This is a "history of the show" note written by Ed Naha on why the show was cancelled after season two. It is reposted from the Virus Sinbad website.

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DEAR NOMADS,

Well, it's official. We're dead meat. But, here's the deal. It wasn't because of the show, it certainly wasn't because of the fans, it was just because All-American was bought out by a British company, named Pearson, who pulled the plug on their involvement with the show. That's it. That's all. It wasn't ratings. It wasn't the show failing in the foreign markets (Atlantis was addressing that.). It was just because Pearson pulled the plug. Now, it's over. So, thanks to Virus, I can give you a brief history of the show.

THE FIRST SEASON-

Sinbad was something I tried to launch as a feature after I wrote HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS. I was laughed out of town. I kept it on the back burner and, three years ago, I wound up with a TV deal at Columbia/Tri-Star, owned by Sony. They OWN the original Ray Harryhausen SINBAD films. I wanted to pitch it to them. They wouldn't meet with me. The scoffed over the phone. A few months later, I sold it to All-American Television. It lingered in limbo until All-American brought in Atlantis as a Canadian co-producer. It was sold instantly. So instantly, however, that I was still writing the two- hour in March of 96, when we were slated to begin production for 22 eppys in June. So, we were always behind. We managed to get a great cast and two great producers, so things weren't too crazy. There were political nightmares that resulted in near-anarchy and there were problems on the set. Yet, somehow, we created, what, I thought, was a great show. Zen, in my mind, will always be the ultimate Sinbad. George was the ultimate big brother. Oris? The best BEST friend. Tim? The best nutty scientist. Jackie? The best Celtic lass, this side of "The Quiet Man." But, there were problems on the set. Problems I didn't think could not be overcome. Others felt otherwise.

THE SECOND SEASON-

We finished first of all the new one-hours, that year, in spite of the craziness. Still, for some, that wasn't enough. All-American got a few focus groups together and, then, decided that the show was too "Disney." Now, bear in mind, we were the highest rated new syndicated show around. So, they decided to make the show DARKER, SEXIER, to attract the BAYWATCH crowd. About this time, I found out that we had German TV backers who, apparently, were sold this show as "Baywatch In Baghdad." Jiggle and swords. That was never my idea. And, so, the show was "taken over" by the President of All-American.

Jackie's departure was a shock to me. As it was to all the cast. It happened in one day. With no advance warning. So, I had to come up with a new character. Suddenly, I found myself taking orders. I was in the back seat. This came as a shock for Zen and I, we had become great friends and I consider him a true genius. We were saddled with an approach neither one of us liked. Riding to the rescue was Mariah, who jumped into the fray on a moment's notice (and a moment's creation, since I had no time to work things out...however, I came up with a through-line that would have played out fine.).

But, my biggest challenge was, the President didn't care about the first season at all. So, out went all our backstories and, essentially, the Sinbad universe we had so carefully crafted. I HAD a backstory for Mariah that CONNECTED with the first season. That was dismissed. More action! More boozooms! Okay, I could try to work around that. But wait! There was more! Egad!

A single season in syndication has 22 episodes. I had 47 outlines thrown out for no reason by the President, largely because they weren't dark or sexy enough. They were, however, magical and wonderful.

No dice.

We were all on the ropes. Then, I figured out, that, since everyone at All-American was operating out of a sense of panic, (WE NEED RATINGS LIKE XENA OR HERCULES!...which took a couple of years to get that way...and has a largely female audience) I decided to listen to the President, who was a big Turner old movie fan. I found that the only stories I could get through were stories that reminded him of old moves...movies that played on Turner. So, I wound up actually reading TV guide weekly, as soon as it hit the stands, seeing what movies played the most on any given week...and plotting accordingly.

Somehow, with the able assistance of the cast, the two new producers (also excellent), our most excellent crew, Craig Volk and Sandy Gunter (my writing staff) and freelancers like Jim Novack, we managed to film some damned good shows in spite of the insanity during the second season.

The cast was my Dream Team and, no matter how much insanity was put upon them, they delivered. And DELIVERED MOST EXCELLENTLY. The crew was put into almost impossible situations (like when the President demanded countless and hackneyed re-shoots, including the creation of a monster that looked like a Wizard of Oz tree with gout), but they shone brightly.

We got by. We lost some of our original "family" fans, as I had warned the gurus at All-American when they decided to go dark and brooding. But no one would cop to that. And so it went. Our ratings went down about a half a crucial point.

THE THIRD SEASON-

Pearson, a British company, bought out All-American late last year. No big deal, I thought. Our ratings, thanks to our loyal fans, weren't all that bad. Tribune Entertainment, which distributed us, had us lined up for a third season. It looked as if the President would cede editorial control back to me and his V.P., the fellow who brought the show to All-American in the first place. Zen and I met and had grand plans for the third season, bringing back Rumina, Dim-Dim and Turok and revealing Bryn's past and then....?

Pearson punked out. The President quit. And, so, the show died.

I don't know what more to tell you. Shows with lesser ratings than us were renewed for next year. Pearson has dished up about half a dozen reasons for the failure of the show, none of them true. The real reason that our show went down? Politics. A few of the SAME PEOPLE who ordered the show be changed and who felt they were mistreated by the then President, shoved the knives in his back when he left the company. ALL THE SHOWS he was connected with were either cancelled or killed, stillborn.

So, what can I say to you all. I love you. I'm glad you shared my dream. It's ALL OF YOU WHO MADE MY DREAM COME TRUE. I have other dreams.

As for me? I'm moving on. I was offered and I have accepted the co-executive producer spot on the fall season of HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS. It's based on a movie I wrote nine years ago. Sandy Gunter will come with me. Hopefully, Craig Volk as well.

Have I abandoned Sinbad or my cast? Hell, no. If you guys raise a ruckuss and get us back on the air via a TV movie, or a third cable season, I'll be there in a New York heartbeat.

I'm developing a project for a couple of my cast and I'm hoping to get a few of them on Honey as guests.

So, that's the tale, lads and lassies. But, in spite of the insanity, the eye-rolling, the days when all of us bellowed high into the sky just to relieve the pressure...it's been one hell of a ride. I grew up watching the old Sinbad movies and I wanted to pass the magic, the wonder, the sense of "spirit" onto you. And I did. And you were there for me.

And, if I never get to do another "Sinbad," maybe one of you, ten, twenty years from now, will figure..."Gee, I saw this TV show, once, a long time ago. I liked it. Maybe I can do something NEW with it." and so it goes, Magic continues. It's all around us. It's in the birth of a baby and the growth of a flower. You will make it flow.

bestest to you, now and forever, ed.
Chief Cook and Bottle-Washer, The Nomad.