History Main / NetworkRedheadedStepchild

** The earliest original live action series (albeit with [[RogerRabbitEffect plenty of Flash animation]]) was the infamous ''Series/OutOfJimmysHead'', which aired alongside the ''Fried Dynamite'' block. They were later followed by the infamous ''CN Real'', a whole block of live-action programs.

*** A few years later, there was ''Series/LevelUp'' which met a similar fate, followed by the even less popular ''Series/IncredibleCrew'', which [[GenreKiller thankfully curtailed any further attempts at live-action on the channel]].

* Series/TheWubbulousWorldOfDrSeuss became this after Season 1.

** ''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 canceled, 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 ''The 90's Are All That'' before the block was rebranded as ''Series/NickSplat''. 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. (However, [[ScrewedByTheLawyers it's been stated that Nick only owns the rights to the Henry & June segments]] and ''Action League NOW!'', thus making it legally tricky, which may explain why the show was ignored for so long after 2007.)

** ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'' was a show that pretty much would have easily fitted with adult swim if it wasn't for the fact it did everything in its power to replace heavy themes such as addiction, killing, and the like with child-friendly similarities, but to say the resemblances were subtle would be an understatement. It's no wonder the show got no reruns right after the final episode aired.
** ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'' is a rare example, as its humor is constantly clashing with self-awareness not seen in any other cartoon in the block, though said humor proved to be so effective with even children that the network itself still keeps rerunning the show even after ''it ended''; a rare privilege for a show that had already ended.

* Creator/{{FOX}}: Continuing the mystery theme, ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' was FOX's redheaded stepchild, as FOX primarily airs reality shows and cartoon comedies. ''Series/{{Touch}}'' was one too, being a complex drama. ''Series/TwentyFour'' was also a redheaded stepchild in many ways, as was the famously ScrewedByTheNetwork ''Series/{{Firefly}}''.

** ''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 first-run shows left on the channel are ''WesternAnimation/BlazeAndTheMonsterMachines'' and ''Series/{{Teletubbies}}''.

* While he had overseen ''plenty'' of DarkerAndEdgier content, Creator/WaltDisney's signature characters and core ensemble were found in his lighthearted short cartoons. Then, nearly three decades after his death, along came ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}},'' complete with Franchise/JusticeLeague-worthy content. Including a [[RecklessGunUsage shooting]] complete with a GoryDiscretionShot. The Disney brand was never the same again.

* While he had overseen ''plenty'' of DarkerAndEdgier content, Creator/WaltDisney's signature characters and core ensemble were found in his lighthearted short cartoons. Then, nearly three decades after his death, along came ''Series/{{Gargoyles}},'' complete with Franchise/JusticeLeague-worthy content. And a shooting complete with a GoryDiscretionShot.

** 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 ''Series/WideWorldOfSports'' which had been canceled as a stand-alone anthology series around early 1998.

* The previously mentioned ''WWE Smackdown'' was this on Creator/{{Syfy}} as well, along with its predecessor programs on that network, the Wrestling/{{ECW}} revival and the initial incarnations of ''Wrestling/WWENXT''.

** ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra '' never fit in the network’s offerings during its run between 2012-2014. In its first season, the show did extremely well on Saturday mornings but didn’t fit in the slot from a programming angle due to its DarkerndEdgier nature. In the second season, it was moved to the FridayNightDeathSlot with less marketing where it didn’t do well on live viewings but did very well on their website and various digital platforms due to the audience skewing young-adult. Then came the third season which had four (of thirteen) episodes mistakenly uploaded to the Latin American affiliate’s website and for damage control, had to be dumped once again on Friday night with no marketing, this time in the middle of the summer. At that point, the damage had been done and Nick completely stopped caring about the show. Mid-way through the season, it was moved to digital only after the ratings tanked even further. However, coincidentally or not, the episode that was the first to move, just happened to be the one with the brutal, unambiguous murder by asphyxiation. The season ends with the titular heroine getting mercury poisoned. Nick has said that they always intended to move the show to digital but if it was due to the content or the demographics of the viewership making the show this way remains unknown.

*** A few years later, there was ''Series/LevelUp'' which met a similar fate, followed by the even less popular ''Incredible Crew'', which [[GenreKiller thankfully curtailed any further attempts at live-action on the channel]].

** ''[[Series/LastManStanding2011 Last Man Standing]]'' could be considered one because it was a conservative-leaning sitcom on ABC, whose other sitcoms like ''Series/ModernFamily'' and ''Series/BlackIsh'' appeal to a more liberal audience. When ABC canceled the show (leaving Fox to pick it up), many fans naturally questioned whether it was because of an anti-conservative stance taken by the network heads (it certainly wasn't low ratings; it was the network's second highest-rated sitcom at the time of its cancellation), but this was denied by network head Channing Dungey, who instead cited scheduling issues as the deciding factor. Whatever uncertainty conservatives had over the cancellation were debunked when the very conservative-leaning ''Series/{{Roseanne}}'' revival debuted, though it was canceled at the end of the season due to it's [[Creator/RoseanneBarr star's]] racist Twitter comments as opposed to resentment for conservatives, and ABC demanded that the ''Black-ish'' producers shelve an episode condemning President UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump that led to its showrunner quitting the program. ABC executives have recently made it very clear that they see Middle America as an untapped market they want to exploit, meaning that ''Last Man Standing'' would have had no problem fitting in with ABC's intended vision for the network going forward.

