5 TV Shows That Were Saved From Cancellation By Fan Campaigns

Never underestimate the power of protest. History has shown that arguing against unpopular decisions can lead to bona fide change that benefits society — and also save great TV shows from the chopping block.

No matter how dumb some TV show cancelations might seem, the decision to end them is usually final. Every once in a while, though, fans form like Voltron and use their voices to restore faith in series that networks were ready to give up on for whatever reason — low ratings, creative differences, a lack of faith, etc. Sometimes, these efforts have led to shows getting an extended run on the air; other times, they've delayed the inevitable but allowed a series to squeeze out a few more episodes.

Regardless of the outcome, none of these shows would have lasted as long as they did without fans rallying for their survival. Let's take a look at a handful of series that stuck around thanks to viewers like you going above and beyond.

Rob Thomas' "Veronica Mars" wasn't a massive ratings smash for UPN or The CW, but its third and intended final season averaged 2.5 million viewers per episode. This was a modest step up from Season 2, which averaged 2.3 million viewers. Unfortunately, the slightly increased viewership wasn't enough to convince CW to keep the Kristen Bell-led teen detective series on the air — but it wasn't the end of the road.

Thanks to a Kickstarter campaign, "Veronica Mars" returned in the form of a 2014 movie. The project reached its $2 million crowdfunding goal within hours and broke records on the platform. The Marshmallows' support ensured Bell's detective got another mystery to solve, but the story didn't end there. "Veronica Mars" returned for a short-lived revival on Hulu in 2019 ... only to be canceled again. Still, the movie and eight-episode fourth season probably wouldn't exist if fans hadn't fought to bring the show back from the dead.

The CBS detective series "Cagney & Lacey" premiered in 1982, originally starring Meg Foster and Tyne Daly as the eponymous sleuths. The series followed the pair as they tackled everything from crime to workplace sexism, becoming a critical hit in the process.

Despite the positive reviews, "Cagney & Lacey" was canceled after one season due to low ratings and CBS executives' feeling that the central characters weren't feminine enough. Speaking to TV Guide (via HuffPost), an unnamed former higher-up at the network revealed that they perceived the main characters as too ideological. "They were too harshly women's lib," they stated. "The American public doesn't respond to the bra burners, the fighters, the women who insist on calling manhole covers 'people-hole covers.' These women on 'Cagney & Lacey' seemed more intent on fighting the system than doing police work."

That said, the show clearly resonated with people. Avid viewer Dorothy Swanson — whose efforts to save "Cagney & Lacey" are detailed in 2018's "United We Fan" documentary — penned hundreds to protest the network's decision. It worked, as "Cagney & Lacey" was renewed and stuck around for another six seasons (with Sharon Gless replacing Foster as Christine Cagney from the second installment onward).

One of Jason Katims acclaimed shows, "Friday Night Lights" is a drama about football, but didn't score touchdowns in the ratings end zone. Without clear eyes and full hearts, NBC made the call to cancel "Friday Night Lights" after two seasons, leading to a passionate fan campaign to save the series.

Taking cues from the show's name and "clear eyes" tagline, fans sent light bulbs and eye drops to the NBC offices while kicking up a fuss online. The calls were heard, and NBC renewed the series as part of an agreement with DirectTV for three more seasons, ending in 2011.

Fast forward to 2024, and Peacock announced a "Friday Night Lights" reboot with original creators Katims, Tim Berg, and Brian Glazer in the quarterback position. What's more, the revival of the football-themed drama was reportedly at the center of a bidding war between Peacock, Netflix, and Amazon at one point — not bad for a series that was almost canceled.

After Fox made the unpopular decision to cancel "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" due to declining ratings following Season 5, fans immediately flocked to social media to demand justice for the beloved cop comedy. The #Brooklyn99 hashtag went viral with even high-profile celebrities, including filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, using their platforms to support the cause.

NBC executives noticed the outcry and picked up "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" the very next day for a sixth season, ensuring more Halloween heists and laugh-out-loud escapades from Detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and the gang. The cast and crew were quick to thank the fans, with Melissa Fumero giving them all of the credit for saving their show. "You did this!!" she wrote on X. "You got loud and you were heard and you saved our show!! Thank you!! Thank you to NBC!! NINE NINE!!!!!"

Fans ultimately said goodbye to the crew at Brooklyn's 99th precinct in Season 8, with over 2 million fans tuning into the finale. Noice, as Peralta would say.

While now regarded as the show that birthed a legendary sci-fi franchise, Gene Roddenberry's "Star Trek" faced an uphill battle to stay on the air in the 1960s. The series didn't deliver high enough ratings for NBC and was expensive to produce, so the network was more than ready to bring an end to the USS Enterprise crew's adventures following Season 2. However, fans caught wind of the network's plans, and thus began the campaign to save it.

The mission to save "Star Trek" was organized by spouses — and massive Trekkies — Bjo and John Trimble. The couple, who were active in the show's fan community, wrote to their fellow sci-fi enthusiasts and got them to help spread the word. Their mission was a success, as NBC greenlit "Star Trek" for a third and final season. Low ratings ultimately proved to be the death knell for the show, but the campaign that led to Season 3 coming to fruition set a precedent for fans using their voices to influence decision-making.