Top 10 Worst TV Network Decisions
Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show is one of the funniest, most original shows on TV today and now it looks like NBC might be giving him the boot. Taking away the Tonight Show from Conan O'Brien, and therefore the world, would be one of NBC's biggest mistakes ever...but as we all know, TV is FULL of dumbass moves. Here's a list of the biggest.
Note: items 5-7 have one thing in common.
Note: items 5-7 have one thing in common.
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A Hitler Sitcom
Yes, you read that right, there was a Hitler sitcom produced on British television back in 1990 called "Heil Honey, I'm Home." The plot? The regular household lives of a fictionalized Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun living next door to a Jewish couple, Arny and Rosa Goldenstein.
Comedy gold right? Apparently the time was just not right to watch Hitler engage in comic hijinks just yet because the show was canceled after airing just one episode.program_creator actor Years On Air producer network number_of_episodes spin_offs spun_off_from theme_song country_of_origin number_of_seasons genre Original Episode Length (min) userRating Galaxy 1 Situation comedy -1 -
2Canceling Star TrekNo, this isn't a nerd-love entry. It was actually a bad business decision.
Way back in 1966 NBC debuted a little show called Star Trek. When it was just in its second season, the network was already talking about canceling it. With an outpouring of support from fans, NBC decided to keep the show for a third season but felt that moving it to the "Friday Night Death Slot" would be best. In protest, the show's creator and visionary Gene Roddenberry left the show and was replaced. The quality of the show took a sudden plummet and Star Trek was subsequently canceled all-together. Never to be heard from again...
...Except for the fact that Roddenberry eventually helped spawn one of the largest movie franchises of all time along with one of the largest television franchises ever with four shows, "Next Generation," "Voyager," "Deep Space Nine," and "Enterprise" that were all produced by NBC's rival CBS.
Probably shouldn't have moved that time slot, huh?program_creator actor Years On Air producer network number_of_episodes spin_offs spun_off_from theme_song country_of_origin number_of_seasons genre Original Episode Length (min) userRating -1 -
Or just spinoffs in general.
This one was particularly offensive, though, given how actually good the original show was. Yes, even worse than Joey.
"MASH" was one of television's most popular and successful shows spanning eleven seasons. Its final episode is still the most watched episode of television in history, attracting an astronomical 125 million viewers ("Seinfeld" only attracted 76 million viewers). Spinoff? OF COURSE!
Naturally, CBS decided that, given the show's popularity, a spin-off show would be just as popular. Don't remember "After MASH" and the wacky adventures of Colonel Potter, Klinger and Father Mulcahy? Don't worry, neither does anyone else, because it was quietly swept under the rug after two seasons.program_creator actor Years On Air producer network number_of_episodes spin_offs spun_off_from theme_song country_of_origin number_of_seasons genre Original Episode Length (min) userRating Jamie Farr,Harry Morgan,William Christopher,Rosalind Chao 30 M*A*S*H United States Situation comedy 30 -1 -
4Canceling Family GuyFirst airing after the Superbowl, the first few episodes of Family Guy garnered so much fan buzz that the episodes were being quoted nation-wide within a matter of days.
This didn't stop Fox from canceling it right away because of its irreverent and inappropriate content and lack of viewership.
Today, Family Guy is a multi-million dollar franchise and dominates Fox's Sunday nights. With the Simpsons as now the only non-Seth MacFarlane (creator of Family Guy) owned property on Sunday primetime, Fox would have had to jump off a bridge if another network had gotten the (dirty) joke.program_creator actor Years On Air producer network number_of_episodes spin_offs spun_off_from theme_song country_of_origin number_of_seasons genre Original Episode Length (min) userRating -1 -
5The following is a transcript from a CBS executive meeting:
Executive #1: "Boy we're not doing so well with our programming, are we?"
Executive #2: "No we're certainly not. We need to do something quick."
Executive #1: "Hey, did you ever see those commercials with that talking baby? What was his name?"
Executive #2: "You mean Baby Bob?"
Executive #1: "Yeah, that's it! Boy, wouldn't it be great to have a show like that? I mean, it's a fucking baby that talks!"
And so it was that CBS decided to air a show that centered around a talking baby. It didn't last long.program_creator actor Years On Air producer network number_of_episodes spin_offs spun_off_from theme_song country_of_origin number_of_seasons genre Original Episode Length (min) userRating Ken Hudson Campbell United States -1 -
6Not to be outdone, the following is a transcript from an ABC executive meeting:
Executive #1: "Boy we're not doing so well with our programming, are we?"
