If I don ' t know it ain ' t good , then it be good ? <| sep |> Networks don ' t try to intentionally kill shows they have invested millions of dollars in . What usually happens , as with Firefly , the network thinks a show isn ' t being well represented by the episodes currently airing and in a last ditch attempt to save it will put on episodes they think more fully capture what the show is about . And this attitude isn ' t wrong , as many shows take 6 to 12 episodes to find their footing while the actors find their footing with their new characters and the writers take notice of that plus have more of an idea where the show can go . Both Parks Rec and Community are prime examples of this . It ' s one of things that make network shows better in some aspects than the short run series on AMC , USA , FX and HBO . The showrunners writers get feedback from the first episodes and make changes that often save the show from cancellation .