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TV Dramas That Switched Networks
It isn’t unheard of for a TV series to air on one network and end on another network, but it isn’t quite as often as viewers may think or even wish for their favorite show when it’s cancelled.
The folks over at TV Line recently shared a list of 90 plus shows (comedies, soap operas and dramas) that have aired on one network only to switch networks to end elsewhere.
Since I have always been a fan of dramas more so than any other TV genre, I wanted to share the dramas that were included on that list. They appear in alphabetical order below, and I’ve added a few other details beyond what TV Line share:
9-1-1
On January 3, 2018, the drama 9-1-1 debuted on FOX where it aired for six seasons, totalling 96 episodes, before it moved to its new home on ABC where it has aired for two seasons, totaling 28 episodes. The show’s 9th season will air on ABC this fall.
Airwolf
The classic 80’s drama debuted on CBS back on January 22, 1984, airing there for three seasons, totaling 56 episodes, and then jumped over to the USA Network for its 4th and final season that lasted 24 episodes.
All Rise
The courtroom drama debuted on CBS on September 23, 2019 where it aired for two seasons, totaling 38 episodes before the folks over at OWN picked it up for its third and final season, airing 20 episodes.
Babylon 5
The sci-fi favorite debuted on February 22, 1993 in first-run syndication, which basically means it aired outside of any major network, running for four seasons, totaling 88 episodes, before it made the leap to cable TV via TNT for its fifth and final season, which consisted of 22 episodes.
Baywatch
The show that eventually became a worldwide phenomenon, debuted on September 22, 1989 on NBC, but that network cancelled it after only 21 episodes. However, series star David Hasselhoff didn’t give up and got the show into first-run syndication where it ended up running for 10 more seasons, totaling 212 episodes.
The Bionic Woman
The classic sci-fi series debuted on ABC back on January 14, 1976, airing 37 episodes, before it jumped over to NBC for its third and final season, which consisted of 22 episodes.
Buffy, the Vampire Slayer
The cult classic series debuted on The WB on March 10, 1997 where it aired for five season and a total of 100 episodes before it made a very unexpected move over to UPN for two more seasons that consisted of 44 episodes.
Cobra Kai
The small screen continuation of the box office franchise – The Karate Kid – got its start on YouTube Premium on May 2, 2018 airing for two season, totaling 20 episodes, before it made the big leap to streaming giant Netflix for four more seasons, consisting of 45 episodes.
Damages
The Glenn Close-led legal drama debuted on FX on July 24, 2007, running for three episodes and consisted of 39 episodes before it moved over to DirecTV’s Audience Network [exclusive to DirecTV users only) for two more seasons, consisting of 20 episodes.
Evil
The CBS horror-fest series debuted on September 26, 2019, airing on that network for only one season, which consisted of 13 episodes, before it was bumped over to its streaming service Paramount+ for three more seasons, which consisted of 37 episodes.
The Expanse
The Syfy space drama debuted on that cable network on November 23, 2015, airing there for three seasons, consisting of 36 episodes; then it jumped over to Amazon Prime for three more seasons, which consisted of 26 episodes.
Father Dowling Mysteries
Happy Days dad Tom Bosley starred as the Chicago priest and would-be detective in this genial drama that debuted on ABC on January 20, 1989, but it only lasted 8 episodes on that major network before being picked up by NBC for two more seasons, which consisted of 35 episodes.
Friday Night Lights
The popular drama, based on the box office hit, debuted on NBC on October 3, 20006, airing there for two seasons and a total of 37 episodes before it made the move to DirecTV for three more seasons, which consisted of 39 episodes. Ironically, all three of those last seasons aired on NBC following their run on DirecTV.
In the Heat of the Night
The small screen adaptation of the classic 1967 movie debuted on NBC on March 6, 1988, airing there for five seasons, which consisted of 96 episodes before it moved over to rival network CBS for two more seasons, consisting of 46 episodes.
JAG
The series that eventually launched the juggernaut NCIS franchise (look it up if you need more details) ran for one season on NBC, debuting on that network back on September 23, 1995 for all of 22 episodes before CBS picked up the cancelled series where it then ran for 9 more seasons with a whopping total of 205 episodes.
The Killing
The psychological thriller debuted on AMC on April 3, 2011, airing on that cabler for three seasons, which consisted of 38 episodes before it moved over to the streaming giant Netflix for its fourth and final season, which consisted of only six episodes.
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Part of the juggernaut Dick Wolf franchise, this installment debuted on NBC on September 30, 2001, airing there for six seasons and a total of 133 episodes before it made the move over to NBC’s sister network – the USA Network – for four more seasons, consisting of 62 episodes.
Law & Order: Organized Crime
This installment debuted on NBC on April 1, 2021, airing on that network for four seasons, consisting of 65 episodes before it was moved over to NBC’s streaming service Peacock where it aired a 5th season, consisting of 10 episodes. The show has yet to be renewed for a sixth season, though.
Longmire
The western-themed cop show debuted on the cable network A&E on June 3, 2012, airing there for three seasons, consisting of 33 episodes before it made the leap over to streamer Netflix for three more seasons, which consisted of 30 episodes.
Lucifer
The fan favorite FOX drama about the devil debuted on January 25, 2016, airing on that network for three seasons, which consisted of 57 episodes before it also moved over to the streaming giant Netflix for three more seasons, which consisted of 36 episodes.
Magnum P.I.
