TV shows that plummeted in popularity due to being market corrected by another show

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Film critic Wesley Morris is credited with introducing the "market correction theory", which states that two seemingly similar actors cannot reach the same level of success. It can also explain the rise of certain performers and the quick disappearance or displacement of others.

Can this particular theory also apply to television series? For example, I read a comment that said that LA Law (which premiered on television in 1986) almost completely disappeared once Law & Order (which premiered four years later) showed up.

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Yes, Wesley Morris's "market correction theory"—originally coined in the context of actors, where two similar performers can't both occupy the same peak of stardom—translates remarkably well to television series. In TV, it manifests when two shows in a comparable genre, format, or cultural niche launch in close proximity, leading to direct competition for audience attention, ratings, and long-term legacy. The "correction" often results in one show dominating syndication, reboots, and cultural memory while the other fades into obscurity, even if it was initially a massive hit. This dynamic is exacerbated by network scheduling, evolving tastes, or one show simply executing the formula more enduringly.

The example you cited of L.A. Law (1986–1994) versus Law & Order (1990–2010, with revivals) is a textbook case. L.A. Law was a groundbreaking NBC legal drama that blended serialized office politics, soapy romance, and high-stakes cases, peaking at No. 5 in the Nielsens during its 1987–88 season with over 20 million viewers per episode. It won four Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series and influenced the genre deeply. However, when Law & Order debuted on NBC in 1990, its ripped-from-the-headlines procedural format—focusing on police investigations and trials with minimal character backstory—quickly captured the zeitgeist for "event TV" viewers seeking episodic justice. By the mid-1990s, L.A. Law's ratings had softened (dropping below 15 million by Season 7), and it ended in 1994 amid creative fatigue and shifting demographics. Law & Order, meanwhile, became a ratings juggernaut, spawning endless spinoffs and syndication marathons, effectively erasing L.A. Law from collective memory despite its innovations. As one observer put it, L.A. Law feels like a relic of '80s primetime soap excess, while Law & Order endures like The Simpsons in procedural form.

Here are several other compelling examples of TV market corrections, drawn from discussions across forums, reviews, and cultural retrospectives. I've focused on pairs where the timing and similarity created clear displacement, often verified by ratings trends or syndication outcomes.