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Superman is a pop-culture phenomenon that has stood the test of time, from cartoons, movies, and comic books, people just can't get enough of The Man of Steel. In fact, DC's most iconic hero has been so successful that you might wonder why there haven't been more spinoffs that focus on Superman when it comes to TV. There have been attempts: recent examples include "Supergirl" over on CBS and "Krypton" aired on SyFy about a decade ago, but one earlier live-action adaptation would have been a massive hit if it ever made it to series. "The Adventures of Superboy" was a canceled '60s Superman show that could have been a classic in the genre if it had gotten the push the show needed. Instead, it lives on as a curiosity of a bygone era of TV.

"The Adventures of Superboy" was a TV pilot produced in 1961, fresh off the...

Quick Links The First Live-Action Superman TV Series Essentially Had Two Pilot Episodes Superman & Lois Is the Most Unique Adaptation of the Man of Steel's Story Yet Smallville Was a Revolutionary Television Series That Inspired All That Followed It Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Is One of the Best Stories

While all eyes are on the big-screen adaptations, some of the best Superman stories have been told on television. After Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created the world's most iconic superhero, he quickly jumped from the pages of comics to radio, film serials, animation and feature films. There have been five live-action series about Kal-El, and of those TV shows' pilot episodes only one is a truly excellent Superman "movie." Kirk Alyn first played Superman in two 15-chapter film serials. While appearing on the big screen, they were essentially television series before the technology was popular.

The Man...

Science fiction TV shows have a shorter shelf life than cryptocurrencies and social media influencers. What gives? It's not that complicated: big budgets + low ratings = cancellation. Hey, those space-age sets and costumes, alien makeup, and CGI aren't cheap. Meanwhile, passionate fans may sign petitions by the thousands, but ratings are what matters, and those fanbases are too small to impress execs trying to court advertisers.

Given the economics of television, it's not shocking TV studios routinely dump pricey sci-fi shows in favor of the newest "Big City Cop Show" procedural. To be honest, it's surprising sci-fi shows get made at all. Yep, it sucks, but that's show business. While it's easy to explain why most sci-fi TV shows get canceled, the reasons for some cancellations are downright baffling. These include sci-fi shows that were dropped despite decent ratings, canned with fully completed seasons, or even dumped after inspiring hunger strikes!