Line #38 Main/NetworkRedHeadedStepchild


1	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 Network Red-Headed Stepchild is the odd man out.
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3	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. Another possibility is that the show may be screwed or even cancelled even if it is successful, as its lack of appeal to the network's core demographic may turn off advertisers. If the show isn't successful at all, expect it to be ScrewedByTheNetwork. Compare to AdoredByTheNetwork.
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5	For a show that is different from a ''creator's'' usual output, see CreatorsOddball. For an installment that is different from the usual output in a ''single series,'' see OddballInTheSeries.
6	----
7	!!Examples:
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9	[[foldercontrol]]
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11	[[folder: Major Networks ]]
12	* 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\|2009}}'', ''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.
13	** 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).
14	** ''Series/FlashForward2009'' effectively revolved around the marketing hook "if you like ''Lost'', watch this!" ABC even made a concentrated effort to cast ''Lost'' alumni on the show and hoped the show would replace ''Lost'' once it ended in 2010. It didn't work, and speculative fiction essentially disappeared from the network until the arrival of the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse.
15	** ''[[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 its [[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.
16	* Creator/{{FOX}}: Continuing the mystery theme, ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' was FOX's redheaded stepchild, as FOX primarily airs reality shows and cartoon comedies. ''Series/Touch2012'' 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.
17	* Creator/{{NBC}}: ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' was, like ''Lost'', a speculative fiction mystery drama on a channel filled primarily with comedies. ''Series/{{Chuck}}'' helped flesh out NBC's lineup, but only thanks to fan campaigns and the corporate sponsorship of Subway.
18	* Creator/{{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.
19	* 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 canceled after a single season due to middling ratings.
20	* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
21	** 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 a schizophrenic schedule, that it seemed every night of the week had a red-headed stepchild 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.
22	** ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' was generally treated as this over the years by Paramount and later CBS -- always running as the secondary series (first to ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration TNG]]'', then to ''Voyager''), it didn't receive as much promotion or push from Paramount compared to the other shows and movies, but [[QuietlyPerformingSisterShow gradually gathered an audience by way of their continuing storylines and evolving characterization]] as compared to the other shows. As of the 2010s the show has been VindicatedByHistory in the age of streaming, with much of the new ''Trek'' content taking some sort of influence from it (most notably the shadowy Section 31).
23	* Creator/{{CBS}} generally makes at least one attempt a year to break out of the Police Procedural mode that has dominated its drama schedule since the rise of ''CSI''. The only one of this type of show that's even remotely succeeded is semi-serialized legal drama ''Series/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 ''Series/GameOfThrones'', and that's only if the show starts on time because of football delays from the afternoon) is less so. ''Series/ThePriceIsRight'' and ''Series/LetsMakeADeal'' also stick out, as since ''1993'', they have been the only two network-based, daytime game shows on ''anyone's'' lineup.
24	* For Creator/TheCW, and to a lesser extent [[Creator/TheWB the WB]]:
25	** ''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 canceling the show early would have been more expensive than making a season six, they ordered a shorted 13-episode final 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.
26	** 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 to 24-year-old females 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.
27	** ''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 soapy dramas and superhero shows. However, the network chooses to air most of the episodes during the summer (when most of their shows are on hiatus) or whenever a hole needs to be filled in the schedule.
28	** The same can easily be said for ''Masters of Illusion'' and ''Series/PennAndTellerFoolUs''.
29	* ''Nieuws 2'' (literally: ''News 2'') was a Belgian news commentary program on [[MediaNotes/FlemishTVStations 2BE]], a network mostly known for American imports.
30	* Belgian children channel ''[[MediaNotes/FlemishTVStations Ketnet]]'' used to have a lot of programming for adults as left-over from their past as the general entertainment network BRTN Creator/{{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.
31	* When it came to ''Creator/FoxKids'', almost all of the anime they showed was of the inoffensive {{Toyetic}} kind aimed at boys 6-11, but then there was their short stint with ''Anime/TheVisionOfEscaflowne'', a show aimed at a much older, more gender neutral audience, with the content to show. The Fox Kids edit of the series completely cut out anything (including entire episodes) that was considered "too girly" or "boring", downplaying schoolgirl protagonist's Hitomi's importance, and the typical censorship, leaving pretty much only the action and exposition. In spite of the amount of cuts, [[FamilyUnfriendlyViolence a surprising amount of blood was left uncensored]], making it possibly the most violent show ever shown on an American Saturday morning block. Whether due to bad ratings, parental complaints, or Fox realizing just how inappropriate the show was for that timeslot, it was unceremoniously pulled after only ten episodes aired.
