Every year, a number of television series end for good. Some reach a natural conclusion, wrapping up the storyline in a satisfactory manner, whilst others have the plug unceremoniously pulled on them without the opportunity to tie up loose ends.
Most cancellation decisions are made because of low ratings – the American television system is funded exclusively by advertising and if not enough people are considered to be watching a show and its associated commercials, it is considered unprofitable and unworthy of continued broadcast.
Sometimes, however, low ratings can be the fault of networks themselves, who may schedule a show poorly or fail to market it adequately. Their rashness to make room for new material, in cases, can therefore lead to excellent shows being removed from the air in their prime.
Thankfully, the public are often at hand to try and reverse such decisions. In the past, cult classics such as the original Star Trek and Quantum Leap were axed only to be later reinstated because of fan demand.
In the age of the internet, campaigns can be found online for almost every show on the brink of being cancelled, due primarily to the sheer number of people with a shared interest that the web can bring together. Many of these fail, but what follows is a list of six shows that were given swansongs or even a number of extra seasons as a result of dedicated fan action, meaning that there’s hope when NBC inevitably decides to pull the plug on Community.
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5 Comments
Great list. I was involved in the fan campaigns for all of these but Family Guy.
Firefly wasn’t renewed. It is widely agreed by fans that the film wasn’t up to the standards set by the series.
And now everyone’s too old to reprise their roles, so we’re screwed. :(
Fox sucks.
The title doesn’t say renewed, it says rescued – we got a film out of it.
Closure > ending abruptly.
Regarding Firefly, maybe they should revive the series without the original cast…kinda like Star Trek: The Next generation. As long as Whedon is involved to some degree, it’ll work.
…and please, FFS, keep it away from the idiots at FOX.