2003. All of the characters returned except Gandhi. Gandhi’s portrayal in the first season was so offensive to the people in India, 100 people went on a hunger strike in protest. The Indian parliament also protested. The protest was the cause of the show’s cancellation in 2003.

9. Profit (1996) - Canceled because its protagonist was an Anti Hero: Profit unfortunately was released a head of its time. Fox received complaints from its viewers who didn’t like the main character’s actions and personality. Also, people in the business industry despised its portrayal. Ratings plummeted and the show was cancelled after four episodes.

8. Deadwood (2004-06) - Canceled because David Milch didn’t want to do a half season: Following season three, creator David Milch was offered a fourth season consisting of six episodes. After Milch declined, he and HBO agreed on a deal to produce two movies to serve as a finale, but the movies were never made. Deadwood TV film set 10 years following the show’s third season finally airing on HBO in 2019.

7. Firefly (2002) - Canceled because the network aired the episodes out of order: Fox mistakenly aired the episodes in the wrong order, causing the viewers to bail. Example: the premiere episode “Serenity” was swapped with the second episode “The Train Job”. Meaning, the show opened without the necessary backstory and character development. Show was canceled after eleven episodes, leaving three unaired.

6. Family Guy (1999-2002; 2005-) - Canceled because of erratic scheduling: Fox canceled Family Guy in 2002 because of low ratings due to the network moving the show around. The show did well when it was aired between The Simpsons and X Files. Then Fox moved it opposite Fraiser. Then put it up against Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and then Friends and Survivor.

5. Freaks And Geeks (1999-2000) - Canceled because the network wanted it to be cooler & happier: The show helped launched the careers of Seth Rogan and James Franco. The show was praised for depicting teenage life. Many of its episodes was sad, awkward, and troubling. NBC’s vision of the show clashed with the writers and creators. NBC wanted the characters to be happier and cooler and wanted the storylines to be more uplifting. The writers stuck to their guns, leading NBC to cancel the show.

4. Reading Rainbow (1983-2006) - Canceled for not being educational: Reading Rainbow spanned 21 seasons, over 20 years and winning 26 Emmy Awards. When the No Child Left Behind Act came into effect in 2002, PBS put a lot of funding into teaching children the fundamentals of reading. Reading Rainbow was geared towards children who already knew how to read, the series was canceled to fund shows more in line with this modified sense of education programming.

3. Batman (1966-68) - Canceled because someone destroyed the sets: ABC canceled the show because ratings dropped by the end of the third season. NBC decided to revive Batman, but the sets that cost hundreds of thousands of 1960s dollars were destroyed and NBC didn’t want to pay for new sets, decided to end the deal and Batman was finished for good.

2. Young Justice (2010-13) - Canceled because it wasn’t selling enough toys: Cartoon Network canceled the show after two seasons. In 2013, the writer/producer of multiple DC Comics animated series revealed on a podcast that the show was canceled because “too many girls were watching” and “they don’t buy toys”. Young Justice creator later Greg Weissman confirmed that Mattel, who funded the show wasn’t selling enough tie in toys. The show was brought back for two more seasons in 2019.

1. Ellen (1994-98) - Canceled because Ellen DeGeneres came out as gay: In the fourth season, Ellen and her on screen namesake came out as a lesbian. While the show was picked up for another season, the episodes aired with a parental advisory warning due to Ellen being gay. Amid the backlash, controversy, and criticism for the show focusing on too much gay issues, ABC canceled the show.

Young Justice (2010-13) - Canceled because it wasn’t selling enough toys: Cartoon Network canceled the show after two seasons. In 2013, the writer/producer of multiple DC Comics animated series revealed on a podcast that the show was canceled because “too many girls were watching” and “they don’t buy toys”. Young Justice creator later Greg Weissman confirmed that Mattel, who funded the show wasn’t selling enough tie in toys. The show was brought back for two more seasons in 2019.
Mattel is most famous for selling Barbies, they think girls don't buy toys? :lol:

The only shows of this bunch I watched were Police Squad, Angel and Deadwood. I watched Batman but later in syndication.

Mattel is most famous for selling Barbies, they think girls don't buy toys? :lol:

Dolls, not action figures.

And back when YJ was airing, I implored people to buy the toys to help boost the show's toy sales, and maybe help save it. The fans basically told me "hell no", and that toys suck. :lol:

Just the Ten of Us (1988-1990)

ABC wanted the TGIF block of shows to all be produced by the same company. The company behind other big ABC hits at the time, was Miller-Boyett who produced all the TGIF shows. In addition, the network wanted a more adult show as a lead in for their 10pm Friday night news program 20/20 and felt Going Places would attract more adult viewers. ABC cancelled Just the Ten of Us in the Spring of 1990 after its third season and replaced it Going Places in the Fall 1990 which turned out to be a critical and ratings failure and was cancelled after only 19 episodes. After it's cancellation, USA Network picked up Just the Ten of Us for reruns where it performed well in the ratings and continued to air on the network until 1996. In the spring of 1991, the President of ABC admitted he made a huge mistake cancelling Just the Ten of Us.

10. Clone High (2002-03; 2023) - Canceled because of its depiction of Gandhi: Clone High returned in 2023, twenty years after its cancellation in 2003. All of the characters returned except Gandhi. Gandhi’s portrayal in the first season was so offensive to the people in India, 100 people went on a hunger strike in protest. The Indian parliament also protested. The protest was the cause of the show’s cancellation in 2003.
To be fair, this show didn't have high enough ratings to make the network bother anyway.
But it went on to become a cult classic.

Police Squad was a very funny show with just so many sight gags and wordplay that you had to play close attention to get the jokes. The ABC executive who gave his reason for canceling the show was right yet a ridiculous reason for cancellation.

Police Squad was a very funny show with just so many sight gags and wordplay that you had to play close attention to get the jokes. The ABC executive who gave his reason for canceling the show was right yet a ridiculous reason for cancellation.police squad is a classic and to me the naked gun movies do not hold a candle to it naked gun was much too dumbed down for the mass audience to suit me

Just the Ten of Us (1988-1990)

ABC wanted the TGIF block of shows to all be produced by the same company. The company behind other big ABC hits at the time, was Miller-Boyett who produced all the TGIF shows. In addition, the network wanted a more adult show as a lead in for their 10pm Friday night news program 20/20 and felt Going Places would attract more adult viewers. ABC cancelled Just the Ten of Us in the Spring of 1990 after its third season and replaced it Going Places in the Fall 1990 which turned out to be a critical and ratings failure and was cancelled after only 19 episodes. After it's cancellation, USA Network picked up Just the Ten of Us for reruns where it performed well in the ratings and continued to air on the network until 1996. In the spring of 1991, the President of ABC admitted he made a huge mistake cancelling Just the Ten of Us.

The girls alone made it the best show on TGIF.

I agree on Just the Ten of Us. Probably the most inexcusable cancellation in broadcast TV history if the network can't find a different timeslot for it or the production company can't move you to another network.