TV Series That "Faded Away Into The Night"

[Schmoopie]

There are a couple of well-known shows that I can think of that didn't have much hype surrounding them when they were canceled. One is "The Drew Carey Show" and another is "Diagnosis Murder".

Maybe it's just me being dense:bonk: :doh: but the only reason I knew these two shows had been canceled is because I wasn't seeing them advertised on TV anymore. I have no idea when they were actually canceled, but usually with shows as popular as these you hear something.

Anyone else notice this with other shows? I'm talking long-running shows, not ones that were on for a few months and yanked off the air.

Andrea

[MusicJunkie]

I was eight at the time, but I don't remember any hype whatsoever for the last Facts Of Life episode. As a matter of fact, I expected it to come back for the 88-89 season and was sad when it didn't

[Jude The Obscure]

CBS did DM wrong........it was still getting good ratings, but alas, not in the demographic advertisers wanted (I hate how Madison Avenue dictates too much of what stays on the air). CBS did order two followup movies--but still did not give the show a proper sendoff. Maybe the writers should have blamed for that. The first post DM movie had Dr Sloan's daughter and new husband murdered--and it was a good range for Dick Van Dyke to express his dramatic side. The second one was just a generic two hour episode and I was mad that they didn't give Steve the chance to get married or Dr Sloan, something to make the series end on a bright note. I just didn't understand why they didn't continue the movies on Hallmark, instead of coming up with a very similar movie series called "Murder 101".

[JulieSomoski]

Yeah, ABC definitely gave The Drew Carey Show the short end of the stick. I believe in season 6, they renewed it for 3 more seasons, but by season 8 ratings fell off the charts completely. From my understanding, season 8 was only bringing in a little above 5 million viewers on average, which caused ABC to put it on hiatus.

But since they were committed to a ninth season, they had it filmed very cheaply (although Drew was still getting payed very highly), and aired that season the following summer. But, it just slowly faded into the background by that point.

[tv star collector]

CBS did DM wrong........it was still getting good ratings, but alas, not in the demographic advertisers wanted (I hate how Madison Avenue dictates too much of what stays on the air). CBS did order two followup movies--but still did not give the show a proper sendoff. Maybe the writers should have blamed for that. The first post DM movie had Dr Sloan's daughter and new husband murdered--and it was a good range for Dick Van Dyke to express his dramatic side. The second one was just a generic two hour episode and I was mad that they didn't give Steve the chance to get married or Dr Sloan, something to make the series end on a bright note. I just didn't understand why they didn't continue the movies on Hallmark, instead of coming up with a very similar movie series called "Murder 101".

Diagnosis Murder, Matlock and Burke's Law were all cancelled for
the same reason: because stars Dick Van Dyke, Andy Griffith and Gene Barry
were all "over-the-hill" and only appealed to us "old-timers," who are not the
right demographic for the sponsors' products. Sheesh! As if people over 50
aren't consumers, too!

[repeatshistory]

Yeah, ABC definitely gave The Drew Carey Show the short end of the stick. I believe in season 6, they renewed it for 3 more seasons, but by season 8 ratings fell off the charts completely. From my understanding, season 8 was only bringing in a little above 5 million viewers on average, which caused ABC to put it on hiatus.

But since they were committed to a ninth season, they had it filmed very cheaply (although Drew was still getting payed very highly), and aired that season the following summer. But, it just slowly faded into the background by that point.

They, in fact, aired the final episode of Drew Carey as a launch for their new fall season! They said 'the series finale of The Drew Carey Show', and showed it as a lead-in for their first night of the new fall season. Very strange.

[repeatshistory]

Diagnosis Murder, Matlock and Burke's Law were all cancelled for
the same reason: because stars Dick Van Dyke, Andy Griffith and Gene Barry
were all "over-the-hill" and only appealed to us "old-timers," who are not the
right demographic for the sponsors' products. Sheesh! As if people over 50
aren't consumers, too!

Unfortunately for us, we OLDER folks (ha!) don't spend AS MUCH or as FOOLISHLY as the 18-25 demographic.

[tv star collector]

Unfortunately for us, we OLDER folks (ha!) don't spend AS MUCH or as FOOLISHLY as the 18-25 demographic.

Well, I know that I don't spend as much anymore ... especially because
I'm unemployed and broke! :lol:

[JulieSomoski]

They, in fact, aired the final episode of Drew Carey as a launch for their new fall season! They said 'the series finale of The Drew Carey Show', and showed it as a lead-in for their first night of the new fall season. Very strange.

I actually remember that. The ninth season aired in the summer (and I believe got decent summer ratings, actually better than the season before), and the finale did air during the first week of the fall season in September. It didn't do too badly, too. I'm not sure if it hit 10 million, but it was very close to it, which I would call good considering what it had been through.

[DSfan]

I actually remember that. The ninth season aired in the summer (and I believe got decent summer ratings, actually better than the season before), and the finale did air during the first week of the fall season in September. It didn't do too badly, too. I'm not sure if it hit 10 million, but it was very close to it, which I would call good considering what it had been through.

Yeah, I remember seeing the ABC promos for Drew Carey's last season which aired in the summer. I was so surprised because I thought it had already been cancelled. Then I thought it would stay for a while but it was gone pretty soon after. I'm not a fan of the show so maybe this isn't the case for some of you others.

[Chocolate Moose]

does

not renewed = cancelled

????

[DSfan]

I'm pretty sure not renewed means cancelled, when you're talking about a current show.

For example, if you were to say ABC Family did not renew the contract rights to Full House it is not being cancelled (as it is an old show that is being rerun).

Not renewed means that the show is not coming back for new episodes (current show) or leaving the network (syndicated reruns of a show).

Hope that helps!

