History Main / NetworkRedheadedStepchild

* On MTV, ''TheRealWorld'' was pretty much the first reality show to air there. The years went by, more and more variety programs were aired, with less and less focus on... well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin music]]. Even the returning ''{{Beavis and Butt-Head}}'' didn't escape this treatment: instead of reviewing music videos, the duo now reviews things like ''JerseyShore'' episodes.

This can be beneficial or extremely dangerous. If the show is culturally successful, it might be more willing to be [[NetworkToTheRescue saved by the network]] even if ratings drop, just to make sure that one niche is filled. But if the show gets too successful, the entire channel might start [[FollowTheLeader making programming that is similar]], easily leading to NetworkDecay. If the show isn't successful at all, expect it to be ScrewedByTheNetwork. The polar opposite of AdoredByTheNetwork.

This can be beneficial or extremely dangerous. If the show is culturally successful, it might be more willing to be [[NetworkToTheRescue saved by the network]] even if ratings drop, just to make sure that one niche is filled. But if the show gets too successful, the entire channel might start [[FollowTheLeader making programming that is similar]], easily leading to NetworkDecay. If the show isn't successful at all, expect it to be ScrewedByTheNetwork.

** ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' for the entire Disney family of networks. They eventually admitted it ''never'' fit in. For example, look at the ABC Saturday morning lineup, where it was a superhero action show amongst tween sitcoms. This is why Disney ultimately sold it back to Saban. Of course, by the time they launched a network where it ''would'' fit in, DisneyXD, they were [[ScrewedByTheNetwork actively trying to kill it]] and so didn't include it there.

* In it's early years, UPN had ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', which, while undeniably the highest rated show on the network, failed to fit in with any other thing on its urban-oriented schedule. In its waning years, UPN had such schizophrenic schedule, that it seemed every night of the week had a red-headed step child compared to the other nights. First was Monday, with it's urban and minority-oriented comedies, then Tuesday with ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' cult horror-drama-comedy appeal, Wednesday with ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' a similar cult hit, but for a ''different'' cult, Thursday had ''WWESmackdown'', and Friday had a random selection of crappy movies. It was a strange thing to behold.

* {{CBC}}: In the late '90s, the majority of shows were either comedies, news programs or sitcoms (with the occasional drama). ''Series/DaVincisInquest'', about a morally grey coroner who has some questionable ethics (mixed with a large dose of RealLifeWritesThePlot), was the exception to this trend, and proved to be one of CBC's biggest hits. Of course, the moment the ratings started to fizzle, the show was unceremoniously yanked off the air.
* {{CTV}}: In the mid 90's, CTV developed and produced a sci-fi show that stood in stark contrast with their more down-to-earth programming. That show, ''RobocopTheSeries'', was a {{Bowdlerised}} adaptation of one of the most violent films of the 80's, and was quickly cancelled after a single season due to middling ratings.

* ''The 700 Club'' is this for ABCFamily (and Fox Family before it), thanks to the network being contractually forbidden to get rid of it.

* Creator/CartoonNetwork: A strong example of NetworkDecay, Cartoon Network is now regularly showing some live action shows in its lineup. But years ago, the rare live-action show would be a redheaded stepchild on Cartoon Network.

** And now we have ''MyBabysittersAVampire'', a [[FamilyUnfriendlyViolence surprisingly]] [[DarkerAndEdgier dark]] (at least compared to the other shows on the network) supernatural {{Dramedy}}.

** Any of the surprisingly enjoyable horror movies like "I'll be Waiting for You" and "Legend of Lucy Keyes" they aired could count.

* {{CTV}}: In the mid 90's, CTV developed and produced a sci-fi show that stood in stark contrast with their more down-to-earth programming. That show, ''{{Robocop}}: The Series'', was a {{Bowdlerised}} adaptation of one of the most violent films of the 80's, and was quickly cancelled after a single season due to middling ratings.

* CartoonNetwork: A strong example of NetworkDecay, Cartoon Network is now regularly showing some live action shows in its lineup. But years ago, the rare live-action show would be a redheaded stepchild on Cartoon Network.

** ''PowerRangers'' for the entire Disney family of networks. They recently admitted it ''never'' fit in. For example, look at the ABC Saturday morning lineup, where it was a superhero action show amongst tween sitcoms. This is why Disney ultimately sold it back to Saban.

** Of course, ''{{Firefly}}'' [[ScrewedByTheNetwork just goes]] [[TheFireflyEffect without saying]].
*** Ditto for ''{{Dollhouse}}''

* {{ABC}}: ''{{Lost}}'' was ABC's redheaded stepchild, a complex mystery/drama on a network that was increasingly making its name with {{sitcom}}s and romantic {{dramed|y}}ies like ''GreysAnatomy'', ''ModernFamily'', ''CougarTown'' and ''DesperateHousewives''. ABC made several somewhat pathetic attempts to capitalize on ''Lost'''s success by releasing no less than half-a-dozen copycat shows over the past five years, almost all of which aired in the timeslot after ''Lost''. Every single one was canceled before getting a second season.

* {{FOX}}: Continuing the mystery theme, ''{{Fringe}}'' is currently FOX's redheaded stepchild, as FOX primarily airs reality shows and cartoon comedies. ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]'' was also a redheaded stepchild in many ways.

