MovieChat Forums > Eerie, Indiana (1991) Discussion > SUCH A SHAME! (reason for cancellation?)

SUCH A SHAME! (reason for cancellation?)


Some weeks ago, I was just walking thru the local DVD shop around here, when I suddenly came accros this 5 DVD box set of Eerie Indiana which included every episode. I was like "Hey, I watched this when I was a kid. Freaking cool" cause I actually didn't knew it was ever released on DVD. It's an import as well, as is seems it never even got released on DVD in my country. But oh well...so I bought it immediately and went home. I didn't remember much of the series but while I was watching, all memories came back to me. I recognized so many things right away. I really enjoyed every single minute of it. Freaking great show. So I was still wondering how could this every been cancelled? SUCH A SHAME!
So I checked IMDb and was looking at the original air dates, which are as followed:

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Season 1, Episode 1: Foreverware
Original Air Date: 15 August 1991

Season 1, Episode 2: The Retainer
Original Air Date: 22 September 1991

Season 1, Episode 3: ATM with a Heart of Gold
Original Air Date: 29 September 1991

Season 1, Episode 4: The Losers
Original Air Date: 6 October 1991

Season 1, Episode 5: Scariest Home Videos
Original Air Date: 20 October 1991

Season 1, Episode 6: Just Say No Fun
Original Air Date: 3 November 1991

Season 1, Episode 7: Heart on a Chain
Original Air Date: 3 November 1991

Season 1, Episode 8: The Dead Letter
Original Air Date: 10 November 1991

Season 1, Episode 9: Who's Who
Original Air Date: 17 November 1991

Season 1, Episode 10: The Lost Hour
Original Air Date: 1 December 1991

Season 1, Episode 11: Marshall's Theory of Believability
Original Air Date: 2 February 1992

Season 1, Episode 12: Tornado Days
Original Air Date: 1 March 1992

Season 1, Episode 13: The Hole in the Head Gang
Original Air Date: 1 March 1992

Season 1, Episode 14: Mr. Chaney
Original Air Date: 8 March 1992

Season 1, Episode 15: No Brain, No Pain
Original Air Date: 15 March 1992

Season 1, Episode 16: The Loyal Order of Corn
Original Air Date: 22 March 1992

Season 1, Episode 17: Zombies in P.J.s
Original Air Date: 22 April 1992

Season 1, Episode 18: Reality Takes a Holiday
Original Air Date: 12 April 1992

Season 1, Episode 19: The Broken Record
Original Air Date: 9 December 1993
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So are these air dates really official? Cause there are some huge date differences between each episode. You think that's what Eerie Indiana made cancelled? Cause I think it's such a great show that could have done so much better, than just one season...
Of course there was The Other Dimension...but that kinda sucked.

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I think there were a couple that never aired when the series originally ran on NBC, so when you see a big space between dates it means it was shown on another channel such as Disney. The Broken Record episode was actually filmed before the episodes with Dash X but for some reason it didn't air in the original time slot. I had never seen the Broken Record until I got the DVD set 2 yrs ago. It was actually 2 yrs ago today! Jan 22.

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Ah...I see. Well, thanks mate.

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I guess it was canceled because the 2 child leads grew up and didn't want to play two little boys living in weirdland anymore. Omri Catz and Justin Shenkarrow were 15 and 11 when they started filming in 1991.

I think the reality takes a ride (uk title?) one was meant to be the last because it was almost like a behind the scenes episode.

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What the HELL are you talking about!? It was only on for one year, how on earth did they outgrow their roles in one year?

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i think th broken record episode was the pilot,it didnt get aired in the uk.

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I absolutely loved this show!!! I was thrilled to find out a 3 disc collectors set is actually out here in the UK! Bought it today, cannot wait for it to arrive :D

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Ah, I know this show. It was broadcasted on the Dutch Fox kids channel around '99. We always watched this, although we were about 18 back then. It was just very cool.

It was about a few teenagers who experienced weird and unholy happenings. I liked its kind of dark but lighthearted atmosphere.

