History Main / NetworkRedheadedStepchild

*** Its SpiritualSuccessor on the network was ''Series/GirlMeetsWorld'' which, similarly gave more focus to adults. This is likely because it's a SequelSeries to ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'' and made an honest effort to appeal to that show's fans, even within the limitations of Creator/TheDisneyChannel.

* Creator/{{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, ''Series/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.

*** Its SpiritualSuccessor on the network was ''Series/GirlMeetsWorld'' which, similarly gave more focus to adults. This is likely because it's a SequelSeries to ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'' and made an honest effort to appeal to that show's fans, even within the limitations of TheDisneyChannel.

* Early in Creator/SpikeTV's life, they had a block of three cartoons on an otherwise live-action lineup: ''WesternAnimation/{{Stripperella}}'', ''[[WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow Ren and Stimpy: Adult Party Cartoon]]'', and ''WesternAnimation/GaryTheRat''. While all three were "adult" cartoons, they still stuck out like a sore thumb on a network that was already targeted to adult males.

* ''Wrestling/WWESmackDown'' was this on [[ChannelHop every channel it appeared on]] until its landing at USA Network, though it tends to bring in consistently superb ratings. Despite that, Creator/TheCW eventually dumped the show because of this trope.

* ''Series/The700Club'' is this for Creator/{{Freeform}} (and Fox[=/=]ABC Family before it), thanks to the network being contractually forbidden to get rid of it. It would be more at home on Creator/{{TBN}} and/or whatever local stations are willing to sell Pat Robertson a full-hour {{infomercial}} block.

* ''Wrestling/WWESmackDown'' has been this on [[ChannelHop every channel it's appeared on]], though it tends to bring in consistently superb ratings. Despite that, Creator/TheCW eventually dumped the show because of this trope.

* For TheCW, and to a lesser extent the WB:

** ''WesternAnimation/PawPatrol'' became this for Creator/NickJr when it premiered. While the other shows on the block focused on preparing kids for school, this show was a Canadian import from TV Ontario that focused on social morals. However, unlike most examples of this trope, it went on to be their biggest hit since ''WesternAnimation/DoraTheExplorer'' [[FollowTheLeader and caused them to create MANY other preschool shows that were similar in educational themes, and were extremely toyetic.]] Examples: ''WesternAnimation/ShimmerAndShine'', ''WesternAnimation/RustyRivets'', ''WesternAnimation/NellaThePrincessKnight'', ''WesternAnimation/SunnyDay'', and ''WesternAnimation/TopWing''. It has gotten to the point where the only educational show left on that channel that is still running is ''WesternAnimation/BlazeAndTheMonsterMachines''.

** ''WesternAnimation/PawPatrol'' became this for Creator/NickJr when it premiered. While the other shows on the block focused on preparing kids for school, this show was a Canadian import from TV Ontario that focused on social morals. However, unlike most examples of this trope, it went on to be their biggest hit since ''WesternAnimation/DoraTheExplorer'' and caused them to create preschool shows that were similar in educational themes.

* ChannelFive's [[AdoredByTheNetwork unquenchable thirst for procedurals]] increasingly means that almost any scripted import which can't fit into that category somehow (or which isn't [[Series/HomeAndAway an Australian]] [[Series/{{Neighbours}} soap opera]]) is living on borrowed time. Just ask British fans of ''Series/OnceUponATime'' (which the channel let go despite it doing well), ''Series/BreakingBad'', ''Series/EverybodyHatesChris'' or ''Series/ThirtyRock''.

** ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' is a supernatural/horror cartoon chock-full of NightmareFuel, and isn't really kid-friendly like the other shows on the Disney networks. Because of this, and the fact that the vast majority of its fans are teenagers or adults, Disney doesn't give it as much love or attention as their other shows, like ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb''.

* In its 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 its 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.

* ''[[Wrestling/WWESmackdown WWE [=SmackDown!=]]]'' has been this on [[ChannelHop every channel it's appeared on]], though it tends to bring in consistently superb ratings. Despite that, Creator/TheCW eventually dumped the show because of this trope.

** ''WesternAnimation/RobotAndMonster'' was given little advertising, was denied a second season, and the first season wasn't even fully aired. Nicktoons had to take it over and showed a couple of the remaining episodes, but they couldn't even do them all. If anything, the show is at least getting a full series DVD (with all the unaired episodes) released some time in 2014.

That one TV show on a network that doesn't really fit with the rest of the lineup. Maybe it's an action series on a channel full of romance, or a live action show on a cartoon channel. Whatever the case, the NetworkRedHeadedStepchild is the odd man out.

