Disney's 65 episode policy
Disney's 65 Episode Policy is a commonly referenced company guideline for television shows produced by
Disney. The policy is not official, but is perceived to be a standard practice that limits television shows to
65 episodes, to prevent stagnation and to help increase the amount of shows in the Disney repertoire.
The
65 episode limit is not unique to Disney, and is in fact practiced by many
animated programs. This is most likely due to the fact that
65 episodes is considered the minimum number needed for
syndication.
The
65th Episode Rule was a controversial rule that applied to all Disney television shows, particularly during the later half of the 1990s and the early half of the 2000s, stating that no show can go beyond
65 episodes (2 or 3 seasons). This rule angered many Disney Channel fans, due to the fact that many shows had been canceled while they still had a large fanbase (such as
Lizzie McGuire and
Even Stevens). After initially ending after
65 episodes on February 22, 2005,
Kim Possible was renewed for a fourth season on November 29, 2005, making the show the last to be subject to this rule. No other show on the network has been canceled due to this rule.