When Shows Switch Networks (but don’t always get your hopes up)

There is a known thing that can happen with TV networks from time to time. It isn’t often, but it is often enough of an occurrence that most people know about it and know that it happens. There are a lot of shows that have aired on more than one network. What can be said about it? And does that mean that any cancelled show could wind up on another network?

I have no idea offhand what was the first show that aired on one network and then moved to another one. Most of the time, this happens because it was cancelled by one network and then, for one reason or another, another network decides to pick it up for at least one other season. There are a lot of shows this has happened to that I don’t feel like mentioning them all. I will only use some as examples.

Of course, this can lead fans of one show thinking that it will survive if the show ends. This is not always the case. In fact, it is not often the case at all. Rarely does a show switch networks because of fans, even though it does happen from time to time. Often, fan campaigns to save shows aren’t successful. Other times, they only seem successful because that’s what happened, even if the fans had campaigns going on that helped others. An example of a show not actually saved by a fan campaign was Timeless.

One of the few campaigns to save a show I can think of that actually worked was Nashville. I was really annoyed that ABC had cancelled it because they chose to air a cliffhanger instead of an ending that would have wrapped everything up. But because of the fan campaign, CMT picked up the show where it lasted a good while longer until it ended for good.

Sometimes, a show moves networks for reasons other than cancellation. Supergirl moving from CBS to the CW was more about a mutual move to have it linked up better with the rest of Arrowverse that it then officially became part of. Other times, it is more of a downgrade of sorts or it just might seem like it would work better elsewhere on another network.

I don’t think that there is much else worth saying in this post. Sometimes shows switch networks, but it is often not something that happens. Cancelled shows aren’t always saved. I mean, they tried to save My Name is Earl and Suburgatory by getting them to switch networks, but neither of them happened. And they are not alone. Shows might switch network and will it happens, it is rarer than you think.