10 TV Shows That Were Unexpectedly Resurrected
3. Family Guy
Family Guy is proof that time slots are important. When it first premiered in 1999, directly after the thirty third Super Bowl, the show debuted to a massive twenty-two million viewers, and continued to do well when it was placed between The Simpsons and The X-Files.
It wasn't until it was pitted against NBC's Frasier in its second season that the show's ratings plummeted. That, coupled with the fact the show was generating a huge amount of controversy, led Fox to remove the show from its regular schedule, and eventually cancel it in May 2000 after only two seasons.
Not long after, however, Fox revived the show for a third season, only to once again toss it around randomly between time slots. Two years later, the show was again cancelled.
After its second cancellation, fans gave up hope on its return. Fox just didn't support the show, and its frequent controversy made it unappealing to advertisers. When reruns began airing on Adult Swim, most thought Family Guy was destined to remain an edgy, gone-too-soon animated gem.
Yet not only did its ratings sky-rocket, it also generated DVD sales of over two million in 2003 alone, forcing Fox to once again reconsider the show.