We live in the age of the TV revival – The X-Files, Twin Peaks, Prison Break, Roseanne... the list goes on. Popular series revived after years, sometimes decades, away from our screens.
But there are a few TV shows so resilient that they couldn't even be properly cancelled in the first place. Defying the networks, even the intentions of showrunners, this lot just wouldn't be kept down and continue to enjoy success.
Axed? Pffft.
1. Family Guy
Cancelled not once, but twice.
Yes, FOX took the short-sighted decision to pull Family Guy after two seasons, since the Griffins were being routinely bested in the ratings first by Frasier and later by Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
The network then made a last-minute call to reverse its earlier decision and commission a third season... after which Seth MacFarlane's animated sitcom was dropped for a second time.
But healthy DVD sales and top-rating repeat showings on Adult Swim caught the eye of FOX bosses, who then decided to revive Family Guy again in 2005. Since then, everything's been freakin' sweet, with 12 (!) further seasons following to date.
2. American Dad!
He lives a charmed life, does that Seth MacFarlane.
No sooner did his other animated series American Dad! reach the end of its run on FOX, then cable channel TBS picked it up for another season. The show's since aired another two seasons in its new home, with its 14th run of episodes (total) wrapping up this September.
3. Supergirl
The Girl of Steel managed decent but unspectacular ratings in her first year on CBS and it was unclear back in 2016 if the series would continue.
But at the eleventh hour, a deal was struck to shift Supergirl to the younger-skewing CW network, where Kara Danvers would join fellow DC heroes Arrow and The Flash.
A third season is airing right now on The CW, with a two-night crossover between Supergirl and her superhero compatriots lined up for 27-28 November.
4. Timeless
NBC's sci-fi romp Timeless appeared to run out of time in May 2017, when the network opted not to renew it for a second season. Series co-creator Eric Kripke (more on him later) revealed that he and his team were "trying to find another home" for the series, but acknowledged that the "odds [were] long".
Happily, they didn't have to bother. NBC went back and un-cancelled the series just days later, with Kripke insisting that the fan outcry over the axing was "a major reason" why the decision was reversed.
Your voice matters, people!
5. Power Rangers
The mighty (morphin') Power Rangers franchise almost came to an end after 16 years in 2009, with no plans to continue beyond that year's Power Rangers RPM (which starred Eka Darville of Jessica Jones and iZombie's Rose McIver, no less).
But the following year, Haim Saban, who originated the brand, bought it back from Disney and commissioned Power Rangers Samurai.
The universe has continued to expand since, with superbly-monikered seasons including Power Rangers Dino Super Charge and Power Rangers Ninja Steel.
6. Doc Martin
Reports surfaced in January that ITV's Doc Martin would come to an end after its ninth series in 2018, with series lead Martin Clunes (apparently) confirming the news himself.
But it appears that this was a false diagnosis and the show isn't terminal after all. Speaking to Digital Spy earlier this month, Clunes insisted that Doc Martin is still very much a going concern. While it's only been commissioned up till next year, there's nothing to prevent ITV from ordering more episodes.
It's unclear if his earlier statements were a misquote or if either Clunes or ITV changed their minds. Either way, the rumours of the show's demise were greatly exaggerated.
7. Supernatural
According to Dean Winchester himself, Jensen Ackles, Supernatural creator Eric Kripke originally "had a plan sketched for five years" when he started work on the series.
Season five's finale, which aired in 2010, was even called 'Swan Song' – and while Kripke did depart as showrunner at that point, Supernatural continued and is still rolling along to this day.
The show's 13th season is currently going out on The CW and Ackles, who was in his late '20s when the show begin, is now pushing 40. But according to Kripke, the show will continue as long as it's popular and so long as Ackles and co-star Jared Padalecki want to be part of it.
8. JAG / NCIS
NCIS regularly attracts between 12-13 million viewers each week, but the show – now, in its 15th season, one of the longest-running scripted drama series of all time – almost didn't happen at all.
Navy-themed legal drama JAG was dropped after a single season by NBC, with CBS coming to the rescue in 1997. That show ran for an additional nine seasons, with NCIS launching as a spin-off in 2003.
If JAG had never been saved, the entire NCIS franchise – which also includes further spin-offs NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans – would never have existed, let alone become a ratings phenomenon.
