dᵻspˈaɪt ðə ʃˈoʊz səksˈɛs, ˌeɪbˌiːsˈiː dᵻsˈaɪdᵻd tə pˈæs ɔnðə sˈɪɹiz dˈuː tə tˈuː fˈæktɚz, fˈɜːst, ɪts vˈaɪələns æɾə tˈaɪm wɛn ðə nˈɛtwɜːk wʌz tɹˈaɪɪŋ tə wɪθdɹˈɔː fɹʌm vˈaɪələnt pɹˈoʊɡɹæmɪŋ, ænd sˈɛkənd, ðə nˈɛtwɜːks nˈuː "kˈaʊntɚpɹˌoʊɡɹæmɪŋ" fˈɔːɹmæt, ɪnwˌɪtʃ ɐ dˈɪfɹənt tˈaɪp ʌv ʃˈoʊ wʌz skˈɛdʒuːld ɐɡˈɛnst ðə nˈɛtwɜːk kˌɑːmpətˈɪʃən ɪn ðæt tˈaɪm slˈɑːt, sˈʌtʃ ɐz ɐ kˈɑːmədi ɔːɹ vɚɹˈaɪəɾi ʃˈoʊ ɐɡˈɛnst ɐn ˈækʃənɐdvˈɛntʃɚ ʃˈoʊ.
Despite the show's success, ABC decided to pass on the series due to two factors, first, its violence (at a time when the network was trying to withdraw from violent programming), and second, the network's new "counterprogramming" format, in which a different type of show was scheduled against the network competition in that time slot, such as a comedy or variety show against an action-adventure show.