Behind-the-scene issues and controversies are quite common in the entertainment industry, especially in TV series, where the production period is grueling and extensive. TV shows are also expected to hook the audience right from the get-go, compounding the challenges faced by the showrunners and the production team.
Moreover, it is common for network executives to dislike a show, even if its showrunners think that the show can be a huge hit in the industry. There are various examples of series that prove that a wide range of behind-the-scenes issues can either lead to their cancellation or bring them to the brink of cancellation. Let’s explore the top 11 behind-the-scene issues faced by some of the most popular TV shows that almost led to their cancellation.
Money Heist – Low Ratings
Low ratings are one of, if not the most, common reason behind show cancellation. Many series that later on developed a massive fan base were not safe from facing the axe due to unimpressive ratings in their initial episodes or seasons.
Money Heist is one such series that was on the verge of cancellation at the end of season one. The first season aired on the Spanish channel Antena 3 in 2017 with the name La Casa de Papel. The first few episodes impressed the viewers, but as the season went on, its ratings kept plummeting. By the end of the season, it was clear that the series had failed to grab enough eyeballs, despite the initial positive reviews, to warrant a quick season renewal. Fortunately, Netflix saw the potential in La Casa de Papel and released it on a global scale after retitling it as Money Heist. It quickly became one of the most-watched non-English series around the world, and ended with season five in 2021.
But the world of Money Heist is far from over, as several spin-offs are in active development. Berlin, a spin-off with Pedro Alonso reprising his role as Berlin from the Money Heist, will release in December 2023. It goes on to show that despite the initial fallings, a low-rated series can still turn into a success story.
Grey’s Anatomy – Executive Interference
The fact that Grey’s Anatomy has been on-air since 2005 (or 18 years!) makes it hard to believe that it almost never made it to air. Written and created by renowned producer Shonda Rhimes, Grey’s Anatomy is the longest-running prime-time scripted show. Season 19 recently concluded in May 2023, and season 20 will debut in the fall.
The cast and crew of this hit ABC show has often hinted at behind-the-scenes issues related to a challenging work environment and excessive interference from the executives. Recently, Ellen Pompeo, who plays Meredith Grey in the show, and Katherine Heigl, who played Izzie Stevens from season one to season six, reunited for Variety’s Actors on Actors. During the conversation, Pompeo confirmed the rumors of the show almost getting axed before even its premiere by saying:
“We’ll be very nice and not name the executive who almost took a nap on Shonda Rhimes. I’m not saying it, but he almost slept on Shonda Rhimes — almost didn’t air that pilot”.
She was possibly referring to the president of ABC Entertainment in 2005, Stephen McPherson, as it has been previously reported that he was against producing the show. Despite all the challenges and severe executive interference, Grey’s Anatomy became an instant hit soon after its debut and has become one of the most popular shows, both on ABC and Netflix.
Parks and Recreation – Declining Interest
Parks and Recreation is an American mockumentary sitcom series created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur. The show lasted seven seasons from 2009 to 2015 and gained a cult following during this period, due to which it still continues to resonate with the audience.
Yet, this hit NBC sitcom had a rocky start as season one was heavily criticized for being too familiar to The Office, another highly popular workplace comedy produced by Daniels and Schur. The show was on the verge of cancellation by the end of season one, but the producers made a conscious decision to revamp its tone and format and win over the critics. They were clearly successful in their venture, as season two and subsequent seasons received wide acclaim from the critics as well as the audience.
The series received numerous awards and nominations, including 14 Primetime Emmy Award nominations. The ratings of Parks and Recreation kept fluctuating throughout its run, but the fact that it ran for seven seasons and now has a massive fan following worldwide proves its success in the long run.
Star Trek: The Original Series – Budget Overruns
It is hard to believe that we could have been living in a world where the Star Trek franchise did not exist. But, it could have happened because Desilu Productions was about to pull the plug on Star Trek: The Original Series in February 1966 before its first episode even aired on NBC. The primary reason behind this potential cancellation was the massive budget required to produce the show. Season one had a budget of a whooping $190,000 per episode at that time in 1966.
The risk of cancellation continued with the future seasons, but a huge letter-writing campaign saved the show after its second season. The turning point came after season three when the show started to perform exceptionally in syndicated time slots, paving the way for a massive fan base by 1972. The original series concluded with season three, but the newfound popularity of the show led to various spin-off series and movies that most of us have grown to love over the years.
Community, created by Dan Harmon, is a cult-comedy series that faced two cancellations during its run of six seasons. Community struggled to get high ratings from its very start, but it received critical acclaim and got a cult following over the passage of time. The show was renewed for season four in 2012, along with the news that Harmon was fired from his showrunner position.