32	* Creator/PBSKids:
33	** ''WesternAnimation/{{Redwall}}'', distributed by American Public Television and aired on select Creator/{{PBS}} stations, was very violent and serious in contrast to the rest of the lineup's sweet, slice of life lineup. It also wasn't educational, and was likely aired solely to get kids to read the ''Redwall'' books.
34	** ''Series/OddSquad'' is this to the modern PBS Kids lineup. It's not animated unlike every other show (''Series/SesameStreet'' is more of an HBO show nowadays) and has serialization. However, it was a huge hit for PBS.
35	** When it premiered, ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicSchoolBus'' was the first cartoon on PBS, sticking out against the kidcoms, sketch shows, and puppet shows. However, it proved to be a huge success, so more and more cartoons were greenlit by PBS.
36	** ''Series/DonkeyHodie'' is the first puppet show on PBS since ''Series/ItsABigBigWorld'', and another live-action series in a sea of Flash-animated cartoons.
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39	[[folder: Cable Networks]]
40	* Creator/{{BET}}:
41	** 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]].
42	** 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).
43	* Creator/CartoonNetwork: A strong example of NetworkDecay, in the late 2000's, Cartoon Network tried to expand by adding some live action shows into its lineup. To the surprise of no one (except the network higher-ups), these efforts flopped, leading to the shows becoming red-headed stepchildren for the network.
44	** In Cartoon Network's earliest days, ''WesternAnimation/TheBananaSplits'' was aired despite being mostly live action, just with a few animated segments.
45	** The earliest original live action series (albeit with [[RogerRabbitEffect plenty of Flash animation]]) was ''Series/OutOfJimmysHead'', which aired alongside the ''Fried Dynamite'' block. They were later followed by ''CN Real'', a whole block of live-action programs.
46	** ''Series/UnnaturalHistory'' and ''Series/TowerPrep'' provide examples of a fandom stepchild becoming a network stepchild. When the two were announced, they were written off nearly instantly because they were both live-action shows produced by 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 if they'd aired on another network without "Cartoon" in the title.
47	*** A few years later, there was ''Series/LevelUp'' which met a similar fate, followed by the even less popular ''Series/IncredibleCrew'', which curtailed any further attempts at live-action on the channel until 2021.
48	** As far as animated examples go, ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' was significantly DarkerAndEdgier than their other first-run programming.
49	** ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'' was a show that pretty much would have easily fitted with Creator/AdultSwim 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.
50	** ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'': 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.
51	** ''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain'' is darker and more serial than the usual lineup of the network. It also deviates from most Cartoon Network series by being an anthology show where each new season has different main characters, lacking any one core protagonist.
52	** 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.
53	** The revived ''Creator/AdultSwim'' version of Toonami, which still focused on action animation, also showed ''Anime/PopTeamEpic'', a surreal GagSeries that would have been right at home among Adult Swim's comedy cartoons. This was apparently an experiment to try and broaden Toonami beyond just action anime, but considering there hasn't been any other non-action anime on the block since, it must not have done so well.
54	*** 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 its third season. Yeah. It still fits since it's a Magazine/ShonenJump title [[CookingDuel that approaches cooking in the same way]] [[SeriousBusiness one would a shonen battle]].
55	* Creator/DisneyChannel:
56	** ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'' was the first Disney show to involve a singer as the main character who could then be marketed everywhere. It later became impossible to find a Disney show (and increasingly, a Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} show) where this is not the case.
57	** ''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, and because it wasn't an EdutainmentShow, many ABC stations pre-empted it or moved it to graveyard slots because they were embarrassed to show it. This is why Disney ultimately sold it back to Saban (the acquisition of the goldmine of more evergreen boys' properties, Creator/{{Marvel}}, likely hastened this). Of course, by the time they launched a network where it ''would'' fit in, Creator/DisneyXD, they were [[ScrewedByTheNetwork actively trying to kill it]] and so didn't include it there.