** 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 ''Series/WideWorldOfSports'' which had been canceled as a stand alone anthology series around early 1998.

** ''[[Series/LastManStanding2011 Last Man Standing]]'' could be considered one because it was a conservative leaning sitcom on ABC, whose other sitcoms like ''Series/ModernFamily'' and ''Series/BlackIsh'' appeal to a more liberal audience. When ABC cancelled the show (leaving Fox to pick it up), many fans naturally questioned whether it was because of an anti-conservative stance taken by the network heads (it certainly wasn't low ratings; it was the network's second highest-rated sitcom at the time of its cancellation), but this was denied by network head Channing Dungey, who instead cited scheduling issues as the deciding factor. Whatever uncertainty conservatives had over the cancellation were debunked when the very conservative-leaning ''Series/{{Roseanne}}'' revival debuted, though it was cancelled at the end of the season due to it's [[Creator/RoseanneBarr star's]] racist Twitter comments as opposed to resentment for conservatives, and ABC demanded that the ''Black-ish'' producers shelve an episode condemning President UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump that led to its showrunner quitting the program. ABC executives have recently made it very clear that they see Middle America as an untapped market they want to exploit, meaning that ''Last Man Standing'' would have had no problem fitting in with ABC's intended vision for the network going forward.
* Creator/{{FOX}}: Continuing the mystery theme, ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' was FOX's redheaded stepchild, as FOX primarily airs reality shows and cartoon comedies. ''Series/{{Touch}}'' was one, too being a complex drama. ''Series/TwentyFour'' was also a redheaded stepchild in many ways, as was the famously ScrewedByTheNetwork ''Series/{{Firefly}}''.
* Creator/{{NBC}}: ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' was, like ''Lost'', a speculative fiction mystery drama on a channel filled with primarily comedies. ''Series/{{Chuck}}'' helped flesh out NBC's lineup, but only thanks to fan campaigns and the corporate sponsorship of Subway.

* 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 [[Film/RoboCop1987 one of the most violent films of the '80s]], and was quickly cancelled after a single season due to middling ratings.
* 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 ''Wrestling/WWESmackDown'', and Friday had a random selection of crappy movies. It was a strange thing to behold.

** ''Series/{{Reba}}'' (starring Music/RebaMcEntire) fit this role during its run. While the network was lasering in on the young, hip, and urban demographic, ''Reba'' stood out as a much more traditional, conservative sitcom. The show almost didn't make the WB-to-CW jump, but when they realized the show was already renewed through season six and that the "kill fee" for cancelling the show early would have been more expensive than making a season six, they ordered a shorted 13-episode half season to fill contractual obligations and quietly ignored it as much as they could. Even some [[http://variety.com/2007/scene/news/tv-success-depends-on-quality-network-1117965959/ industry professionals]] said the show would have been a sure hit on another network.
** The CW had zero interest in renewing its deal for ''Wrestling/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.

* 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/MarriedWithChildren 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/InvaderZim'' seems like an OldShame for the network. Though it eventually achieved CultClassic status, attracted a decent PeripheryDemographic, and became heavily merchandised at ''certain subculture retail chains''.

** ''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 ''The 90's Are All That'' before the block was rebranded as ''Series/NickSplat''. 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. (However, [[ScrewedByTheLawyers it's been stated that Nick only owns the rights to the Henry & June segments]] and ''Action League NOW!'', thus making it legally tricky, which may explain why the show got ignore so often after 2007.)

** Earlier in the network's history, they aired game shows. These included ''Series/SupermarketSweep'', ''Series/ShopTilYouDrop'', and ''Series/{{Debt}}''; [[ScrewedByTheNetwork the last one was cancelled because it attracted more male than female viewership]], which ended any game shows on the network from then on.)
* Ironically, because of NetworkDecay, video game based shows like ''Series/XPlay'' ended up being this for ''Creator/{{G4}}''. When they were outright cancelled, G4 went into a flopped over state of stale reruns, and went off the air after a plan to rebrand it as ''Esquire'' (like the magazine) was moved to the Style network because of that network's wider distribution; ultimately Esquire Network was killed off in 2016 as [=NBCUniversal=] slimmed down their cable portfolio).

** ''Series/TheHardTimesOfRJBerger'' was the only scripted series on the channel at the time and was cancelled after two seasons. ''Series/{{Awkward}}'', which aired after ''RJ Berger'' was cancelled, became a lot more successful [[SleeperHit despite even less advertising]].

