Cancellation (television)
Encyclopedia
In television, cancellation (also known colloquially as axing) refers to the termination of a program
by a network
, typically (but not always) because of low viewership and/or unfavourable critical reviews. Another reason why television programs can be cancelled is to make room for new television programs. Shows whose runs end due to a mutual creative decision by its producers and cast (such as Seinfeld
or The Sopranos
) are not considered to be "cancelled" but rather "concluded" or "ended".
The Friday night death slot
is a perceived graveyard slot
in American
television, referring to the idea that a television program
in the United States
scheduled on Friday evenings is destined for imminent cancellation.
is supported by advertising
. Viewing figures are collected by audience measurement
ratings agencies (such as Nielsen
in the United States
), and the programs with the highest viewing figures command a higher advertising fee for the network. As such, shows with a low viewership are generally not as profit
able. In the United States, the number of viewers within the 18–49 age range is more important than the total number of viewers. According to Advertising Age, during the 2007–08 season, Grey's Anatomy
was able to charge $419,000 per television commercial, compared to only $248,000 for a commercial during CSI
, despite CSI having almost five million more viewers on average. Due to its strength in young demographics, Friends was able to charge almost three times as much for a commercial as Murder, She Wrote
, even though the two television series had similar total viewer numbers during the seasons they were on the air together.
Other factors are considered as well, such as the cost to produce the show. For example, a game show
costs less money to produce than a science fiction
program, so even if the game show has lesser ratings it may survive cancellation because of the higher profit margin
.
Very rarely are television programs cancelled for reasons other than ratings or profitability. Three notable cases are Turn-On
and Australia's Naughtiest Home Videos
, which were cancelled after viewer and station outrage, and Megan Wants a Millionaire, which was axed in August 2009 following the arrest warrant (and later, suicide) of one of the finalists.
moved from ABC
to CBS
in its ninth season of production.
In other cases, overwhelming fan response may lead to a show's revival. The original series of Star Trek
was given an additional season after a letter-writing campaign from fans. Another successful letter-writing campaign helped revive Cagney & Lacey
. In 2007
, Jericho
was given an additional seven-episode order after fans mailed thousands of tons of nuts
to network executives (a reference to a pivotal line in the season finale).
Strong DVD
sales and viewership on cable
have also helped revive a series. Firefly
and Police Squad!
were revived in the form of a theatrical film
s (an uncommon occurrence, since failed television series are usually not considered bankable movie material), Family Guy
was returned to Fox
, and Futurama
(the volume 5 DVD cover touts the tag line "back by popular harassment!") returned in the form of straight to video
films and a subsequent series of new television episodes for Comedy Central
.
In some situations, a television series may be revived years after being cancelled. Often this is in the form of a spin-off show featuring new characters (such as Star Trek: The Next Generation
which premiered eighteen years after the original series went off the air). Doctor Who
, which was cancelled by the BBC in 1989
, was brought back in 2005
as a continuation of the original run of shows. Both franchises also produced spin-off films in the periods they were cancelled.
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
by a network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
, typically (but not always) because of low viewership and/or unfavourable critical reviews. Another reason why television programs can be cancelled is to make room for new television programs. Shows whose runs end due to a mutual creative decision by its producers and cast (such as Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
or The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
) are not considered to be "cancelled" but rather "concluded" or "ended".
The Friday night death slot
Friday night death slot
The Friday night death slot is a perceived graveyard slot in American television, referring to the concept that a television program in the United States scheduled on Friday evenings is destined for imminent cancellation....
is a perceived graveyard slot
Graveyard slot
A graveyard slot is a time period in which a television audience is very small compared to other times of the day, and therefore broadcast programming is considered far less important. Graveyard slots are usually in the early morning hours of each day, when most people are asleep...
in American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television, referring to the idea that a television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
scheduled on Friday evenings is destined for imminent cancellation.
Overview
Commercial televisionCommercial Television
Commercial Television was the third free-to-air broadcast television station in Hong Kong. It first went on air in 1975, and ceased transmissions in 1978.-History:...
is supported by advertising
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
. Viewing figures are collected by audience measurement
Audience measurement
Audience measurement measures how many people are in an audience, usually in relation to radio listenership and television viewership, but also in relation to newspaper and magazine readership and, increasingly, web traffic on websites...
ratings agencies (such as Nielsen
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), and the programs with the highest viewing figures command a higher advertising fee for the network. As such, shows with a low viewership are generally not as profit
Profit (economics)
In economics, the term profit has two related but distinct meanings. Normal profit represents the total opportunity costs of a venture to an entrepreneur or investor, whilst economic profit In economics, the term profit has two related but distinct meanings. Normal profit represents the total...
able. In the United States, the number of viewers within the 18–49 age range is more important than the total number of viewers. According to Advertising Age, during the 2007–08 season, Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
was able to charge $419,000 per television commercial, compared to only $248,000 for a commercial during CSI
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
, despite CSI having almost five million more viewers on average. Due to its strength in young demographics, Friends was able to charge almost three times as much for a commercial as Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
, even though the two television series had similar total viewer numbers during the seasons they were on the air together.
