CBS Passed On This Medical Drama That Became A Major Hit For ABC
Networks don't always make the right choices when it comes to greenlighting projects — but CBS once passed on one of the best medical dramas of all time — it ended up becoming a major hit for another huge network: ABC.
It all started with actor Daniel Dae Kim, who was starring in the CBS reboot of "Hawaii Five-0" when the hit South Korean drama "The Good Doctor" premiered in 2013. He saw the show's potential for an adaptation and quickly secured the rights for an American version through his production company, developing the series for CBS because he was already working for the network.
But despite ordering a script from Kim, CBS ultimately declined to make a pilot. "CBS actually passed on it twice," Kim told The New York Times in 2017. "That was really unfortunate to me, because they were my home studio. I really wanted to bring something home to them."
Kim then bought back the rights from CBS and brought on "House" creator David Shore through a partnership with Sony — and that version went on to get the attention of ABC, which premiered the series in 2017 and saw it rank ninth overall (fifth in scripted shows) in the broadcast rankings that season.
Daniel Dae Kim's relationship with CBS soured after rejection
"Hawaii Five-0" actor Daniel Dae Kim really believed in his "The Good Doctor" reboot, but it appears that his relationship with his home network may have unfortunately gone sour after they decided not to make the show. More details on Kim's relationship with CBS came to light in 2017, when he and his "Hawaii Five-0" costar Grace Park left the series after seemingly hinting that the network's financial offers to them were not on par with the salaries presented to their white costars.
Kim nodded to the dispute in his departure statement at the time, but never fully confirmed his reason for leaving the series. "The path to equality is never easy," he wrote via his official Facebook page.
Between passing on "The Good Doctor" and internal negotiations, CBS lost Kim and missed out on a hugely successful show. ABC, on the other hand, turned the series into a hit. Kim joined "The Good Doctor" as a producer and a recurring cast member.