10 TV Shows Too Big To Fail (That Did It Anyway)

by James Hunt

1. Battlestar Galactica (1978)

Battlestar Galactica 1978
ABC

Why It Was 'Too Big'

Coming hot on the heels of Star Wars, and with Star Trek still fondly remembered by TV audiences, Battlestar Galactica promised to break new ground in what sci-fi TV could achieve, aiming to do for the small screen what Star Wars had for cinema. It had a huge budget for its time, trailers more like those you'd get for movies, and its pilot was then the most expensive ever produced. Reports ahead of time suggested it'd be a surefire smash hit and the most watched series on TV, and its first episode was indeed a big ratings winner for ABC.

Why It Failed Anyway

With Battlestar Galactica an instant hit, CBS moved against it by programming two of its own hits in the same timeslot. And, despite its promise, the show couldn't compete with family sitcom All In The Family. ABC started to move it around the schedule, which resulted in further declining ratings, before it was cancelled to the outrage of fans. It was too expensive and, clearly, too ahead of its time, with the 2004 reboot becoming one of the most acclaimed sci-fi TV shows ever.

Which other TV shows were too big to fail, but did it anyway? Let us know down in the comments.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.