Other factors are considered as well, such as the cost to produce the show. For example, a game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
costs less money to produce than a science fiction
Science fiction on television
Science fiction first appeared on a television program during the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary world not limited by the constraints of reality; this makes television an excellent medium...
program, so even if the game show has lesser ratings it may survive cancellation because of the higher profit margin
Profit margin
Profit margin, net margin, net profit margin or net profit ratio all refer to a measure of profitability. It is calculated by finding the net profit as a percentage of the revenue.Net profit Margin = x100...
.
Very rarely are television programs cancelled for reasons other than ratings or profitability. Three notable cases are Turn-On
Turn-On
Turn-On is an American sketch comedy series that aired on ABC in February 1969. Only one episode was shown and the show is considered one of the most infamous flops in TV history....
and Australia's Naughtiest Home Videos
Australia's Naughtiest Home Videos
Australia's Naughtiest Home Videos is a controversial Australian television comedy program which was broadcast on Nine Network on 4 September 1992. It was a one-off special spin-off of Australia's Funniest Home Video Show, depicting videos of sexual situations and other sexually explicit content...
, which were cancelled after viewer and station outrage, and Megan Wants a Millionaire, which was axed in August 2009 following the arrest warrant (and later, suicide) of one of the finalists.
Saved from cancellation
Occasionally, a show may be brought back into production after being previously cancelled. Sometimes, one network may decide to air a series previously cancelled by another network. For example, Family MattersFamily Matters (TV series)
Family Matters is an American sitcom about a middle-class African-American family living in Chicago, Illinois, which ran on national television for nine full seasons. The series was a spin-off of Perfect Strangers, but revolves around the Winslow family...
moved from ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
to CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
in its ninth season of production.
In other cases, overwhelming fan response may lead to a show's revival. The original series of Star Trek
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
was given an additional season after a letter-writing campaign from fans. Another successful letter-writing campaign helped revive Cagney & Lacey
Cagney & Lacey
Cagney & Lacey is an American television series that originally aired on the CBS television network for seven seasons from October 8, 1981 to May 16, 1988...
. In 2007
2007 in television
2007 in television may refer to:*2007 in American television*2007 in Australian television*2007 in British television*2007 in Canadian television*2007 in Japanese television...
, Jericho
Jericho (TV series)
Jericho is an American action/drama series that centers on the residents of the fictional town of Jericho, Kansas, in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on 23 major cities in the contiguous United States...
was given an additional seven-episode order after fans mailed thousands of tons of nuts
Nut (fruit)
A nut is a hard-shelled fruit of some plants having an indehiscent seed. While a wide variety of dried seeds and fruits are called nuts in English, only a certain number of them are considered by biologists to be true nuts...
to network executives (a reference to a pivotal line in the season finale).
Strong DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
sales and viewership on cable
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
have also helped revive a series. Firefly
Firefly (TV series)
Firefly is an American space western television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as executive producer, along with Tim Minear....
and Police Squad!
Police Squad!
Police Squad! is a television comedy series first broadcast in 1982, created by Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker and starring Leslie Nielsen. A spoof of police procedurals, the series was packed with ZAZ's usual sight gags, wordplay and non sequiturs...
were revived in the form of a theatrical film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s (an uncommon occurrence, since failed television series are usually not considered bankable movie material), Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
was returned to Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, and Futurama
Futurama
Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
(the volume 5 DVD cover touts the tag line "back by popular harassment!") returned in the form of straight to video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
films and a subsequent series of new television episodes for Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
.
In some situations, a television series may be revived years after being cancelled. Often this is in the form of a spin-off show featuring new characters (such as Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
which premiered eighteen years after the original series went off the air). Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, which was cancelled by the BBC in 1989
1989 in television
For the American TV schedule, see: 1989–90 United States network television schedule.The year 1989 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1989.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
, was brought back in 2005
2005 in television
The year 2005 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2005.For the American TV schedule, see: 2005–06 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:...
as a continuation of the original run of shows. Both franchises also produced spin-off films in the periods they were cancelled.
Cancellation in pop culture
- The Adult SwimAdult SwimAdult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
TV series Robot ChickenRobot ChickenRobot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show...
always ends each season with the head of said network saying that the show was canceled as a running gag, although the show never really stays canceled.
See also
- List of television series canceled before airing an episode
- List of television series canceled after one episode
- List of television series canceled after one season
External links
- Brilliant but Cancelled: Website dedicated to cancelled television programs