Shows that were cancelled...then came back - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

dawsongirl · 09-02-2004, 04:25 AM

Family Guy coming back to TV with new episodes made me wonder...besides that show, were there ever any shows that were cancelled, then maybe a couple years later, came back as essentially the same show (or at least with the same characters)?

Dr. Jazz · 09-02-2004, 08:26 AM

Mama's Family
Charles in Charge
Too Close for Comfort
non-sitcoms:
Fame
Hunter

PZelda · 09-02-2004, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Jazz
Mama's Family

You beat me to it.

Didn't "Designing Women" do the same? Um, hold on. I'm really not sure where I heard about it. I think it was used as a question on Hollywood Squares last season...and DW was the answer...

tvparadise · 09-02-2004, 10:31 AM

Baywatch.

Baywatch originally aired on NBC from 1989 - 1990. Although it did ok, the network cancelled it. The producers felt one of the main reasons that it failed on NBC was because the network was making them take the show in a wrong direction (murder mystery stories). A year later, they were able to bring the show back in syndication largely due to David Hasselhoff's fame over seas. Not all the cast returned due to pay cutbacks- but Hasselhoff, Billy Warlock, and Erika Eleniak did. After the first season in syndication Billy and Erika did not return because they were not happy with their new salaries (they were getting a lot more when it was on NBC). Their departures led to the addition of Nicole Eggert, David Charvet, Alexandra Paul, and Pamela Anderson. And the rest is history.

spunkygirl · 09-02-2004, 10:57 AM

JAG NBC cancelled it, CBS picked it up and the rest is history

Silk Stalkings, I think it was cancelled by CBS, then USA Network picked it up and it ran for six more years

Kitt · 09-02-2004, 12:08 PM

Diff'rent Strokes was cancelled by one network and then picked up by another, but they didn't miss a season. I really can't think of any that came back after two seasons or so.

TV Guy · 09-02-2004, 12:15 PM

"It's a Living" was out of production for three years before it was revived for first-run syndication.

It was not uncommon for shows in the 1980s to restart production after a season or two off the air and air new episodes in first-run syndication.

There are a lot of examples of shows that were cancelled by one network and then picked up by another, but those shows never went out of production. It's more rare for a show to be off for a few years and then return, especially on one of the networks. "Family Guy" and "Hunter" are the only instances I can think of. "Make Room for Daddy" comes close -- six years after it was cancelled, it returned with a new title ("Make Room for Granddaddy") but basically the same cast and format.

Kitt · 09-02-2004, 12:28 PM

Maybe Mayberry RFD taking over for The Andy Griffith Show falls into the category that this thread is about?

Dr. Jazz · 09-02-2004, 01:03 PM

Webster
Silver Spoons
Taxi switched networks, but can't remember if it was actually "cancelled"

Dean Winchester · 09-02-2004, 03:08 PM

wasn't Touched By An Angel cancelled by CBS at the end of the 1994-1995 season, and then they brought it back as a "filler series" the next season (since CBS was doing terribly at the moment) but then it clicked and ran on for 8 more years.

James"Thunder"Early · 09-02-2004, 03:32 PM

one is probably the worst and most embarrsing sitcom ever We Got it Made

barwars · 09-02-2004, 03:45 PM

The Dick Van Dyke Show was cancelled after the first season, but when it got Emmy-attenion, CBS rethought their decision and the rest is TV history.

jamesanthony · 09-02-2004, 03:56 PM

Not quite fitting into this question, but Cagney and Lacey was cancelled in the spring of 1983 then came back in early 84 and ran until 88. Homocide had 9 episodes in early 1993 then 4 more in mid1994. NBC wanted to see how they would do (I guess they only ordered 13). They must've been significantly impressed by the ratings of the 4 because it returned and ran for 5 more seasons starting in the fall of 1994.

jamesanthony · 09-02-2004, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by barwars
The Dick Van Dyke Show was cancelled after the first season, but when it got Emmy-attenion, CBS rethought their decision and the rest is TV history.

I read that somewhere (maybe on one of these boards?). Carl Reiner flew to NY to beg the sponsors to put it back on because it was ranked at #80 (that must have been near the very bottom back then). It didn't get major emmy attention until year 2 though when it came on after Beverly Hillbillies. In year one Reiner won a writing award and I think the director was nominated but none of the actors were nor was the series itself. Back then comedy and drama series actors competed with each other; if they didn't I guess this series would have won a lot more prizes though it won more than any other sitcom until the Mary Tyler Moore Show and All in the Family era.

spunkygirl · 09-02-2004, 04:06 PM

What about Sabrina the Teenage Witch? Wasn't it technically cancelled by ABC, then the WB picked up the show for the continuation of it's run.