** Major sporting events on ABC have been a redheaded stepchild since the year 2006. In just a short matter of time, ABC gave up/lost the rights to their crown jewel, ''Monday Night Football'', the PGA Tour, the National Hockey League, and the Bowl Championship Series. To make matters worse, by September 2006, whatever sense of independent identity that ABC Sports had left was totally vanquished (really, the only reason that ABC Sports was kept around was because of union contracts) with the introduction of "ESPN on ABC" (Disney had slowly been integrating ESPN into ABC Sports since buying ABC back in 1996). As more and more big money events were crossing over to ESPN (since Disney can, with cable, exploit a dual revenue stream of ads and subscription fees), ABC's affiliates began to complain in by the end of 2009. In order to compensate these complaints, ABC and ESPN put together an ad hoc, cheaply made package on Saturday afternoons called ''ESPN Sports Saturday'' (instead of like say, bringing back the legendary ''WideWorldOfSports'' which had been canceled as a stand alone anthology series around early 1998.

** The CW had zero interest in renewing its deal for ''WWESmackDown'' once the UPN merger was done, despite garnering the network's highest ratings by a wide margin (nearly double that of the rest of the lineup). With the CW's focus at the time going squarely for mostly 16-24 year old girls and its lineup reflecting it, this meant that none of ''[=SmackDown=]'''s ratings were translating over to anything else on the network, which led to the then-CW president walking away from it.

** ''Series/LastManStanding'' could be considered one because it's a conservative leaning sitcom on the same network that brings us very liberal ones like ''Series/ModernFamily'', ''Series/BlackIsh'', and ''Series/TheRealONeals''.

[[folder: Other]]
* One can argue that ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' on Russian cable network 2x2 is this. While 2x2 is animation-centered, it is more skewed towards an older demographic (''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' and ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' are [[AdoredByTheNetwork getting constant marathons and reruns]], and Creator/AdultSwim shows are aired as well). Then again, it is the ''only'' network in Russia where anime has a considerable amount of airtime. Still, it clashes with the overall feel on the network.

** ''WesternAnimation/KaBlam''. Even during its airtime this anthology show was thrown around the schedule with little promotion or was put [[FridayNightDeathSlot in unfavorable timeslots]]. Once the show was cancelled, Nickelodeon acted as though it had never existed, neglecting to even mention or feature the show in a Thanksgiving promotion showcasing every Nicktoon, the ContinuityCavalcade-laden ''[[VideoGame/NicktoonsUnite Nicktoons: Attack Of The Toybots]]'', or even The90sAreAllThat before the block was rebranded as The Splat. This is all the more glaring as ''WesternAnimation/KaBlam'' is one of the network's biggest [[CultClassic Cult Classics]]. It took more than ten years before it ''[[ThrowTheDogABone finally]]'' was acknowledged and announced to be given airtime on ''The Splat'' for the [[MilestoneCelebration 25th anniversary]] of the Nicktoons brand.

* ''Series/LastManStanding'' could be considered one because it's a conservative leaning sitcom on the same network that brings us very liberal ones like ''Series/ModernFamily'', ''Series/BlackIsh'', and ''Series/TheRealONeals''.

* ''Series/The700Club'' is this for Creator/{{Freeform}} (and Fox[=/=]ABC Family before it), thanks to the network being contractually forbidden to get rid of it. It would be more at home on Creator/{{TBN}} and/or whatever local stations are willing to sell Pat Robetson a full-hour {{infomercial}} block.

* Belgian children channel ''[[UsefulNotes/FlemishTVStations Ketnet]]'' used to have a lot of programming for adults as left-over from their past as the general entertainment network BRTN TV2 (such as Series/MarritedWithChildren and WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill ). For [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids the obvious reasons]] they stuck out like a sore thumb. Eventually the people behind the network used up a few of the national budget to create the network ''OP12'' as a separate entity in 2011. It however had so low ratings that the thing was dropped entirely from the network.

** ''WesternAnimation/KaBlam''. Even during its airtime this anthology show was thrown around the schedule with little promotion or was put [[FridayNightDeathSlot in unfavorable timeslots]]. Once the show was cancelled, Nickelodeon acted as though it had never existed, neglecting to even mention or feature the show in a Thanksgiving promotion showcasing every Nicktoon, the ContinuityCavalcade-laden ''[[VideoGame/NicktoonsUnite Nicktoons Unite: Attack Of The Toybots]]'', or even The90sAreAllThat before the block was rebranded as The Splat. This is all the more glaring as ''WesternAnimation/KaBlam'' is one of the network's biggest [[CultClassic Cult Classics]].

* The NHRA (the National Hot Rod Association), the sanctioning body for drag racing in the United States, is supposed to see their events air on [[{{Creator/ESPN}} ESPN2]] every weekend. That's not really the case though; whenever there's a delayed event on the main channel and something else like a baseball or basketball game is scheduled, the NHRA is shoved off and viewers have to cross their fingers that ESPN moves it over to [=ESPNEWS=] to air in full, the delayed event is only a few minutes on [=ESPN2=], or that the later replay isn't pre-empted itself.
* ''Series/The700Club'' is this for Creator/ABCFamily (and Fox Family before it), thanks to the network being contractually forbidden to get rid of it. It would be more at home on Creator/{{TBN}} and/or whatever local stations are willing to sell Pat Robetson a full-hour {{infomercial}} block.