William Shatner's Canceled Cop Show Was Saved By Moving To Another Network's Late-Night Lineup
When ABC struck down William Shatner's biggest show after Star Trek, another network swooped in to save the series and give it a second chance.
When William Shatner's TV series T.J. Hooker was canceled by ABC after four seasons, the actor expressed disappointment. Despite good ratings, critics panned the show, calling the cancellation "putting it in the ashcan it so richly deserves." CBS, however, seized the opportunity to air the fifth season at 11:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, alongside The Tonight Show on NBC, and ran reruns from the first four seasons during the same time slot on other weeknights.
Shatner, however, viewed this move as a downgrade for the series, stating he preferred moving up, not down, in terms of primetime slots. CBS also reportedly cut $100,000 from each episode's budget when compared to other cop shows. The series was ultimately canceled for good in 1986, but Shatner felt relieved to be done with the show.
Despite its overshadowed status by Shatner's Star Trek role, T.J. Hooker had loyal fans. A fan at a 2014 Wizard World Comic Con panel asked Shatner about a revival, but no plans materialized. In 2025, Netflix acquired the rights to create a reboot of T.J. Hooker, though the classic series is not at the top of fans' wish list for revival.
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