09-02-2004, 04:25 AM	#1
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,140	Shows that were cancelled...then came back Family Guy coming back to TV with new episodes made me wonder...besides that show, were there ever any shows that were cancelled, then maybe a couple years later, came back as essentially the same show (or at least with the same characters)?

09-02-2004, 08:26 AM	#2
Dr. Jazz The Evil Empire. . . . Forum Star Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Posts: 11,156	Mama's Family Charles in Charge Too Close for Comfort non-sitcoms: Fame Hunter

09-02-2004, 10:31 AM	#4
tvparadise Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 18, 2003 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 299	Baywatch. Baywatch originally aired on NBC from 1989 - 1990. Although it did ok, the network cancelled it. The producers felt one of the main reasons that it failed on NBC was because the network was making them take the show in a wrong direction (murder mystery stories). A year later, they were able to bring the show back in syndication largely due to David Hasselhoff's fame over seas. Not all the cast returned due to pay cutbacks- but Hasselhoff, Billy Warlock, and Erika Eleniak did. After the first season in syndication Billy and Erika did not return because they were not happy with their new salaries (they were getting a lot more when it was on NBC). Their departures led to the addition of Nicole Eggert, David Charvet, Alexandra Paul, and Pamela Anderson. And the rest is history.

09-02-2004, 10:57 AM	#5
spunkygirl Member Moderator Forum Celebrity Join Date: Apr 26, 2003 Posts: 21,563	JAG NBC cancelled it, CBS picked it up and the rest is history Silk Stalkings, I think it was cancelled by CBS, then USA Network picked it up and it ran for six more years

09-02-2004, 12:08 PM	#6
Kitt James Dean Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 16, 2001 Location: California Dreamin' Posts: 6,115	Diff'rent Strokes was cancelled by one network and then picked up by another, but they didn't miss a season. I really can't think of any that came back after two seasons or so.

09-02-2004, 12:15 PM	#7
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,420	"It's a Living" was out of production for three years before it was revived for first-run syndication. It was not uncommon for shows in the 1980s to restart production after a season or two off the air and air new episodes in first-run syndication. There are a lot of examples of shows that were cancelled by one network and then picked up by another, but those shows never went out of production. It's more rare for a show to be off for a few years and then return, especially on one of the networks. "Family Guy" and "Hunter" are the only instances I can think of. "Make Room for Daddy" comes close -- six years after it was cancelled, it returned with a new title ("Make Room for Granddaddy") but basically the same cast and format.

09-02-2004, 12:28 PM	#8
Kitt James Dean Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 16, 2001 Location: California Dreamin' Posts: 6,115	Maybe Mayberry RFD taking over for The Andy Griffith Show falls into the category that this thread is about?

09-02-2004, 01:03 PM	#9
Dr. Jazz The Evil Empire. . . . Forum Star Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Posts: 11,156	Webster Silver Spoons Taxi switched networks, but can't remember if it was actually "cancelled"

09-02-2004, 03:08 PM	#10
Dean Winchester Member Forum Star Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	wasn't Touched By An Angel cancelled by CBS at the end of the 1994-1995 season, and then they brought it back as a "filler series" the next season (since CBS was doing terribly at the moment) but then it clicked and ran on for 8 more years.

09-02-2004, 03:32 PM	#11
James"Thunder"Early Whoever's In New England Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 23, 2004 Location: The Apollo Posts: 7,088	one is probably the worst and most embarrsing sitcom ever We Got it Made

09-02-2004, 03:45 PM	#12
barwars .. Forum Star Join Date: May 04, 2002 Posts: 13,273	The Dick Van Dyke Show was cancelled after the first season, but when it got Emmy-attenion, CBS rethought their decision and the rest is TV history.

09-02-2004, 03:56 PM	#13
jamesanthony Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 2,180	Not quite fitting into this question, but Cagney and Lacey was cancelled in the spring of 1983 then came back in early 84 and ran until 88. Homocide had 9 episodes in early 1993 then 4 more in mid1994. NBC wanted to see how they would do (I guess they only ordered 13). They must've been significantly impressed by the ratings of the 4 because it returned and ran for 5 more seasons starting in the fall of 1994.

09-02-2004, 04:06 PM	#15
spunkygirl Member Moderator Forum Celebrity Join Date: Apr 26, 2003 Posts: 21,563	What about Sabrina the Teenage Witch? Wasn't it technically cancelled by ABC, then the WB picked up the show for the continuation of it's run.