Failure To Launch
We aren't talking about filmed pilots that never got picked up. That stuff happens all the time. No, for this list, we're looking at shows that got picked up and were announced with plans to be broadcast until....well, until those plans changed.
Law & Order: For The Defense (2021)
NBC gave Law & Order: For the Defense a straight-to-series order in May of 2021—with announcements made that the series would premier that fall. However, just a couple months later, it was announced that both NBC and creator Dick Wolfe had agreed to cancel the series—and instead they would revive the OG Law & Order series.
The IT Crowd (American Version) (2008)
An American version of the hit British series, starring Jessica St Clair and Joel McHale, was all set to air in 2008, until.....it wasn't. The pilot is out there and can be found on various video-sharing sites.
The Jake Effect (2002)
NBC produced seven episodes of this Jason Bateman sitcom before changing their minds and never airing a single one. However, four years later in 2006, Bravo—as part of its "Brilliant But Canceled" block—aired the first six episodes.
Manchester Prep (1999)
Fox announced this series as a prequel to the 1999 film Cruel Intentions but later backed away from it (possibly due to the controversial subject matter). The pilot was later reworked into what would become the Cruel Intentions 2 movie.
Columbia, Cruel Intentions 2: Manchester Prep (2002)
The Mayor (2004)
It's hard to imagine a network saying no to Adam Sandler, but in 2004, The WB ordered six episodes of this Sandler-produced sitcom—only to cancel it all when they weren't pleased with the creative direction the series took.
Everett Collection, Shutterstock
Next Caller (2013)
Remember Dane Cook? Well, he, Collette Wolfe, and Jeffrey Tambor were set to play battling radio hosts in this NBC sitcom. But after filming four episodes, NBC shut it down and never aired what they had.
Lizzie McGuire Reboot (2020)
You might remember all the hype around the announcement that Lizzie McGuire was going to get a reboot on Disney+. Well, they filmed a couple episodes and a clip was released as part of a Disney+ sizzle reel in 2020. But then the show's creator left and not long after that, Hilary Duff let everyone know the reboot was now a no go.
Disney+, Lizzie Mcguire (2020)
The Activist (2021)
This was a reality show set to have six activists competing against each other in the fields of health, education, and the environment. The hosts for the show were Usher, Priyanka Chopra, and Julianne Hough, who—along with social media engagement—would decide who the most successful contestants would be to make it to the finals at the G20 summit. This method of judging was controversial and led to CBS reformatting the series into a documentary special (that has yet to air).
Angels '88/'89 (1988 & 1989)
During the Writers Guild of America strike in 1988, producer Aaron Spelling proposed reviving Charlie's Angels for Fox, using scripts from the original series (avoiding the need for writers). Originally called Angels '88, it was changed to Angels '89 when production spilled into the following year. However, when the strike ended, so did the show's future.
All My Babies' Mamas (2013)
Rapper Shawty Lo (who passed away in 2016) was set to have his own reality show on the Oxygen network in 2013 called All My Babies' Mamas. It was so called because Lo had 11 children from 10 different women. Public criticism and petitioning got this one canceled before it went to air.
Bastards (2019)
Based on the Israeli series Nevelot, Bastards was set to star Richard Gere, and was given a straight-to-series order by AppleTV+. However, the show is a dark drama and the "show's tone of vigilante justice" made the streamer uncomfortable, so they pulled the plug on it.
Featureflash Photo Agency, Shutterstock
Heads Up! (2016)
Produced by Ellen DeGeneres, Heads Up! was a game show based on the popular phone app. They had produced 65 episodes for HLN before the network decided to shelve the show as they switched their entire channel's focus to news. The series eventually did air in Canada.
Telepictures, Heads Up! (2016)
Bill And Martha (1964)
CBS decided not to air this sitcom starring William Bendix and Martha Raye because of, what they said, was Bendix's shaky health. Well, Bendix was not happy about that, saying his health was fine and suing the network for millions. He passed away that December.
