Times in which a network seemed to intentionally sabatage their shows

[TMC]

Take for example, Fox and The Critic:

http://listverse.com/2014/09/25/10-m...-own-creators/

The Sabotage:
This cartoon from Simpsons show-runners Al Jean and Mike Reiss ran on ABC for one season before being picked up by Fox in 1995. It had done poorly on ABC (running against the Winter Olympics) but it seemed to have fresh promise on its new network. There was just one problem: The president of Fox hated it.

When he and his colleagues previewed two episodes, he allegedly asked those there why they were laughing. When they replied that the show was funny, he yelled, “NO IT’S NOT!”

The president moved the The Critic‘s time slot to make it harder for viewers to know when to tune in. The network didn’t advertise it. Mike Reiss called this a perfect example of a network “actively killing [its] own show.”

Did They Succeed?
Yes. An initially successful and highly rated show on Fox quickly lost its audience and didn’t receive another season. Still, at least the show has a cult following decades later.

[Frenky]

Originally Posted by TMC

Take for example, Fox and The Critic:

The Critic aired after The Simpsons, with 10-15 million viewers each week just like The Simpsons, maybe FOX expected better numbers, you can't blame them for that.

It was ABC's mistake to air new show against Olypmics (same with moving Twin Peaks to Thursday 9pm) but these type of articles are pure PR spin.

[king of comedy]

I loved The Critic. It spoofs celebrities better than Family Guy and was never mean spirited.

[treky]

WKRP IN CINCINATTI-during the 3rd and 4th seasons CBS kept moving it all over, then cancelled it because of low ratings. Well, of course it got low ratings; no one could find it 90% of the time!!!
And back then the only ways to find out when a show was on was to either look in the newspaper or by the network promos.