6 Dumbest Reasons TV Shows Got Cancelled

We all have a list of TV shows that we love to watch at any given time. We love it when our favorite series gets new seasons. But sometimes, we see the other side of the coin, which is when a show gets canceled due to revenue, ratings, or recognition issues. But there are a handful of shows that were axed for avoidable or even frivolous reasons. We’ve rounded up six of those TV series that never got their perfect ending:

6) A manager unhappy with the critic

The ABC programming led to a sharp decline in ratings, dividing viewers and leading to its first cancellation in 1994. Despite this decline in ratings, The Critic received a second season within a year, airing on Fox. This season performed well, retaining the series’ initial audience base.

According to an article by Cracked, the series’ co-creator Al Jean pointed out that the reason for the show’s second cancellation was political. According to Jean, the show was performing very well on Fox that year. Mike Reiss, the other co-creator, agreed with Jean and specifically blamed John Matoian, Fox’s president in 1995.

Apparently, Matoian hated The Critic. Reiss mentioned that during a general meeting, Matoian stated that he did not find the show funny at all, even though everyone else in the meeting seemed to enjoy it. Due to this dissatisfied chairman, the show did not continue after season 2.

5) Gandhi didn’t get justice in Clone High

The MTV cartoon Clone High aired in 2002. Created by Christopher Miller, Bill Lawrence, and Phil Lord, the show’s main characters were teenage cartoon versions of famous historical leaders. Gandhi’s character was portrayed as a party animal who did not live up to his status as one of history’s greatest figures.

Clone High was never broadcast in India; however, details about the character on MTV’s website sparked a mass hunger strike, including Gandhi’s real-life grandson, outside the MTV India office.

At the time, the creators of the series wanted to continue the series either without the character of Gandhi or with some changes in his interpretation. However, the production company rejected the idea and for 20 years the series did not return. It was not until 2023 that Clone High made its return. Seasons 2 and 3 aired on Max in 2023 and 2024, respectively, without the character of Gandhi.

4) HBO Max changes its mind about series like Gordita Chronicles

Airing in the summer of 2022 on HBO Max, this 1980s-themed sitcom was canceled just a month after its premiere. The series got off to a good start and received acclaim from audiences.

According to a statement from HBO Max, given to Today regarding the show’s cancellation, the streaming service has changed its strategy and decided that family sitcoms will no longer be part of its future programming.

The show’s creator, Brigitte Muñoz-Liebowitz, expressed her frustration in an interview with Rolling Stone, saying the decision seemed very unreasonable to her. “It didn’t matter that our show was loved, it didn’t matter that we had good ratings. It didn’t matter that we were writing about content that was important to underrepresented communities. None of that mattered.”

3) Donald Trump’s interference in OK KO!

The third season of Cartoon Network’s OK KO! Let’s Be Heroes has been axed early, despite the original plan. According to series creator Ian Jones-Quartey, the decision this time came not from the network, but from former US President Donald Trump.

The series was set to premiere on the streaming service formed by the merger of Warner Bros. and AT&T, now known as Max. However, Trump opposed Warner Bros. and his administration stymied the merger from moving forward, Jones-Quartey explained in an interview with Creative Talent Network.

Due to the merger delay, OK KO! had to end its run on Cartoon Network much earlier than expected, before the launch of HBO Max. This financial setback ultimately led to the series’ unfortunate cancellation.

2) Longmire was only liked by old people

Longmire was one of the most-watched series on cable television, garnering high ratings from viewers. The story follows the life of a Wyoming sheriff, played by Robert Taylor, in a contemporary setting, while addressing various social issues.

In 2014, A&E canceled the series after three seasons. The reason for the cancellation was that the show’s audience was primarily over 50. Television networks typically target the 18-49 age group because they are considered more likely to purchase products advertised during commercial breaks.

After age 50, people tend to develop buying habits and pay less attention to ads, which is essential for traditional TV revenue. Fortunately, streaming service Netflix picked up Longmire because its business model doesn’t rely on ads.

1) The Owl House didn’t scream Disney

Unlike the other shows on this list, The Owl House got a proper ending. However, instead of a full third season, audiences were only treated to three one-hour specials. Despite a large fan base and good ratings, why didn’t the show get its originally planned third season?

In a Reddit post, creator Dana Terrace explained, “Ultimately, there are a few businessmen who oversee what fits the Disney brand, and one day, one of those men decided that The Owl House didn’t fit that ‘brand.'” While the series is serialized, she also cited this as one of the reasons for its premature conclusion.

Interestingly, many of the shows on Disney+ are series and are not exclusively aimed at children. Terrace was initially hesitant to believe that the show’s gay portrayal could be a reason for its cancellation. However, she lost faith in her statement after learning that Disney had donated to politicians who supported the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

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