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I bought it too =P Used to watch it when I was younger and absolutely love it!!!!!

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I also remember this show, it was cool and Omri Katz was cute. But I kind of agree with spjk, it was probably because of that. These actors, after getting a big spark of fame, think they're too old to play in such a "dumb" series like Eerie Indiana...it was a shame though, it used to air on Fox Kids (Jetix) years ago and I saw a complete set of the episodes in Edinburgh while on my vacation. Unfortunately, I didn't buy it...oh, the temptation!! I regret that day...

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Well, no, it wasn't the actors. The show developed a cult following, but just didn't have enough viewers to keep it on the air. I remember a promo for new episodes where Marshall says, "We've gotten a lot of letters asking if we're gonna be on again... We're not dead yet!" as he and Simon set up a garage sale with weird items.

Dash-X and some of the other elements were added to try to attract more viewers but, unfortunately, it wasn't enough.

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I think I remember that promo. That's where I think the guy from Addams family says, "New episodes coming on March 1!"




"Ones best success comes after their greatest disappointments."

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Somebody get that promo up on youtube.

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It's a shame this show was canceled...critics really loved it, and it did indeed develop a cult following.

My memories of it were on FOX Kids. I was obsessed with it. I'm glad it was released on DVD, but only the first three episodes on R1 are remastered, and the rest are pretty poor quality. And surely they could have gotten some special features together. *sigh*

Maybe someone else will buy the rights and re-release it.

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So sad.

It was such a great show.

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this show as amazing. my best friend and I would watch it and then talk about it in school the next day. we saw a lot of ourselves in marshall and simon.

the time dates for the episodes are correct but that's basically the same type of run many shows got back then. they would take breaks here and there and show repeats. not like today where instead of running repeats, they air reality shows or replacement shows. it's a miracle we don't forget a lot of shows today exist. like on the USA network where we get about 13 episodes for a season and then have to wait a whole year for it to return.

anyway Eerie, Indiana did debut with big ratings and the critics loved it. they revamped the show by adding Dash X as a main character and adding John Astin as the real Mr. Radford. In total 18 episodes aired on NBC, where I watched the show. I never saw it when it was shown on The Disney Channel. I thought I read that there were hopes of getting the show renewed while on disney.

the 19th episode "the Broken Record" was shot before Dash X was ever introduced and was meant to be shown early in the season. this episode never aired on nbc but did on disney.

one reason i read that show got canceled was due to lack of ratings. every time the show went on its breaks the show kept losing viewers. not only that but when Dash X came on board, the show also lost more viewers who felt the show seemed different. either that or James marsden who played the character brought along his curse for canceling shows. looks like almost every show that james has been hired on gets canceled some time afterwards.

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I have called Jason Marsden the kid show version of Ted McGinley because when he joins a show, it jumps the shark. I like Dash X, but the show was definitely better before he came along.

I was happy with John Astin, though. Kids raised by television, especially when they have workaholic parents, I believe have TV parents, and John Astin was my TV dad. I got older though and realized that he was so dark on Eerie, Indiana he made Gomez Addams look like a quirky rich dude. The Real Radford is straight up frightening. I just don't see fake Radford sending anyone to their death by werewolf, which is probably why business was better then.

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I think the gaps in its programming might have been due to NBC still having NFL football at the time, and the show aired on Sundays.

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The show was cancelled because NBC put it into the death slot of Sunday night at 7, which is where NBC and Fox used as a burial ground for their shows that they didn't think would be massive hits in primetime.

After NBC cancelled the show, the unaired episodes aired on Disney some time later.

Then after Disney stopped airing it, Fox Kids picked up the show a few years later for it's Saturday morning lineup to get kids ready for the sequel series set in an alternate universe.

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Living in the UK, I think this show was immensely popular when it first aired. My understanding is that it hadn't been popular enough in the US for them to commission a second season, and we didn't get the first season shown over here until that decision was made.

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The reason it was cancelled was its being put against the CBS power house 60 Minutes.

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