When Is A Series Cancelled?

[The Huntsman]

This may seem like a very stupid question, but I have always believed that when a series isn’t renewed for new episodes, it’s cancelled. However, a while back I was on Butch Hartman’s forum and he kept insisting that his shows wouldn’t be cancelled as long as re-runs were airing, and that a show was only cancelled once re-runs were completely pulled as well. I thought he was just being dillusional, wanting to refuse that his shows were cancelled, but that belief is more widespread than I thought. It seems many people believe that a series is only cancelled once re-runs are completely pulled as well. However, there are some shows from the 1950s that still have re-runs airing, and if anybody tries to tell me that they’re not cancelled yet, I’m just going to stare at them and pretend they never said anything.

So, can someone settle this once and for all? When is a series considered “cancelled”?

[Jeff Harris]

When is a series cancelled?

Well . . .

1) When the network says it's no longer airing on their channel and the show doesn't move to another outlet where new episodes would air

2) When production companies end production on shows and everybody involved in a show moves on to different outside projects that don't have to do with the show.

3) Rena Sofer is in the cast. The girl is poison.

[DarthGonzo]

When are shows cancelled?

When new episodes stop airing.

Period.

[Gokou Ruri]

I think what Butch meant was that there's always a chance the series can get new episodes if the reruns still play. Look at FOP, after almost 2 years of no new episodes and just reruns, we get another season. When the reruns stop, then people quickly forget about the show and its popularity drops.

[Aclaim]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think shows are cancelled when a show doesn't get good ratings.

[The Huntsman]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think shows are cancelled when a show doesn't get good ratings.
I understand that. With all due respect, I'm not an idiot. What I was asking about was the "no new episodes vs. no re-runs airing" definitions of cancelled. I personally believe its irrelevant whether or not re-runs are airing, as all that truly matters is whether or not the network is going to order new episodes.

[Mikintosh]

I assume it's usually when the production team is told to disband as there won't be anymore forthcoming episodes. How FOP stayed in stasis for that long is beyond me...

[Blackstar]

Well, I don't pretend to understand "the biz", but I was led to believe a show is canceled when a) it runs out of 1st run episodes, and b) the network that the series is running on doesn't order any more new episodes. Also, c) when said network stops airing the reruns of said show, that's usually a sure sign that it's done on that network.

[The Huntsman]

Well, it seems that I'm in the minority on this one. The Angry Beavers' non-existent episode, Bye Bye Beavers, pretty much summed up my thoughts. Networks cancel a show and merely use re-runs as a means to gain profit without further paying the individuals responsible for creating the show. In essence, re-runs can't really be used to determine the status of a series, as networks may decide to continue airing re-runs without any plans at all of re-newing the show. I have many favorite animated programs that are still airing in re-runs but have been cancelled ages ago.

I may be wrong, but in my honest opinion, I believe a show is cancelled once new episodes are no longer ordered. A show may be re-ran for ten years, but that doesn't change the fact that fans aren't going to have any more new episodes.

[The Weed Of Cri]

In the past, network often gave "cancellation notices" in their press releases, marking an official end to the show's production. The top producers were usually informed before the press release is sent out, and the news trickled down to everyone who worked on the show so that, by the time the word became "official", many people in the press already knew and reported it.

Practically nobody does that anymore. There are a number of reason for it, but it really just boils down to a lack of professionalism. Nowadays, very few shows are officially cancelled; the network just stops funding them and studio bosses just quietly re-allocate the show's resources (like sets and props) to other shows. There are instances of actors showing up for filming only to be told by the director that the episode wasn't funded and they are all out of work. That actually happened to the cast of "Barney Miller".

So a show can disappear off a network's schedule (a process made easier by the way the networks often play musical chairs with their timeslots), and it will "go on hiatus", and never be seen again, despite no official announcement of its cancellation.

[The Irishman]

In the past, network often gave "cancellation notices" in their press releases, marking an official end to the show's production. The top producers were usually informed before the press release is sent out, and the news trickled down to everyone who worked on the show so that, by the time the word became "official", many people in the press already knew and reported it.

Practically nobody does that anymore. There are a number of reason for it, but it really just boils down to a lack of professionalism. Nowadays, very few shows are officially cancelled; the network just stops funding them and studio bosses just quietly re-allocate the show's resources (like sets and props) to other shows. There are instances of actors showing up for filming only to be told by the director that the episode wasn't funded and they are all out of work. That actually happened to the cast of "Barney Miller".

So a show can disappear off a network's schedule (a process made easier by the way the networks often play musical chairs with their timeslots), and it will "go on hiatus", and never be seen again, despite no official announcement of its cancellation.

