History Main / ScrewedByTheNetwork

-->'''Tyler''':... which we are all hoping will not lead to the show's slow, painful, lingering death.

* In ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'', Stinky Pete claims the ''Woody's Roundup'' TV show was cancelled ''in the middle of a cliffhanger'' when space toys surged (and, consequently, ''Woody's Roundup'' toys declined) in popularity following the launch of ''Sputnik''. [[spoiler: He lied. Eagle-eyed viewers might be able to spot the conclusion to said cliffhanger playing in the background in one scene. Perhaps not coincidentally, it immediately leads to Pete's [[EvilAllAlong subsequent reveal as the villain]].]]

->'''WebVideo/CDawgVA''': I feel bad for all the actors involved, honestly.\\
'''[[WebVideo/VShojo Ironmouse]]''': [[NoSympathy I don't.]]

Often the cause of FollowUpFailure and TooGoodToLast. Compare ExecutiveMeddling, ExecutiveVeto, InvisibleAdvertising, ScrewedByTheLawyers, and ScrewedByTheMerchandise. See also TorchTheFranchiseAndRun for when a work's creator (and not an exec) '''intentionally''' destroys or sabotages their own work to ensure that no one else can use it in the future. May be why there's NoExportForYou.

!!Shows with their own pages:
* ScrewedByTheNetwork/{{TheLegendOfKorra}}

* ScrewedByTheNetwork/{{FOX}}
** ScrewedByTheNetwork/FOXKids

-->--'''Creator/TimAllen''' on ''Series/{{Last Man Standing|2011}}''

Often the cause of FollowUpFailure. Compare ExecutiveMeddling, ExecutiveVeto, InvisibleAdvertising, ScrewedByTheLawyers, and ScrewedByTheMerchandise. See also TorchTheFranchiseAndRun for when a work's creator (and not an exec) '''intentionally''' destroys or sabotages their own work to ensure that no one else can use it in the future. May be why there's NoExportForYou.

* If there can be a comic book example there likely won't be a bigger one than Creator/MarvelComics deciding to end all their series as a marketing stunt to promote the ''ComicBook/SecretWars2015'' event [[note]]The event starts with Marvel Universe being destroyed, the mass-cancellation was supposed to convince the readers the company is serious and doesn't plan to undo it[[/note]] and once it ended relaunching all the titles, majority of them with unchanged creative teams and picking up right where the previous series ended. Every single of those books suffered a huge sales drop as soon as issue #2, many ending up canceled for real, and the rest struggling to regain their previous position.

* In ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'', Stinky Pete claims the ''Woody's Roundup'' TV show was cancelled ''in the middle of a cliffhanger'' when space toys surged (and, consequently, ''Woody's Roundup'' toys declined) in popularity following the launch of ''Sputnik''. [[spoiler: He lied. Eagle-eyed viewers might be able to spot the conclusion to said cliffhanger playing in the background in one scene. Perhaps not coincidentally, it's a hint for Pete's [[EvilAllAlong subsequent reveal as the villain]].]]

* ''Series/Reboot2020'': Invoked. Hulu network president Tyler subtly threatens this fate for his rival's reboot: he tries to poach one of their main cast for another show that films abroad, then suggests slowly slashing their production and promotion budgets.
Tyler:... which we are all hoping will not lead to the show's slow, painful, lingering death.

* In ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'', Stinky Pete claims the ''Woody's Roundup'' TV show was cancelled ''in the middle of a cliffhanger'' when space toys surged (and, consequently, ''Woody's Roundup'' toys declined) in popularity following the launch of ''Sputnik''. [[spoiler: He lied. Eagle-eyed viewers might be able to spot the conclusion to said cliffhanger playing in the background in one scene. Perhaps not coincidentally, it's just before Pete reveals himself as the villain.]]

The reasons behind such changes are to the average viewer baffling, to say the least, and can come off as intentional sabotage. Indeed, sometimes, as is the case with InvisibleAdvertising, it very well could be. But many of these changes ''are'' done with good intentions, or at the very least, could be seen as the rational actions of someone [[NetworkToTheRescue trying to help]]. For example, increasing product placement may have been the only way to get revenue for an underwatched program; ousting an actor causing issues on set can move a stalled project forward. Both are objectively good calls from a production standpoint. At the end of the day creating a work is costly: slowly killing a show that's already airing, for example, rather than just pulling the plug is such a waste of valuable time and money that it makes sabotage in this way highly undesirable.

* ScrewedByTheNetwork/{{PBS}}

* ''WebVideo/{{Barshens}}'' was a collaborative variety channel started by Barry Allen and WebVideo/StuartAshen in 2016, made in large part thanks to direct support from Website/YouTube via their London [=YouTube=] Space. However, despite promises of eventually being provided a dedicated set, the support the duo received took a nosedive around mid-2017, with [=YouTube=] suddenly ''revoking'' many of their privileges and resources, even refusing to store a paper backdrop that Ashen made at his own expense in the studio. No official reason was given why for why they decided to let the channel bleed, but eventually the duo pulled the plug in 2019 in part due to their inability to access the recording space.

* This trope is the reason Apple created its own retail stores. One of the problems compounding the company's AudienceAlienatingEra in UsefulNotes/TheNineties was a lack of attractive displays in stores. Retailers devoted floor space to more popular ([[MoneyDearBoy and profitable]]) [=PCs=] instead of Macs, usually relegating them to a corner of the store, if they sold them at all. They also often left the machines turned off, crashed, or set them up without a mouse, leading to an unfavorable first impression with potential buyers. The fluorescent lighting also didn't help, helping show off the various PC beige boxes, but doing no favors for Apple's machines. Apple stores were created to give Macs and other Apple products an aesthetically pleasing showcase. Apple has since gone back to selling their products in major retailers, though they insist on its products on being presented in specialized displays.

* If there can be a comicbook example there likely won't be a bigger one than Creator/MarvelComics deciding to end all their series as a marketing stunt to promote the ''ComicBook/SecretWars2015'' event [[note]]The event starts with Marvel Universe being destroyed, the mass-cancellation was supposed to convince the readers the company is serious and doesn't plan to undo it[[/note]] and once it ended relaunching all the titles, majority of them with unchanged creative teams and picking up right where the previous series ended. Every single of those books suffered a huge sales drop as soon as issue #2, many ending up canceled for real, and the rest struggling to regain their previous position.

* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'': Jerry and George had been pushing for a long time to get their "show about nothing" approved by NBC. Finally, their first episode is aired and is successful. However, at the same time, the head executive who had approved the show goes AWOL and is replaced by a vindictive woman who cancels the show out of spite.

* In ''Literature/TheAmyVirus'', the teenage singer Amy Zander is forced by her label to record a song she hates. When she can't get it right, the label drops her and gets another girl to record it, and Amy herself falls into obscurity