Worst network/cable TV program cancellations of all time

[Ultimajock]

Yet for all that the CBS trio did eliminate "Dinah's Place," "Concentration,"
and "Sale Of The Century" on NBC.

...somewhat ironic, since Dinah Shore's 90-minute syndicated series Dinah! premiered within four months of the demise of Dinah's Place; the later program was taped at CBS' Television City and aired on CBS' owned-and-operated stations...

[Maine-i-ac]

Some would argue "Star Trek" got pulled too early.

I think "Me and the Chimp" with Ted Bessel got the pull too early.

Seriously, Fox really blew it with "Firefly". Just go to Amazon and read the reviews. Browncoats forever.

[hipman2]

and IMHO, Gilligan's Island. Could have run two more years, then the cast get rescued and the series comes to an end. NBC ended up banking on the GI reunion movies to put a closure on the lost castaways.

[MsMusicRadio]

"Detroit 1-8-7". A lot like Memphis beat, but with much more of an edge. I  am a fan of Michael Imperioli whatever he is in.

[Bob1370]

Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was the champion of bad cancellations for CBS--but almost as lame was the decision by both ABC and NBC not to pick it up and ride the transition from the 60s to the 70s by pulling in the young demos for themselves, and building on that.

It's possible, though, that CBS showed it learned its lesson by deciding, in 1970 and 1971, to reverse course and bring some edgier new comedies to the schedule--meaning we got shows like All In The Family and Mary Tyler Moore. I'll trade Tom and Dick for Archie, Edith and co. any day of the week.

[MDefl]

Detriot 1-8-7  was a quality show.   There was also a show about a family of cops in Chicago that starred William Devane.  I really enjoyed it so naturally it only lasted a year.

[bpatrick]

CBS certainly showed more guts in scheduling "All In The Family" in
the wake of the Smothers' cancellation than ABC, which had had
first crack at it, did.  ABC could have put "AITF" on the air as early
as 1969 but chickened out after the one-night disaster known as
"Turn-On" and the negative reaction from the affiliates.  (I don't think
"Turn-On" would have lasted long anyway, not so much because of
content but because it simply wasn't funny, but Norman Lear, if left
to do things his way, would still have produced a masterpiece.)

And don't forget the other classic sitcoms on CBS from the era that
begat Archie and Mary: "M*A*S*H," "Maude," and Bob Newhart, to
name three.

[desertskies]

HBO and their timing in the cancellation of "Deadwood" before the storyline could be properly wrapped up.

and IMHO, Gilligan's Island. Could have run two more years, then the cast get rescued and the series comes to an end. NBC ended up banking on the GI reunion movies to put a closure on the lost castaways.

I understand the story is it was either G.I. or Gunsmoke to be cancelled. Since the President of CBS liked Gunsmoke, it was an easy call.

[therealjm12]

The Associates on ABC.  Great show starring a very young Martin Short -although he didn't really do much in it.  It was from the producers of Taxi.  I think if it had lasted a little longer it would have clicked.  Although it is hard to believe the premise of funny lawyers.  The writing was excellent at times.

[jwk1979]

Police Squad! (ABC; 1982)

Police Squad! with the late Leslie Nielsen would revived as three Naked Gun movies.

I believe the problem with Police Squad was it aired for a few weeks in the Spring 1981 and it was a case of the show being a little head of it's time. If it had first aired just a few years later, it may have be appreciated by ABC and the veiwing public more than it was when it first aired in 1981.