This 20-Episode Superhero Series Series Was Quietly Cancelled Before It Even Had a Chance

The best shows run for at least several seasons…right? Unfortunately, no. Series quality is rarely connected to a show’s runtime. For example, Netflix’s Emily in Paris has been renewed for its sixth season despite being largely known for its poor quality, but fans love to hate-watch it. Moreover, there are shows like Freaks and Geeks and Firefly, which were cancelled after only a season but are still missed and have since become cult classics.

No Ordinary Family may not have become a cult classic like Freaks and Geeks, but it is frequently mentioned in lists of shows that were overlooked and victims of the network television ratings machine. Despite having a strong start, the series was quickly forgotten, and before we knew it, it was cancelled and fell to the wayside.

What Is ‘No Ordinary Family’ About?

After their plane crashes in the Amazon rainforest, the Powell family develops superpowers. The father, Jim (Michael Chiklis), has super strength; the mother, Stephanie (Julie Benz), has super speed; their daughter, Daphne (Kay Panabaker), is telepathic; and their son, JJ (Jimmy Bennett), has superintelligence. The superhero series blended family drama, crime drama, and a bit of dramedy. They return to their suburban life and must deal with criminals with superpowers, while their mother, a doctor at a lab, investigates the source of their abilities. A conspiracy is uncovered by Dr. King, and the entire series ends on a cliffhanger that is never resolved. The team behind the scenes is notable, with one of the creators being Greg Berlanti, who went on to create many more superhero shows, including the CW’s Arrowverse.

Why Was ‘No Ordinary Family’ Cancelled?

No Ordinary Family was cancelled for several reasons. Firstly, the series achieved impressive premiere ratings – 10.69 million viewers. Unfortunately, the series couldn’t maintain its momentum and saw sudden drops in viewership, including 16% in week two and 15% in week three. It couldn’t overcome its competition in the very competitive years of 2010 and 2011. And while some streamers and networks may acknowledge a show’s potential and renew a series for a second season these days, at the time, networks did not see the value in potential and only wanted to see ratings.

Moreover, there were other signs that the series was losing the network's trust. Despite initially receiving a full-season order of 22 episodes in October 2010, ABC announced it would cut the series order by 2 episodes in February 2011. It was also clear that the network was cleaning its entire slate. Whether it was to cut costs or for other reasons, they were disposing of shows thoroughly. With No Ordinary Family, ABC also cancelled Brothers & Sisters, V, Detroit 1-8-7, Off the Map, Mr. Sunshine, and Better With You.

The writing may also have been on the wall in a couple of other ways. The second-to-last episode was moved to Saturdays, a notorious graveyard for television. And lastly, the cast started booking other projects while the show was still on the air. In early March 2011, the two leads had also signed on to two pilots — Chiklis for Vince Uncensored (produced by Conan O'Brien) and Benz for an untitled supernatural medical drama.

The ABC series also had some difficulty figuring out which lane it fit in due to its tone. Its multi-genre format made it unique, but it may also have led viewers to struggle to digest No Ordinary Family. At times, the series really leaned into the dramedy aspects and at other times into the superhero genre. Since 2010, we’ve had many shows that have mastered this unique blend of superhero storytelling. If you take a look at The Boys or any of the MCU’s shows, there is clearly an audience for it. Perhaps No Ordinary Family was just ahead of its time, and it would have performed far better now.

Unfortunately, the odds were not in No Ordinary Family's favor. It arrived at a time when networks weren't willing to take risks on shows that didn't deliver immediate ratings success. To be fair, this is still largely true today. But in today’s streaming world, cult followings and niche audiences may have more pull. As a result, the show may have found its footing and built a loyal fan base. The series had all the ingredients for success—a talented cast, an experienced creative team led by Greg Berlanti, and a story that balanced family dynamics with superhero action. But ABC didn't give it the chance to find its audience or refine its identity. Instead, it became a casualty of network television's impatience, ending on an unresolved cliffhanger that still frustrates fans today.