A Medical Drama So Controversial, ABC Had to Cancel It After 2 Episodes

In more recent times, the first medical drama that seems to come to everybody’s mind is Grey’s Anatomy. It is now airing its 20th season, and, although not many people consider it to be as good as it was in the 2000s, there are still enough viewers to keep the show going and renewed for more years.

There are also such series as Chicago Med, or The Good Doctor, which nears its ending after becoming an internet phenomenon. However, none of them are coming close to the greatness of a scandal that prompted ABC to get rid of its 2000 medical show Wonderland.

Why Was the TV Show Wonderland Canceled?

Like almost every other TV show that isn't renewed on the network, Wonderland was officially canceled due to low ratings. What's so peculiar about this show, however, is that it wasn't canceled after just one unsuccessful season, as is often the case. It was pulled from the network after only 2 episodes.

Seemingly perfectly intriguing, well-produced, and even graced with a humming soundtrack by Madonna herself, Wonderland was set up to be a big hit, but ended up being canceled altogether.

The medical drama created by Peter Berg and starring Ted Levine, Michelle Forbes and Billy Burke, among others, was supposed to follow the hectic life of a mental institution from the perspective of both doctors and patients. Of course, such a premise called for extra caution in the writing, but back in the 2000s, these issues were easily overlooked.

The one-dimensional and often violent portrayal of patients in mental institutions, while somewhat realistic, dehumanized the people who actually suffered from these conditions. The episodes were considered so offensive that the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) even attempted to organize an advertiser boycott.

Naturally, after such an obvious backlash, Wonderland was pulled from the ABC schedule. In 2009, however, it was picked up by DirecTV, which aired all 8 episodes. It was also available on Hulu for a while while the service was still free.

Unfortunately, Wonderland is currently unavailable for online streaming, so all viewers have to remember about the show is the scandalous story behind it and a few memories of the fast-paced episodes.