The Bureau of Industrial Service for CBS-TV, Wikimedia Commons
Coach (2015)
The original Coach was a hit in the 90s on ABC—and in 2015, NBC ordered a revival straight-to-series. But once production started, unknown problems led to the series being axed before any episodes hit the air.
Commando Nanny (2004)
Reality show super-producer Mark Burnett created a sitcom for the WB based on his life as an au pair (he was also in the British military). The series was set to premiere on September 17, 2004, but cast injuries and surgeries forced them to reshoot the pilot—after which the showrunner left and the WB put the show on the shelf.
Heavens To Betsy (1995)
Dolly Parton was the star of this CBS comedy that filmed six episodes before the series was axed.
Wirestock Creators, Shutterstock
The Cops (December 2017–Spring 2018)
An adult animated series created by Louis CK and Albert Brooks was set to be a part of an animation block of shows at TBS—until the #MeToo claims against CK came out (which he confirmed).
Day One (2010)
This sci-fi drama about residents of an apartment building who survive a worldwide catastrophe was ordered to series by NBC—before then being cut to a mini-series. From there, it was further decided to remake it into a TV movie, and eventually it was just scrapped completely.
The Dictator (1988)
Christopher Lloyd starred as a deposed dictator running a laundromat in New York City. The pilot was pretty well received and the series was all set to premier on March 15, 1988. Then the writer's strike happened and the show never ended up seeing the light of day.
Flip It Forward (2014)
HGTV had already greenlit this series starring the Benham Brothers when protests started coming in regarding the brothers' religious and anti-homosexual views. The series quickly went from green light to red light.
ManoftheOutdoors, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Friend Me (2013)
A multi-camera sitcom about Groupon was added to CBS's lineup—before being taken off the lineup following co-creator Alan Kirschenbaum taking his own life. The series was eventually canceled before airing an episode.
Hieroglyph (2015)
This historical action drama set in ancient Egypt got a straight-to-series order from Fox in 2013. In 2014, they released a trailer. Two months later, Fox canceled it.
Rewind (1998)
Scott Baio and Mystro Clark starred in this Fox sitcom about two ad execs in the present day as well as in flashbacks to their time in the 1970s. The show was hyped up by Fox and was even part of TV Guide's Fall Preview issue. But it was canceled without ever airing an episode.
Welcome To The Neighborhood (2005)
In the heyday of ugly reality TV, Welcome to the Neighborhood pitted seven diverse families against each other, competing to win a fancy house in an upscale subdivision of Austin, Texas. What's the problem? Well, in order to come out victorious, they had to compete in challenges to garner the approval of three conservative white families from the neighborhood. You can imagine the backlash to this one. It was canceled 10 days before it was set to premiere on ABC.
Tracy Keller, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Where's The Fire? (1974)
Scenes from the pilot episode of this sitcom about volunteer firemen were broadcast on ABC's 1974–75 season promo reel. But that's all anyone ever got to see of this one.
Jim.henderson, Wikimedia Commons
12 Miles Of Bad Road (2008)
HBO ordered 10 episodes of this series about a Texas woman with a huge real estate empire and a dysfunctional family. Six of the episodes were filmed prior to the writer's strike—but in March of 2008, HBO announced that they were no longer planning on airing the show. The producers shopped it around but no one else bit.
HBO, 12 Miles of Bad Road (2008)
Seriously, Dude, I'm Gay (2004)
Seriously, dude—without even knowing anything else—is anyone surprised they canceled this reality TV special?
Jim.henderson, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
Mr Dugan (1979)
CBS heavily promoted this sitcom about an up and coming Black congressman. However, after members of the Congressional Black Caucus were shown a special screening, they were not happy with how bumbling the character was portrayed. CBS pulled it from their schedule.
Star Trek: Phase II (1978)
Star Trek: Phase II was set to be a revival of the original Star Trek series and was going to air on a new Paramount Pictures television network. However, when the network never happened, so too did the series—although Phase II's first script did become Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
