10 TV Shows That Were Unexpectedly Resurrected
Ratings? Who needs 'em...
The life or death of a television show is a decision often made by its number of viewers. Of course, this isn't always an exact science. Sometimes it's worth keeping a show around because it's the best thing a network's got, or because it's worth syndication. Generally, however, continuous low ratings lead to cancellation, and that's that.
Yet sometimes, despite all odds, dead shows are unexpectedly resurrected. Thanks to the internet, fans can be much more vocal about how much they love a show - you've only to look at the likes of Veronica Mars, which had its film completely crowd-funded by fans on Kickstarter, or Firefly, which also received a film due to vocal fan petitioning.
Streaming services are also beginning to capitalise on the benefits of niche audiences, reviving shows in an attempt to bag new users. Not only that, but these revivals generate a huge amount of positive press, often making them a worthwhile investment.
Regardless of the circumstance, the resurrection of a TV is always something of a miracle - and here are 10 such miracles in action.
10. Community
When it comes to TV shows that constantly rode the line between existence and extinction, look no further than Community, NBC's quirky comedy that developed a devoted fan base during its time on air. The show centres on a group of diverse students who attend Greendale Community College, documenting their relationships and day to day struggles (and epic paintball games).
Though the show was showered with critical acclaim and developed a passionate following, its numbers were never great, and each season was viewed as something of a miracle. For season four, show runner Dan Harmon was unceremoniously fired an in attempt to broaden its appeal, only to be rehired for the fifth go around. Sadly, after that, NBC decided enough was enough and axed it.
At this point it looked like the show was over for good. Season five had been written in such a way that it basically could have ended permanently, and the fact that the entire cast's contracts were soon to expire meant the chances of renegotiation were slim to none. This sense of hopelessness was only boosted by the fact that cast members like Alison Brie were beginning to gain Hollywood traction, leading many to speculate that several key cast members probably wanted to move on.
But fans were wrong. Amazingly, the show was resurrected by Yahoo!, who finalised a deal mere days before the actor's contracts expired. Community was moved to the exclusive streaming service Yahoo Screen, where it managed to play out its final sixth season.