58	*** The Creator/OneSaturdayMorning block on ABC had a few, including ''[[WesternAnimation/TheBugsBunnyRoadRunnerShow The Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show]]'' (awkwardly squeezed in after the main portion of the block, with generic bumpers that didn't refer to Disney or the block's name, with no promotion and frequent preemption for afternoon sports). ''Anime/DigimonFrontier'' was this for the spinoff ''One Too'' block on Creator/{{UPN}} since it was forced on them like ''Power Rangers'' was.
59	** ''Series/GoodLuckCharlie'' is a mild version. Unlike their other shows, the adults often get main plotlines, and there isn't much of a twist to the premise (family with 3 older children suddenly has a baby). Also, it was intentionally created to have MultipleDemographicAppeal so that families can watch together, as opposed to their other shows which usually don't appeal to people over the age of 16.
60	*** 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.
61	** ''Series/MyBabysittersAVampire'', a [[FamilyUnfriendlyViolence surprisingly]] [[DarkerAndEdgier dark]] (at least compared to the other shows on the network) supernatural {{dramedy}} - which is not made for/by Disney.
62	* Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} examples:
63	** ''Series/NickNewsWithLindaEllerbee'' was this when it ended in 2015-- it was created in 1992, when the network's mission was much more focused on elevating and educating kids in addition to entertaining them (as opposed to now, when seemingly every show is either a kidcom or animated show that either is rerun endlessly or abruptly pulled).
64	** ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' seems like an OldShame for the network. However, it was a CultClassic that was eventually VindicatedByReruns, attracted a decent PeripheryDemographic, and became heavily merchandised at certain subculture retail chains, getting a comic series and a [[WesternAnimation/InvaderZimEnterTheFlorpus full-length movie]].
65	** ''WesternAnimation/RobotAndMonster'' was given little advertising when it premiered in 2012, was denied a second season, and the first season wasn't even fully aired on the main channel. Some of the remaining episodes were shown on Nicktoons, and the last episode was released on the Creator/{{Noggin}} streaming app in 2015. If anything, the show at least got full series DVD (with all the unaired episodes) released on November 11, 2014; the DVD was discontinued in 2021.
66	** ''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 ''[=NickSplat=]'' (and later ''Creator/NickRewind''). 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!'' [[note]] which is evident for the latter by the fact that the [[WesternAnimation/ActionLeagueNow spinoff show]] aired on Creator/{{Nicktoons}} for years [[/note]], thus making it legally tricky, which may explain why the show was ignored for so long after 2007.)
67	** ''Series/TheWubbulousWorldOfDrSeuss''
68	** ''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 DarkerAndEdgier nature, including a murder-suicide in the finale. 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.
69	** ''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.
70	** Sitcom-wise, ''Series/TheOtherKingdom'' was constantly seen a oddball among Nickelodeon's live-action programming. Leaving out the fact that it's not considered part of the Series/NickVerse, despite most of the network's other programs being so, the series was more story-driven and dramatic than the average Nickcom at the time. Also it doesn't have a LaughTrack. This is especially the case as it was produced in Canada and co-created by Creator/FamilyChannel, but sadly, the network did very little to advertise the show and it was quietly cancelled with tons of loose plot-threads.
71	* Also if it's a Nickelodeon production made for their British and/or 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/H2OJustAddWater'' was where ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'' and ''Series/TheOriginals'' star Creator/PhoebeTonkin (and her co-star Creator/ClaireHolt) came to prominence.
72	* Creator/{{Noggin}}:
73	** Most of Noggin's earlier shows were made in the USA... except for ''Big Kids'', a co-production between Noggin and the BBC, which was filmed in the UK with an all-British cast. The dry British humor and obvious accents made the show stick out like a sore thumb among Noggin's lineup.
74	** ''WesternAnimation/OGrady'' was the only animated show on Noggin's overnight block for teens, called "The N." The goofy character designs and outlandish plots were a pretty stark contrast from the live-action dramas that dominated the block's lineup.
75	** ''WesternAnimation/RobotAndMonster'' was moved to the Noggin streaming app in 2015, and it immediately stood out since the rest of the app's lineup was educational. While the show (especially Monster) includes some positive messages about friendship and perseverance, it's not exactly educational and has lots of cartoonish violence. It's possible the show was chosen to provide some content for older kids (Noggin started out as a tween-targeted brand, after all).
