‘Iron Chef’ ingredients aren’t so secret

Q: What happens to the reality shows that get cancelled before they ever get on the air? I was on “Real Nightmares” and CBS is not going to air it. I never saw my episode, either, and since it was such a life-changing experience, I would at least like a sneak peek at it. Know what they plan to do with it?    —Annette, Texas

A: It’s not often that shows are produced and then disappear without airing a single episode, but it does happen. More frequently, a new show will air an episode or two and then get pulled because of its low ratings. Recently, that’s happened to NBC’s “The Law Firm.” CBS’ “The Cut” bounced around to four different time slots before settling on Friday nights.

With the addition of the new FOX Reality Channel to some cable systems, some shows now have a place to go if their parent network kicks them off the air. This is actually a strategy for the new network, and its general manager David Lyle told Media Life that “we’re gathering other [shows] that didn’t complete their runs. We may band them together, [saying] ‘At last you can see the final episode.’”

FRC recently picked up FOX’s staged “reality” show “The Princes of Malibu,” and will soon air both ABC’s “The Will” (which was pulled earlier this year after just one episode aired) and FOX’s “Who’s Your Daddy.”

As to CBS’ “Nightmare on Elm Street: Real Nightmares,” which would have recreated frightening dreams for its cast members, it never aired a single episode, even though the series was shot and produced. Host Robert "Freddy Krueger" Englund told PhillyBurbs earlier this year that the series just didn’t fit on CBS’ packed schedule, and said it’s likely “gone forever.” However, he said there’s a tiny chance it could end up on CBS’ sibling network UPN, so cross your fingers or write to CBS.    —A.D.

Gael Fashingbauer Cooper is MSNBC.com's Television Editor. Andy Dehnart is a writer and teacher who publishes reality blurred, a daily summary of reality TV news.

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