Executive #2: "No we're certainly not. We need to do something quick."
Executive #1: "Hey, have you seen those Geico commercials with the weird looking men getting offended? What are they called?"
Executive #2: "You mean Cavemen?"
Executive #1: "Yeah, that's it! Boy wouldn't it be great to have a show with those guys? I mean they're fucking cavemen that can talk!"
And so it was that ABC decided to air a show that centered around talking cavemen. It didn't last long.program_creator actor Years On Air producer network number_of_episodes spin_offs spun_off_from theme_song country_of_origin number_of_seasons genre Original Episode Length (min) userRating Sam Huntington 2007 - 2007 American Broadcasting Company United States 1 Comedy,Fantasy 30 -1 -
Not to be outdone, the following is a transcript from an NBC executive meeting:
Executive #1: "Boy we're not doing so well with our programming, are we?"
Executive #2: "No, we're certainly not. We need to do something quick."
Executive #1: "Hey, remember how we used to have a popular show about a talking car?"
Executive #2: "You mean Knight Rider?"
Executive #1: "Yeah, that's it! Boy, wouldn't it be great to have a show like that again? I mean it was a fucking car that talks!"
And so it was that ALL THREE OF THE MAJOR NETWORKS made idiotic shows about shit that shouldn't talk but does. NBC did it last.program_creator actor Years On Air producer network number_of_episodes spin_offs spun_off_from theme_song country_of_origin number_of_seasons genre Original Episode Length (min) userRating NBC -1 -
8ABC Says No to CSI - CBS WinsAnthony Zuicker pitched CSI, currently one of the most regularly watched and loved shows on television, to ABC. Due to budgetary reasons, they weren't willing to take the chance, so they passed on it. CSI has made CBS networks over $5.8 billion and has made Anthony Zuicker, creator, so rich that he's even named his production company "Dare to Pass" Productions.
"If you pass on a project it may end up somewhere else. I'm daring them to pass."
- Anthony Zuickerprogram_creator actor Years On Air producer network number_of_episodes spin_offs spun_off_from theme_song country_of_origin number_of_seasons genre Original Episode Length (min) userRating -1 -
From a business perspective, this got them a lot of viewers. But for society? It was a horrible, horrible decision. We are this much closer to living The Running Man, people.
For the uninitiated, the show would strap contestants to a lie detector and ask them increasingly personal and life-destroying true and false questions in front of their friends and family. The show wasn't particularly spectacular except for one episode. It was an episode so controversial that they considered not showing it. They showed it.
A man is forced to ask his wife if she's slept with any other men while they've been married and if she's still in love with her ex-boyfriend...the answers were yes. The show broke up an entire marriage.program_creator actor Years On Air producer network number_of_episodes spin_offs spun_off_from theme_song country_of_origin number_of_seasons genre Original Episode Length (min) userRating Cilla Black 1998 - 2001 36 Game show 0 -
10Canceling Freaks and Geeks...and other shows like Firefly, Arrested Development, etc., that were not given enough of a chance. Every year a certain fan base will have a show cancelled that they ardently love, but no one else ever watched."Freaks and Geeks" was the best of them and could have been a classic television show for years. Instead, it was cancelled after just one season when the show was just hitting its stride.
The show's then little known producer went on to create another one-season television show called "Undeclared." After all these "failures" one would think Judd Apatow would just have given up. He didn't give up, though, and instead went on to become the current King of the World producing some of the last decade's biggest movie comedies.
Sure, it was a cult show, but it's becoming commonly known Apatow's first effort. Just think what could have happened if NBC had kept the show around, taken the chance on Apatow and gotten Apatow's power all to themselves.
Thanks again, NBC. Way to be the new Fox.
*NOTE* This list was made with the intention of NOT adding NBC's Killing of Conan's Tonight Show to the roster of shows that were not given enough of a chance. NBC, please don't destroy the biggest staple in late night television. Please show your support by posting "WE LOVE CONAN!" or "I'M WITH COCO!" below.
Also, here's a link to the I'M WITH COCO badge for your various profiles online: http://www.sirmikeofmitchell.com/imwithcocoprogram_creator actor Years On Air producer network number_of_episodes spin_offs spun_off_from theme_song country_of_origin number_of_seasons genre Original Episode Length (min) userRating -1
;)
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