** ''[[Series/LastManStanding2011 Last Man Standing]]'' could be considered one because it was a conservative leaning sitcom on ABC, whose other sitcoms like ''Series/ModernFamily'' and ''Series/BlackIsh'' appeal to a more liberal audience. When ABC cancelled the show (leaving Fox to pick it up), many fans naturally questioned whether it was because of an anti-conservative stance taken by the network heads (it certainly wasn't low ratings; it was the network's second highest-rated sitcom at the time of its cancellation), but this was denied by network head Channing Dungey, who instead cited scheduling issues as the deciding factor. Whatever uncertainty conservatives had over the cancellation were debunked when the very conservative-leaning ''Series/{{Roseanne}}'' revival debuted, though it was cancelled at the end of the season due to it's [[Creator/RoseanneBarr star's]] racist Twitter comments as opposed to resentment for conservatives, and ABC demanded that the ''Black-ish'' producers shelve an episode condemning President UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump that led to its showrunner quitting the program. ABC executives have recently made it very clear that they see Middle America as an untapped market they want to exploit, meaning that ''Last Man Standing'' would have no problem fitting in with ABC's intended vision for the network going forward.

** ''[[Series/LastManStanding2011 Last Man Standing]]'' 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''. When it was cancelled, many fans naturally questioned whether it was because of an anti-conservative stance taken by the network heads (it certainly wasn't low ratings; it was the network's second highest-rated sitcom at the time of its cancellation), but this was denied by network head Channing Dungey, who instead cited scheduling issues as the deciding factor. [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment And that's all we're saying on the subject]].

** ''Series/WhoseLineIsItAnyway'' is '''nothing''' like any of the shows it is promoted with. Reviving the show has been hailed as a great decision for the network, now known mostly for drama.

[[folder: Cable Networks ]]

** ''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 ''The 90's Are All That'' before the block was rebranded as ''Series/NickSplat''. 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.

* Ironically, because of NetworkDecay, video game based shows like Series/XPlay ended up being this for ''G4''. When they were outright cancelled, G4 has flopped over into a rebrand as ''Esquire''.

** And back when it was still The Nashville Network (TNN), the game show ''Top Card'' was the red-headed stepchild, being a fairly straightforward blackjack game show on a network otherwise targeted to CountryMusic audiences.

** ''[[Series/LastManStanding2011 Last Man Standing]]'' 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''. When it was cancelled, many fans naturally questioned whether it was because of an anti-conservative stance taken by the network heads (it certainly wasn't low ratings; it was the network's second highest-rated sitcom at the time of its cancellation), but this was denied by network head Channing Dungey, who instead cited scheduling issues as the deciding factor. [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment And that's all we're saying on the subject]].
* Creator/{{FOX}}: Continuing the mystery theme, ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' was FOX's redheaded stepchild, as FOX primarily airs reality shows and cartoon comedies. ''Series/{{Touch}}'' was one, too being a complex drama. ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]'' was also a redheaded stepchild in many ways, as was the famously ScrewedByTheNetwork ''Series/{{Firefly}}''.

* Creator/{{ABC}}: ''Series/{{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 ''Series/{{Castle}}'', ''Series/GreysAnatomy'', ''Series/ModernFamily'', ''Series/CougarTown'' and ''Series/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.

** ''[[Series/LastManStanding2011 Last Man Standing]]'' 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''. When it was cancelled, many fans naturally questioned whether it was because of an anti-conservative stance taken by the network heads (it certainly wasn't low ratings; it was the network's second highest-rated sitcom at the time of its cancellation), but this was denied by network head Channing Dungey, who instead cited scheduling issues as the deciding factor. [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment and that's all we're saying on the subject]].
* Creator/{{FOX}}: Continuing the mystery theme, ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' is FOX's most recent redheaded stepchild, as FOX primarily airs reality shows and cartoon comedies. ''Series/{{Touch}}'' was one, too being a complex drama. ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]'' was also a redheaded stepchild in many ways, as was the famously ScrewedByTheNetwork ''Series/{{Firefly}}''.

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

** ''Series/UnnaturalHistory'' and ''Series/TowerPrep'' provide examples of a fandom stepchild becoming a network stepchild. When the two were announced, they were vilified nearly instantly because they were both live-action on Cartoon Network. ''Unnatural History'' debuted first, to middling ratings, which caused Cartoon Network to give up on ''Tower Prep'' before it even began, leaving both shows dead in the water after one season. Both shows received mixed to positive receptions and likely would have been successful on another network without "Cartoon" in the title.

** ''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 ''The 90's Are All That'' before the block was rebranded as ''Series/NickSplat''. 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.

* Also if it's a Nickelodeon production made for their British and Australian channels, expect it to get the barest promotion possible and get the usual push-off to Creator/TeenNick within weeks in the United States because of contractual obligations. This is even though Nick's Australian productions have pretty much become a farm team for Creator/TheCW, as ''Series/H20JustAddWater'' was where ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'' and ''Series/TheOriginals'' star Creator/PhoebeTonkin (and her co-star Claire Holt) came to prominence.