* {{NBC}}: ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' was, like ''Lost'', a mystery drama on a channel filled with primarily comedies. Recently, ''{{Chuck}}'' has helped flesh out NBC's lineup as well.

* {{CBS}} generally makes at least one attempt a year to break out of the Police Procedural mode that has dominated its schedule since the rise of ''CSI''. The only one of this type of show that's even remotely succeeded is semi-serialized legal drama ''TheGoodWife'', and even then, its ratings lag far behind just about anything else that's lasted more than a year on their schedule. The fact that the network has kept it on the schedule for three seasons and counting is quite commendable, even if its scheduling (currently Sundays @ 9, against Sunday Night Football and the likes of ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' and ''GameOfThrones'') is less so.

** Strangely, there's a ''new'' NetworkRedHeadedStepchild on DisneyChannel, ''PhineasAndFerb''. Why? Because it's animated. That's right, an animated show is the odd one out on the ''Disney'' Channel.

* On HBO, ''TrueBlood'' is a show about vampires and the supernatural (among other things) on a network whose original programming tends toward showing gritty reality. Ditto for ''{{Carnivale}}'' when it was on.
** Now that ''Series/GameOfThrones'' is a hit, ''TrueBlood'' is looking less like an odd duck than it used to.

[[folder: Film]]
* ''{{Predator}}'' at 20th Century Fox. While its other big monster franchise ''{{Alien}}'' gets excellent treatment, ''Predator'' has basically been screwed ever since its sequel underperformed. While ''Alien 3'' flopped, it still got a fourth film five years later while another ''Predator'' movie took 14 years to get made (in the form of ''AlienVsPredator'', which was in development for over a decade). When both franchises got new installments, Fox went the budget route for ''{{Predators}}'' while the ''Alien'' prequel (''{{Prometheus}}'') got a budget estimated somewhere between three to five times the budget of ''Predators'' (and got a much bigger ad campaign, to boot). And plans for a ''Predators'' sequel were stalled despite the film making its budget back (in favor of developing more ''Alien'' sequels). Ironically when the two match up in the crossovers, Predator seems to have a much bigger advantage.
[[/folder]]

* {{CBS}} generally makes at least one attempt a year to break out of the Police Procedural mode that has dominated its schedule since the rise of ''CSI''. The only one of this type of show that's even remotely succeeded is semi-serialized legal drama ''TheGoodWife'', and even then, its ratings lag far behind just about anything else that's lasted more than a year on their schedule. The fact that the network has kept it on the schedule for three seasons and counting is quite commendable, even if its scheduling (currently Sundays @ 9, against Sunday Night Football and the likes ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' and ''GameOfThrones'') is less so.

* {{CBS}} generally makes at least one attempt a year to break out of the Police Procedural mode that has dominated its schedule since the rise of ''CSI''. The only one of this type of show that's even remotely succeeded is semi-serialized legal drama ''TheGoodWife'', and even then, its ratings lag far behind just about anything else that's lasted more than a year on their schedule. The fact that the network has kept it on the schedule for three seasons and counting is quite commendable, even if its scheduling (currently Sundays @ 9, against Sunday Night Football and the likes ''{{Series/TheWalkingDead}}'' and ''GameOfThrones'') is less so.

* {{FOX}}: Continuing the mystery theme, ''{{Fringe}}'' is currently FOX's redheaded stepchild, as FOX primarily airs reality shows and cartoon comedies. ''[[TwentyFour 24]]'' was also a redheaded stepchild in many ways.

** With ''HumanTarget'', ''[[TwentyFour 24]]'' is looking less like the odd one out. Could FOX be becoming more action/drama oriented?

* DisneyChannel: ''{{Lizzie McGuire}}'' was the first Disney show to involve a singer as the main character who could then be marketed everywhere. Now, it's impossible to find a Disney show (and increasingly, a {{Nickelodeon}} show) where this is not the case.

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* In it's early years, UPN had ''StarTrekVoyager'', which, while undeniably the highest rated show on the network, failed to fit in with any other thing on its urban-oriented schedule. In its waning years, UPN had such schizophrenic schedule, that it seemed every night of the week had a red-headed step child compared to the other nights. First was Monday, with it's urban and minority-oriented comedies, then Tuesday with ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' cult horror-drama-comedy appeal, Wednesday with ''StarTrekEnterprise'' a similar cult hit, but for a ''different'' cult, Thursday had ''WWESmackdown'', and Friday had a random selection of crappy movies. It was a strange thing to behold.

* ''{{Predator}}'' at 20th Century Fox. While its other big monster franchise ''{{Alien}}'' gets excellent treatment, ''Predator'' has basically been screwed ever since its sequel underperformed. While ''Alien 3'' flopped, it still got a fourth film five years later while another ''Predator'' movie took 14 years to get made (in the form of ''AlienVsPredator'', which was in development for over a decade). When both franchises got new installments, Fox went the budget route for ''{{Predators}}'' while the ''Alien'' prequel (''{{Prometheus''}} got a budget estimated somewhere between three to five times the budget of ''Predators'' (and got a much bigger ad campaign, to boot). Ironically when the two match up in the crossovers, Predator seems to have a much bigger advantage.