76	* Creator/{{Lifetime}}:
77	** ''Blood Ties'' was an exceptionally dark series for them, and it was a sci-fi series, which is normally '''way''' outside of Lifetime's typical wheelhouse.
78	** Lifetime tried again with ''Series/WitchesOfEastEnd,'' though considering they'd been airing reruns of ''Charmed'' in syndication during the mornings, it doesn't stand out nearly as much as ''Blood Ties'' did.
79	** Any of the surprisingly enjoyable horror movies like "I'll be Waiting for You" and "Legend of Lucy Keyes" they aired could count.
80	** Earlier in the network's history, they aired game shows. These included ''Series/SupermarketSweep'', ''Series/ShopTilYouDrop'', and ''Series/{{Debt}}''; [[ScrewedByTheNetwork the last one was canceled because it attracted more male than female viewership]], which ended any game shows on the network from then on.)
81	* Ironically, because of NetworkDecay, video game based shows like ''Series/XPlay'' ended up being this for ''Creator/G4TV''. When they were outright canceled, 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).
82	* On HBO, ''Series/TrueBlood'' is a show about vampires and the supernatural (among other things) on a network whose original programming tends toward showing gritty reality. Same for ''Series/{{Carnivale}}'' when it was on.
83	** ''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 promoted like there was no tomorrow, despite falling ratings every season that it dropped to under a million viewers a week).
84	** Primarily beginning in the late 1980s-1990s era, HBO entered the children's market and began airing kids shows. Usually, out of all times, on Sunday evenings. Considering their history with "Taxicab Confessions" and other gritty shows, this could come off as a surprise to somebody. Eventually with the launch of HBO Family the children's programs migrated there. This example wouldn't be seen on HBO again until ''Series/SesameStreet'' began airing in 2016, followed by ''WesternAnimation/EsmeAndRoy'' two years later.
85	* Long before the days of ''Series/MadMen'' and ''Series/BreakingBad'', AMC ran ''Series/RememberWENN'', a half-hour LaughTrack-less {{dramedy}} about life at a 1930s radio station, filmed on 16mm and processed to look like Technicolor, so as to "fit in" with its classic movies programming. Ironically, the same executives who pushed AMC in its [[NetworkDecay current direction]] were also responsible for the cancellation of ''WENN'', [[ScrewedByTheNetwork under controversial circumstances]].
86	* 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}}''.
87	* On Creator/{{MTV}}:
88	** ''Series/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 ''music''. Even the returning ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButtHead'' didn't escape this treatment: instead of reviewing music videos, the duo started reviewing things like ''Series/JerseyShore'' episodes.
89	** ''Series/TheHardTimesOfRJBerger'' was the only scripted series on the channel at the time and was canceled after two seasons. ''Series/{{Awkward}}'', which aired after ''RJ Berger'' was canceled, became a lot more successful [[SleeperHit despite even less advertising]].
90	** The series ''I'm From Rolling Stone'', while being a reality show, [[DocuSoap featured a realistic view of working life]]. It featured interns working at ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. As it was targeted to a more mature audience than MTV viewers and suffered from lack of advertising and inconsistent scheduling on the channel, it only lasted one season.
91	* The NHRA (the National Hot Rod Association), the sanctioning body for drag racing in the United States, was supposed to see their events air on [[{{Creator/ESPN}} ESPN2]] every weekend. That's wasn't 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 was shoved off and viewers have to cross their fingers that ESPN moves it over to [=ESPNEWS=] to air in full, the [=ESPN2=] broadcast is only a few minutes late, or that the later replay isn't pre-empted itself. In 2016, the NHRA began a new contract with Fox Sports 1 and 2; Fox announced plans to be a bit more consistent in its broadcasting of NHRA events, stating that it would broadcast live Sunday coverage from most of the events in its flagship series.
92	* ''The 700 Club'' 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.
93	* Creator/SpikeTV:
94	** Early in the network'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.
95	** 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.
96	** Even less of a fit was Wrestling/{{ECW}}, a gritty not even remotely country professional wrestling promotion based out of ''Philadelphia''. The acquisition of the ECW rights came right around the same time that TNN rebranded itself as The '''National''' Network, even though outside of now being the home of [[GarbageWrestler low budget hardcore wrestling]] the programming didn't really change. About a year later TNN would swipe ''Wrestling/MondayNightRaw'' from the Creator/USANetwork and left ECW with dick in hand to die. [[CreatorKiller Literally, as the company was out of business 3 months later]].