I believe this is what happened to Futurama, to name an example.

I have heard stories (on commentaries) that often, staff are just sitting around, waiting for the network to get back to them with a schedule and budget. I believe King of the Hill has suffered a bit of this and as a result has been renewed for a new season at the last minute more than once.

Other than that, if a show does not have new episodes in two consecutive seasons, then it is safe to say it has been cancelled (unless, of course, outside factors; i.e. writer's strike, occur).

[J. B. Warner]

I strongly suspect that the whole "a show isn't cancelled if the reruns are still airing" school of thought is perpetuated mostly by naive fanboys who refuse to accept the fact that their favorite show is dead.

[DrTooth]

I still wonder. What's the difference between a show just ending, and it being cancelled? Does it "end" when the stars of the show want to stop production of the show (similar to what happened to Seinfeld)? Or does that still count as cancelled? That always confused me.

[Temple Fugate]

I may be wrong, but in my honest opinion, I believe a show is cancelled once new episodes are no longer ordered. A show may be re-ran for ten years, but that doesn't change the fact that fans aren't going to have any more new episodes.That's the way I interpret canceled as well. For one example, news of Stargate SG-1 getting "canceled" midway through its tenth season came out. By then the show was considered by many to be "canceled," even though it still had several episodes to produce and air.


I still wonder. What's the difference between a show just ending, and it being cancelled? Does it "end" when the stars of the show want to stop production of the show (similar to what happened to Seinfeld)? Or does that still count as cancelled? That always confused me.This is something that really depends on the person. I once got into an argument with someone over a show ending its run. The producers wanted it to end when it did, they planned for it, they let the studio know they wanted to end it. I consider "canceling" to be an abrupt action by the studio funding the show. THe guy I was talking with considered "canceling" to be the broader definition of "whenever the decision is made to stop producing the show, be it by the producers of the show or by the studio funding it." I personally don't like "canceled" when talking about a predestined conclusion. The word carries a negative context, whereas "ended" just means the show was able to continue until its natural end point.

Another case: All of Lost's remaining episodes have been ordered already. The show will have two more seasons after this one, and the show will air its final episode in 2010. This means ABC will never order new episodes from this point on. Does that mean it's canceled, or does that mean Lost will simply "end?" Especially considering the producers and the studio colaberated on making this decision, I prefer to use "ended," not "canceled."

[shoujoaifan]

I still wonder. What's the difference between a show just ending, and it being cancelled? Does it "end" when the stars of the show want to stop production of the show (similar to what happened to Seinfeld)? Or does that still count as cancelled? That always confused me.They're both pretty much the same. If the creators want to end their show, they normally wrap up the story, air the finale, and then its cancelled, with or with-out reruns.

And if a show is cancelled, than its ends, the final episode being the ending, whether its a formal ending or not. Many a time does a show just get cancelled and whatever episode was last is the finale, like, I'm assuming, the last episode of "Samurai Jack", where he has to carry a baby with him during a fight.

(I was never the biggest fan of SJ, I'd watch it occassionaly, and I've gotten more used to bad endings over the years, so I like to think I could judge the episode on its own merit as a standalone episode, and I gotta say: The ending sucks. Not the whole episode as a series finale, but the ending to the episode itself sucks.)




As for FOP getting new episodes after 2 years, I don't know anything about its personal history, but there's been some cases where the animation studio works on something else, the channel wants new episodes, and since they're no real sets, and the characters are un-aging fictional creations, all you really have to do is regroup the VA's ( or get new ones if the old ones don't want/can't come back ) and make new episodes. Its relatively alot easier to restart an cartoon show than a live-action show.

Examples: * Rugrats
* Doug, assuming the later Christmas and Halloween specials were part of the orinigal package, and then Disney's Brand Spanking New Doug.
*Home Movies
*Family Guy
*Futurama
*Kim Possible

[Daxdiv]

I'm with Temple Fugate on this one. I always did consider cancelation, something the studio did, like the show not pulling in as many viewers as it wants, which can come from several different factors like poor timeslot, competing against another networks high rating shows, and much more.

For it to end, the creators did something that atleast gave the show closure, which a majority of shows, well the ones I watch, that get cancel, don't get an ending with closure, which is usually resolved in bad fan-fiction writing, which really doesn't give me the closure I desire. I understand that most show, if they know are in there final season, not getting a renewal, they do get closure, even if it rushed to meet deadlines.

I think that the only reason Mr. Hartman said that is because he works with Nick, and as previously stated with the whole "Angry Beavers" ordeal, and from what I heard that Nick doesn't want to admit "Zoey 101" is cancel, they're a fickled network.