It was a massive blow to the show because its plot lines were inspired by the actual experiences of Harmon. At that time, the only reason given for Harmon’s termination was that he often behaved erratically with the cast and crew. In 2018, Harmon admitted that he had sexually harassed Megan Ganz, a former writer on Community, and apologized for his inappropriate behavior.
David Guarascio and Moses Port helmed the series in season four, but they received poor reviews from the critics and audience, leading to NBC almost canceling the show. Harmon was eventually rehired for season five, but NBC still decided to cancel the show. Fortunately, Yahoo! Screen chose to revive Community for its sixth and final season, which aired in 2015.
The Walking Dead – Cast Departures
Behind-the-scenes issues related to cast members are a common reason why many series have been canceled or brought to the verge of getting axed. The Walking Dead is one such popular show that ran for 11 seasons, but it was almost canceled due to its revolving door casting.
The show, as well as its spin-offs, are known for killing off the characters. But many of the deaths in the show have been because the actors wanted to leave the show. Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes), Chandler Riggs (Carl Grimes), and Danai Gurira (Michonne) are some of the many actors who left the show, leading to a severe backlash from the fans and a noticeable decline in ratings. If the show had been canceled due to such cast departures, it is unlikely that AMC would have been successful in building The Walking Dead Franchise today.
Lost – Creator’s Original Plan
Lost, created by Jeffrey Lieber, J. J. Abrams, and Damon Lindelof, is considered to be one of the greatest TV series of all time. As a result, it is hard to believe that there were conversations about Lost ending after season three instead of the marvelous run it had of six seasons (121 episodes!). Damon Lindelof, who was also the showrunner of Lost, planned to end the show after three seasons as he originally planned to resolve the mysteries (like who is the Monster and who will make it off the island) by the end of season one and then introduce more plots in the subsequent seasons.
However, the massive success of Lost played an integral role in bringing new life to ABC’s ratings, and the network asked the showrunners to keep going. Eventually, the series managed to keep the audience glued to their screens till season six, when finally, the network and showrunners decided it was time to conclude the series. Had it been canceled in season three, the audience would not have gotten the answers to myriad mysteries within the show.
Sons of Anarchy – Legal Challenges
Sons of Anarchy is an action crime series created by Kurt Sutter that aired on FX. The show gained immense popularity, especially among the FX audience, for having a unique storyline about an outlawed motorcycle club. The show had to go through serious legal and copyright challenges that almost led to its cancellation.
Chuck Zito, an actor and boxer, sued FX for $5 million in 2010, claiming that the network had stolen his idea for the show. Zito publicly claimed that he had pitched a similar show called Nomads to FX. It put the reputation of Sutter and FX at stake, but the case was dismissed in 2011 due to lack of evidence, and Sons of Anarchy went on to have a successful run of seven seasons. Interestingly, Sutter hired Zito as Frankie Diamonds in season five of the show.
House – Cast Health Issues
House is synonymous with its lead star, Hugh Laurie (Dr. Gregory House), because of his impeccable portrayal of a medical genius. Laurie received several Emmy nominations throughout the eight seasons of House, but it took a great toll on him. During the production of season seven, he opened up about fighting depression and took an unscheduled leave from House to be with his family.
In multiple interviews, Laurie has stated that he is grateful for the recognition that House gave him, but he has also admitted that the show drained him. Nevertheless, he did a great job of successfully completing the series with the eighth season.
The Big Bang Theory – Production Disruptions
Shows often have to face a variety of production challenges, internally and externally, especially in their first few seasons. The Big Bang Theory, created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, had to face similar challenges. Its first episode started airing in September 2007 on CBS, and only eight episodes had been aired when the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America Strike started in November.
Initially, the first few episodes of the show were not well-received by the audience and critics. CBS was forced to re-run the eight episodes during the writer’s strike, and it started to gain a wider fan base. Prady even said that the strikes played a vital role in saving the show. The Big Bang Theory ended its glorious run with twelve seasons, or 279 episodes, along with paving the way for a spin-off, Young Sheldon.
South Park – Controversial Plot Lines
South Park is an animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone that airs on Comedy Central. Over the course of its 26 seasons, South Park has received a lot of recognition (and hate from certain sections) for its portrayal of controversial matters related to politics, religion, gender, and much more. As a result, it has faced the danger of cancellation at many points. One such major controversy was in 2010 when the show satirized Prophet Muhammad.
Islam has strict rules against depicting the Prophet, so Comedy Central had to censor the episode after receiving threats from extremist groups. The show was facing the danger of getting cancelled because the creators also claimed that the network censored the episode without their approval. Ultimately, both parties resolved their differences, and the show is still going on, still creating controversies every now and then.
It is evident that many series, even some very popular ones, have faced a variety of behind-the-scene issues during their production that almost led to their cancellation. What matters is the fact that most of these shows managed to overcome these challenges and went on to conclude with satisfying finales.