97	** As of 2015, ''Lip Sync Battle''--a program in which celebrities compete against each other with increasingly elaborate lip-sync acts to popular music, has become the new redheaded stepchild of Spike as the first major product of a plan to begin downplaying its male skew. That didn't prevent the series from becoming Spike's biggest premiere ever.
98	* Travel Channel's oddball was ''The Great Getaway Game'' from 1990-91. To be fair, it was still travel themed, but it remains to date the only game show aired on the network.
99	* ''Series/MrRobot'' on Creator/USANetwork. Most of the other shows on USA are either {{prime time soap}}s or procedurals (whether medical, legal/police or otherwise), and thus are episodic shows. ''Mr. Robot'' is a heavily serialized, borderline PsychologicalThriller about hacking with an UnreliableNarrator. The show almost seems like it would be more in line with the type of shows on AMC or HBO.
100	* When it started in 2008, [=truTV's=] programming consisted on reality shows, countdowns of "suspense" videos, and... ''Series/WorldsDumbest'', a comedic take on the latter format. Turns out the red-headed stepchild became better-received than the other programs and by 2015, [[NetworkDecay truTV became an all-comedy network]].
101	* Canada's Family Chrgd is a channel that primarily airs boys' action cartoons, similar to Disney XD in the States..but ''WesternAnimation/NatureCat'', which is an educational show for preschoolers, aired on the channel.
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105	* The British quiz show channel Challenge was lumbered with [[Wrestling/{{TNA}} TNA Wrestling]] because it was previously shown on Bravo, and when Sky, who already air Wrestling/{{WWE}}, took over the Living TV Group, which included Bravo and Challenge, they closed Bravo down, but didn't want to put TNA on a Sky branded channel for fear of upsetting WWE. Since Living was rebranded as a Sky channel and is aimed at women anyway, Challenge was the only available home for TNA. It's completely out of place and definitely fits this trope.
106	* Creator/Channel5'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''.
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110	* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'' 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.
111	** That not enough? It airs ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants''. Let that sink in.
112	** At least both are animated, you know. Professional wrestling, on the other hand, made a few jaws dropped when Wrestling/{{WWE}} announced their programming was about to air on 2x2. For once, it resulted in WWE finally visiting Russia for a couple of house shows, but at some point, 2x2 [[ScrewedByTheNetwork clearly stopped caring much]], pushing RAW and Smackdown way past midnight and pretty much making a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB0OPUIuDJM mockery]] out of shows in promos. They dropped WWE in favor of Wrestling/LuchaUnderground, which makes a little bit more sense to air there.
113	* 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 fallen body and a pool of blood. The Disney brand was never the same again.
114	* Creator/DisneyPlus:
115	** 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.
116	** Another oddball choice was ''Series/TheWorldAccordingToJeffGoldblum'', an infotainment series with few kid-friendly elements. In 2023, Disney+ removed it as a tax write-down.
117	** ''Series/TheBeatlesGetBack'' is notable for being aimed at a much older audience than most of Disney+'s content - obviously in part because it's focused on a band from the sixties, but also because it features heavy, uncensored swearing. Disney reportedly wanted to censor this, but Music/PaulMcCartney and Music/RingoStarr wouldn't budge.
118	* Platform/{{Crunchyroll}} is primarily an anime streaming service; the vast majority of its content comes from Japan with China supplying most of the rest. However, it also streams ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', ''WesternAnimation/HighGuardianSpice'', and ''WesternAnimation/OnyxEquinox'', all three western productions and the latter two made by Crunchyroll.
119	* The Creator/PlutoTV channel Totally Turtles, as the name suggests, is presented as a 24/7 stream of every animated ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' television series Nickelodeon has the rights to... except when it periodically plays episodes of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. While ''Avatar'' also being an action cartoon doesn't make it ''entirely'' out of place on the lineup, it is unknown as to why Nickelodeon has it air on a channel for a completely different franchise.
120	* The ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingAdrenaliniBrothers'' became this when it started airing episodes of the TV Series on [[https://www.youtube.com/@huha/videosl HuHa]], a Platform/{{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}}, Creator/{{YTV}} and Creator/CartoonNetwork, making it stick out.
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Context Main / NetworkRedHeadedStepchild