10 TV Episodes That Almost Never Made It To Your Screen

Television history is full of near-misses—those iconic moments we all love that almost didn’t happen. While we fondly remember classic episodes that defined our favorite shows, many of us have no idea how close some episodes came to being shelved forever.

The journey from script to screen isn’t always smooth sailing. These ten famous episodes somehow fought through major obstacles to become some of TV’s most memorable moments, proving that even massive hits sometimes hang by the thinnest of threads.

Related: 10 Interesting Stories Behind Famous TV Catchphrases

10The Star Trek Pilot That Nearly Killed The Franchise

Before Kirk and Spock became household names, Star Trek‘s original pilot episode “The Cage” got a thumbs-down from NBC bigwigs who thought it was “too cerebral” for regular folks. With a different captain (Christopher Pike, played by Jeffrey Hunter) and crew setup, the pilot was headed straight for the trash heap. In what was basically a TV miracle, NBC ordered a second pilot. Creator Gene Roddenberry recast virtually everyone (except Leonard Nimoy as Spock) and cooked up “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” which finally got the green light. Had NBC not taken this rare second chance on Roddenberry’s vision, we’d have lost one of TV’s most influential franchises before it even left the launch pad. The rejected pilot eventually found new life as the two-part episode “The Menagerie”.

9The Seinfeld Episode NBC Tried To Block

Season four’s “The Contest” episode of Seinfeld nearly got canned because of its eyebrow-raising subject matter about which character could remain “master of their domain” the longest. NBC execs were sweating bullets about broadcasting an episode centered on such a taboo topic, even though the script cleverly danced around explicitly stating what the contest involved. The story goes that creator Larry David basically told the network he’d walk if they didn’t air the episode as written. The network eventually caved, and the episode not only made it to air but scooped up awards and is routinely mentioned among the show’s finest moments.

8The M*A*S*H Finale That Almost Went Up In Smoke

The mammoth finale of M*A*S*H, “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” nearly crashed and burned due to major production headaches. During filming, a real-life brush fire tore through portions of the outdoor set in Malibu. Instead of throwing in the towel, the writers got creative and worked the fire into the script. The episode also hit snags with network suits worried about its movie-length runtime and heavier tone compared to the show’s usual mix of laughs and drama. Despite these hurdles, the finale aired on February 28, 1983, becoming the most-watched TV episode in American history at that point with a mind-boggling 105 million viewers.

7The Simpsons Christmas Special Saved At The Last Minute

The very first full-length episode of The Simpsons, “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire,” almost bit the dust due to some seriously rough animation. When producers saw the initial version of this 1989 Christmas special, they were horrified by how bad it looked—characters were off-model and inconsistent throughout. With the premiere date looming, the production team pulled all-nighters to salvage what they could. Network execs were ready to pull the plug entirely, but producer James L. Brooks somehow talked them into going forward with it. The episode finally aired, kickstarting what would become the longest-running American animated series ever.

6The Ellen Episode That Freaked Out The Network

The now-historic “The Puppy Episode” of Ellen, where Ellen DeGeneres’s character comes out as gay, faced tremendous pushback from ABC and its parent company Disney. Advertisers bailed left and right, and some affiliate stations threatened to just not air it at all. Network higher-ups were seriously worried about the potential fallout and warned DeGeneres she might be torpedoing her career. Despite all the hand-wringing, DeGeneres stuck to her guns, and the episode finally hit airwaves on April 30, 1997, drawing a massive 42 million viewers.

5The Breaking Bad Episode That Was Too Brutal For AMC

Season four’s “Salud” episode of Breaking Bad included a particularly bloody sequence that had AMC executives clutching their pearls. The scene showing cartel members getting poisoned at Don Eladio’s compound was deemed too graphic by network suits. Creator Vince Gilligan had to dig in his heels to keep the scene as planned. The irony? Breaking Bad was already on thin ice due to modest viewership in its early seasons and nearly got canceled before Netflix streaming helped it find a wider audience. Gilligan eventually won the battle, and the episode aired with its violence intact, becoming one of the series’ defining moments.

4The Game of Thrones Pilot That Was a Total Disaster

The original pilot episode of Game of Thrones was such a mess that HBO almost dumped the entire project. After blowing through about $10 million on the initial pilot, test audiences were completely lost—they couldn’t follow basic plot points or figure out who was related to whom. Co-creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss later admitted the episode was “a massive failure,” no sugarcoating it. HBO execs had their fingers hovering over the kill switch, but the creative team somehow convinced them to allow a massive do-over with significant recasting, including swapping Jennifer Ehle for Michelle Fairley as Catelyn Stark. They ended up scrapping and reshooting roughly 90% of the original pilot—an insane expense and gamble for HBO. The revamped pilot finally launched the series in 2011, sparking one of TV’s biggest phenomenons.

3When Sammy Visited In All In the Family

The episode “Sammy’s Visit” from All in the Family stirred up some buzz because of the scene where Sammy Davis Jr. gave Archie Bunker a kiss on the cheek. This moment was more than just comedic, as it also touched on racial tensions and stereotypes (especially for this early 1970s sitcom). While many viewers appreciated the boldness of the scene, some were caught off guard by the physical interaction between a Black man and a white character, given the show’s context. Despite any controversy for the time, the episode did air and even boosted the show’s ratings. It even recorded the longest on-screen laughter for the time at the moment of the kiss.

2The South Park Pilot That Left Test Audiences Horrified

Before South Park became the cultural juggernaut we know, its pilot episode “Cartman Gets an Anal Probe” bombed spectacularly with test audiences. According to Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the initial screening didn’t exactly have people rolling in the aisles, leaving viewers more confused and disturbed than amused. Comedy Central execs were seriously considering cutting their losses. The creators managed to convince the network to let them rework the pilot, which took an additional three months of animation tweaks. The overhauled episode finally dropped on August 13, 1997, launching what would become one of TV’s longest-running animated series.

1The Friends Finale That Got Caught In Contract Hell

The hugely anticipated finale of Friends nearly fell apart thanks to drawn-out contract battles. As season ten approached, the cast and Warner Bros. hit a wall over money for the final episodes, especially the two-part sendoff. The six actors had famously negotiated as a team throughout the series but faced their toughest standoff as the show prepared to wrap. At one point, network brass started cooking up backup plans for a shortened final season or an alternative ending. This drama came years after the show had already flirted with cancellation following season four because of earlier salary disputes. Eventually, everyone kissed and made up, allowing the finale to air as planned, pulling in a massive 52 million viewers when it finally broadcast on May 6, 2004.