The reboot of the classic Tom Selleck-led series debuted on CBS (also the home of the original) on September 24, 2018, airing there for four seasons and a total of 76 episodes before it was unceremoniously canceled. But NBC picked it up for its fifth and final season, which consisted of 20 episodes.
Manifest
The time travel drama debuted on NBC on September 24, 2018, airing on that network for three seasons, which consisted of 42 episodes, but it was then cancelled only to be picked up by Netflix for a 4th and final season that consisted of 20 episodes.
Matlock
The original series, which starred Andy Griffith in the title role, debuted on NBC back on March 3, 1986, running on that network for six season, totaling 128 episodes before it made the jump over to rival network ABC for three more seasons, which consisted of 58 episodes.
Medium
The NBC supernatural fantasy series debuted on January 3, 2005, airing there for five seasons, which consisted of 95 episodes before it made the move over to CBS for two more seasons, consisting of 35 episodes.
Nashville
The music-filled drama made its debut on ABC on October 10, 2012, where it ran for four seasons, consisting of 86 episodes before it made the leap over to the cable network CMT where it aired for two more seasons, consisting of 38 episodes.
The Orville
The space parody series debuted on FOX on September 10, 2017, and ran there for two seasons, which consisted of 26 episodes before it moved over to the streaming service Hulu for one more season, which consisted of 10 episodes.
Poltergeist: The Legacy
The classic 80’s movie was brought to the small screen in this TV adaptation that debuted on April 21, 1996 on the cable network Showtime. It ran there for three seasons, consisting of 65 episodes before it moved over to Sci-Fi (nee Syfy) for its 4th and final season, which consisted of 22 episodes.
Roswell
The alien teen drama debuted on The WB on October 6, 1999 and ran on that network for two seasons, consisting of 43 episodes, before it was canceled. However, the show was given an 11th hour save by UPN where it aired for its third and final season, which consisted of 18 episodes.
Scream: The TV Series
Based on the franchise of movies, this small screen adaptation debuted on MTV on June 30, 2015, airing on that cable network for two seasons, consisting of 20 episodes before it moved over to rival network VH1 for its third and final season, which consisted of 10 episodes.
SEAL Team
Much like Evil, this military-themed drama debuted on CBS on September 27, 2017, airing on that network for four-plus seasons, which consisted of 84 episodes before it was moved over to the network’s streaming service Paramount+ where it ran for three more seasons, which consisted of 30 episodes.
Silk Stalkings
This Stephen J. Cannell-created police drama debuted on CBS back on November 7, 1991, airing there for two seasons, which consisted of 44 episodes before it made the move to the cabler USA Network where it aired for six more seasons, consisting of 132 episodes.
Sliders
The time traveling sci-fi series debuted on FOX on March 22, 1995 where it ran for three seasons, consisting of 48 episodes before it moved to Sci-Fi (nee Syfy) for two more seasons, which consisted of 40 episodes.
Southland
The acclaimed cop drama debuted on NBC on April 9, 2009 – but just like JAG and Baywatch before it – the series was cancelled after only seven episodes. However, the cable network TNT picked the show up and it ran there for four more seasons, consisting of 36 episodes.
Stargate SG-1
This drama was the small screen adaptation of the box office movie that ended up becoming a long-running TV franchise. The space adventure series debuted on Showtime on July 27, 1997, airing on that cabler for five seasons, consisting of 109 episodes before it made the jump to the Sci-Fi (nee Syfy) Channel for five more seasons, which consisted of 104 episodes.
Supergirl
The superhero drama debuted on CBS on October 25, 2015, but only ran for 20 episodes before the plug was pulled; however, The CW jumped in to save the show – which should have aired on this network since all the other DC shows aired there) – giving it a chance to air for five more seasons, which consisted of 106 episodes.
T.J. Hooker
The William Shatner-led cop show – that made Heather Locklear a small screen sensation – debuted on ABC back on March 13, 1982, where it ran for four seasons and 72 episodes before it made the move over to CBS for its 5th and final season, which consisted of 19 episodes.
Unforgettable
The CBS crime drama that focused on a woman with hyperthymesia, aka highly superior autobiographical memory [basically she remembers literally everything precisely] debuted on September 20, 2011, running on that network for three seasons, consisting of 48 episodes before it moved to the cable network A&E for its 4th and final season, which consisted of 13 episodes.
UnREAL
The Lifetime drama that took a look behind the scenes of a fictional reality series debuted on June 1, 2015, running on that cable network for three seasons, which consisted of 30 episodes before it moved over to Hulu for its 4th and final season, consisting of eight episodes.
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Wonder Woman
Just like The Bionic Woman, this classic superhero series debuted on ABC on April 21, 1976 airing for only one 13-episode season before it moved over to CBS for two more seasons, which consisted of 46 episodes.
YOU
This dark and twisted drama debuted on Lifetime on September 9, 2018, running for 10 episodes, before it made the jump over to Netflix for four more seasons, consisting of 40 episodes.
Younger
The quirky rom-com series by Sex and the City creator Darren Star debuted on TV Land on February 24, 2015 where it ran for six seasons, consisting of 72 episodes before it moved over to Hulu and Paramount+ for its 7th and final season, which consisted of 12 episodes.
Out of these 41 shows, which ones did you watch all the way through? Did you know that all of these shows jumped ship to a different network during their runs?
Please share your thoughts in our comments section below.
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