History Main / NetworkRedheadedStepchild

*** Actually, it seems to have worked because not long after, Creator/{{Toonami}} debuted ''Anime/FoodWars'' an anime focusing mostly on....cooking. On an action adventure block. And it's now on it's third season. Yeah.

* 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 years, almost all of which aired in the timeslot after ''Lost''. Every single one was canceled before getting a second season.

* Early in Creator/SpikeTV's life, they had a block of three cartoons on an otherwise live-action lineup: ''WesternAnimation/{{Stripperella}}'', ''WesternAnimation/RenAndStimpyAdultPartyCartoon'', 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.
** 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. Indeed, the show narrowed its' questions to be solely about music, then to be about only country music as it went on in an effort to fit in better.

* The ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingAdrenaliniBrothers'' became this when it started airing episodes of the TV Series on [[https://www.youtube.com/@huha/videosl HuHa]], a Website/{{YouTube}} channel dedicated to Adult Animation (a lot of it leaning towards AnimatedShockComedy). While ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingAdrenaliniBrothers'' is an animated comedy, it's also family friendly and had previously aired on children's TV Channels like Creator/{{CBBC}}, Creator/{{CITV}} and Creator/CartoonNetwork, making it stick out.

** Some other oddball choices include ''Series/TheWorldAccordingToJeffGoldblum'' (an infotainment series with few kid-friendly elements) and ''Film/FantasticFour2015'' (unlike other PG-13 Marvel films, this is dark, gruesome interpretation of the franchise in question, with horrific imagery and a generally kid-unfriendly atmosphere).

*** 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 the network

** Lifetime is trying again with ''Series/WitchesOfEastEnd,'' though considering they've been airing reruns of ''Charmed'' in syndication during the mornings, it doesn't stand out nearly as much as ''Blood Ties'' did.

** ''Series/BoardwalkEmpire'' eventually took the redheaded stepchild, as it got a lot less attention than ''Series/GameOfThrones'' or even the AdoredByTheNetwork ''Series/{{Girls}}'' (of which the network promotes like it's no tomorrow, despite falling ratings every season that has now dropped it under a million viewers a week).

* The ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingAdrenaliniBrothers'' became this when it started airing episodes of the TV Series on [[https://www.youtube.com/@huha/videosl HuHa]], a [[Website/YouTube]] channel dedicated to Adult Animation (a lot of it leaning towards AnimatedShockComedy). While ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingAdrenaliniBrothers'' is an animated comedy, it's also family friendly and had previously aired on children's TV Channels like Creator/{{CBBC}}, Creator/{{CITV}} and Creator/CartoonNetwork, making it stick out.

* The ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingAdrenaliniBrothers'' became this when it started airing episodes of the TV Series on [[https://www.youtube.com/@huha/videosl HuHa]], a YouTube channel dedicated to Adult Animation (a lot of it leaning towards AnimatedShockComedy). While ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingAdrenaliniBrothers'' is an animated comedy, it's also family friendly and had previously aired on children's TV Channels like Creator/{{CBBC}}, Creator/{{CITV}} and Creator/CartoonNetwork, making it stick out.

* The ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingAdrenaliniBrothers'' became this when it started airing episodes of the TV Series on [[Creator/MrWeebl HuHa]], a channel dedicated to Adult Animation (a lot of it leaning towards AnimatedShockComedy). While ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingAdrenaliniBrothers'' is an animated comedy, it's also family friendly and had previously aired on children's TV Channels like Creator/{{CBBC}}, Creator/{{CITV}} and Creator/CartoonNetwork, making it stick out.

* ''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.

* Creator/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''.

* Creator/{{BET}} had exactly two original shows targeting children in the 1990s, which is a bit odd since even back then, the channel targeted much older audiences. In question, the two shows were titled "Story Porch", a series where guest stars read books to kids, and there was even a GoofySuit red donkey character named Bunky. The other show, "The Fabulous Reggae Dogs", featured puppet dog characters, and not much else is known due to the show being [[KeepCirculatingtheTapes extremely obscure]].
** Around the late 2000s, {{BET}} began airing reruns of ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamily''. This trope is actually doubled with this example, as not only is it also an animated children's show, it's also a series from ''Creator/DisneyChannel'', on a channel owned by ''Creator/ParamountGlobal'' (or, named Viacom at the time). The show also reran on Centric (now BET Her).

** Actually, it did seem to have worked because not long after, Creator/{{Toonami}} debuted ''Anime/FoodWars'' an anime focusing mostly on....cooking. On an action adventure block. And it's now on it's third season.

** ''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 on November 11, 2014.

** ''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 would inspire similar shows in its' wake.

** ''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 ''WesternAnimation/BluesCluesAndYou''.

** Some other oddball choices include ''The World According to Jeff Goldblum'' (an infotainment series with few kid-friendly elements) and ''Film/FantasticFour2015'' (unlike other PG-13 Marvel films, this is dark, gruesome interpretation of the franchise in question, with horrific imagery and a generally kid-unfriendly atmosphere).

** Disney + is largely dedicated to family-friendly TV shows and movies, albeit with the occasional bit of ValuesDissonance, a good selection of PG-13 superhero/action-adventure films, and nature documentaries unafraid of showing animal-on-animal combat. As such, them having the ([[Recap/TheSimpsonsS3E1StarkRavingDad almost]]) complete run of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', a show that - while enjoyed by many kids - is intended for adults and filled with raunchy, sexual humor and scenes of heavy violence, stands out a great deal. Especially since, outside of the aforementioned BannedEpisode, it's completely uncensored, in contrast to some of the other shows and movies on the service.
** Some other oddball choices include ''The World According to Jeff Goldblum'' (an infotainment series with few kid-friendly elements) and ''Film/FantasticFour2015'' (unlike other PG-13 Marvel films, this is a ''VERY'' dark, visceral, and gruesome interpretation of the franchise in question, with horrific imagery and a generally kid-unfriendly atmosphere).

* ''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 also airs on places that are more of a home for it, Creator/{{TBN}} and the local stations that are willing to sell Pat Robertson a full-hour {{infomercial}} block.

** ''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 Cartoon Network series at that time. It is also much more episodic and less narrative-driven compared to the other shows, even after it became DarkerAndEdgier.
** Infamously, due to ExecutiveMeddling, Cartoon Network's Creator/{{Toonami}} block, which was dedicated to action animation, had to show ''Anime/{{Hamtaro}}'', a cutesy anime about talking hamsters aimed at a younger audience than the one Toonami typically attracted. Even the promos for the show lampshaded how strange and unfitting it was.

* 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}}''. Of the cartoons, ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' was the "Animation Domination" block's redheaded stepchild due to being more down-to-earth compared to ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' and the Creator/SethMacFarlane shows.

* Website/{{Crunchyroll}} is primarily an anime streaming service, thus meaning a majority of its content comes from Japan or China; however, it also streams ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', ''WesternAnimation/HighGuardianSpice'', and ''WesternAnimation/OnyxEquinox'', all three western productions and the latter two made by Crunchyroll.

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. Compare to AdoredByTheNetwork.