[Lee]

Rescue 911 and Picket Fences basically had no fanfare when they were
cancelled by CBS in 1996. Neither did Touched By An Angel when it was
cancelled by CBS in 2003. And of course the original Star Trek died
quietly in September 1969.

[factsoflife]

I was eight at the time, but I don't remember any hype whatsoever for the last Facts Of Life episode. As a matter of fact, I expected it to come back for the 88-89 season and was sad when it didn't

To my knowledge, The Facts Of Life finale was a pretty heavily hyped finale, it was known the entire season it would be it's last and it was very well publicized. If there was a lack of interest it was because the show had run it's course by the time that it ended.

[factsoflife]

CBS did DM wrong........it was still getting good ratings, but alas, not in the demographic advertisers wanted (I hate how Madison Avenue dictates too much of what stays on the air). CBS did order two followup movies--but still did not give the show a proper sendoff. Maybe the writers should have blamed for that. The first post DM movie had Dr Sloan's daughter and new husband murdered--and it was a good range for Dick Van Dyke to express his dramatic side. The second one was just a generic two hour episode and I was mad that they didn't give Steve the chance to get married or Dr Sloan, something to make the series end on a bright note. I just didn't understand why they didn't continue the movies on Hallmark, instead of coming up with a very similar movie series called "Murder 101".

I believe DM was one of those shows along with Touched By An Angel, Nash Bridges and a few others that got canned with Leslie Moonves took over CBS and decided it was time to revamp the network and try to make it more desireable for sponors because for years CBS had skewed so old in the ratings that sponsors didn't want to buy ad-time on the network. So in a move to make the schedule appeal to younger demos he canned a bunch of the shows that skewed too old and replaced them w/shows like "CSI", "Survivor" and others that attracted much younger audiences. It paid off too because now CBS is the #1 network on television, whereas for years between the late 80's and late 90's the network was typically second or third place.

[MusicJunkie]

To my knowledge, The Facts Of Life finale was a pretty heavily hyped finale, it was known the entire season it would be it's last and it was very well publicized. If there was a lack of interest it was because the show had run it's course by the time that it ended.
like I said, I was eight in the 1987-1988 season and I watched the show still then, but I didn't remember any buzz that it was the last season. At least not compared to Family Ties the next season, which was widely hyped as the final season from the season premiere in 1988. But like I said I was eight, so it's not like I was a lot older and attentive to ratings and knowledge about people who were leaving shows or whatever. But I remembered expecting the show to remain on the air in 88 with Blair as headmistress and Jo as a wife and Natalie living in Soho, etc... but the show still going on. If being eight doesn't excuse that thinking, then I don't know what will. :rolleyes: I didn't remember any buzz at all that it was ending the way that Family Ties did the next season.

[MusicJunkie]

^ I forgot to add that I do remember some hype for Magnum P.I. and St. Elsewhere, which also both ended in May 1988 like FOL did, yet couldn't remember anything for FOL, and that was my favorite show at the time

[Schmoopie]

Rescue 911 and Picket Fences basically had no fanfare when they were
cancelled by CBS in 1996. Neither did Touched By An Angel when it was
cancelled by CBS in 2003. And of course the original Star Trek died
quietly in September 1969.
I watched Picket Fences a few times and really liked it. Too bad it didn't stay on the air longer.

That's surprising about Star Trek, considering how popular it is now with the Trekies and everything.

Andrea

[factsoflife]

I watched Picket Fences a few times and really liked it. Too bad it didn't stay on the air longer.



I agree PF should have stayed on the air longer than four seasons, it was a brillant series.

[catlover79]

Bewitched just faded away after a lackluster 8th season. Elizabeth Montgomery hadn't even wanted to do an 8th season (or so I've heard) and wanted to move on to other things.

[Jude The Obscure]

Anyone remember "Call to Glory"? It started off with a bang and ABC quickly renewed it for a second season, then it seemed to drift off whereas even ABC forgot the show existed.....and it never came back after that second seaon.

[catlover79]

Anyone remember "Call to Glory"? It started off with a bang and ABC quickly renewed it for a second season, then it seemed to drift off whereas even ABC forgot the show existed.....and it never came back after that second seaon.
I don't even remember that one - when did it air?

[factsoflife]

what about the ABC sitcom called "The Geena Davis Show" i loved that show. Geena Davis and Peter Horton had great chemistry together and i thought the show as a whole was hilarious.

[Jude The Obscure]

I don't even remember that one - when did it air?


I think Call to Glory was 83-84.....Craig T. Nelson as an air force pilot, set right after the Kennedy assassination, IIRC. Cindy Pickett played his wife and David Hollander (the annoying white kid, Little Earl, from What's Happening's 3rd misbegotten season) played his son.

[catlover79]

I think Call to Glory was 83-84.....Craig T. Nelson as an air force pilot, set right after the Kennedy assassination, IIRC. Cindy Pickett played his wife and David Hollander (the annoying white kid, Little Earl, from What's Happening's 3rd misbegotten season) played his son.
Thanks Jude! :cool: If it HAD been a success - we wouldn't have had Coach, one of my favorites!!

[Goldilocks]

Rescue 911 and Picket Fences basically had no fanfare when they were
cancelled by CBS in 1996. Neither did Touched By An Angel when it was
cancelled by CBS in 2003. And of course the original Star Trek died
quietly in September 1969.

Touched by An Angel at least had a 2-night, 4 hour "series finale" but yeah, it didn't get the promotion it deserved before it aired in April 2003. And that show was on for 9 years! CBS moved it the "graveyard" of the Saturday night lineup and that killed the ratings. :mad:

I always liked the show Picket Fences, too. It was a bit quirky. :crazy:

[TMC]

Screwed by the Network - Television Tropes & Idioms (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ScrewedByTheNetwork/LiveActionTV)