While MAYA was making its U.S. network debut, Jay and Sajid each went on a promotional tour for the series. Sajid's schedule from September to November included appearances in New York, San Francisco, and Baltimore. In San Francisco, the local media reported that Sajid was missing company his own age while on tour. They helped resolve the situation when the KRON TV press chief had his sixteen-year-old daughter happily join Sajid on his rounds of interviews. Sajid and Jay were to meet in Los Angeles several days later in preparations to return to India to film the remaining eight episodes. However, production was delayed.
In 1967, the Nielsen ratings system determined which series would continue and which would be cancelled, based upon a small number of viewing households. Pitted against THE JACKIE GLEASON show, MAYA's time slot resulted in lesser than expected Nielsen ratings. In November of 1967, after two episodes had already been pre-empted, i.e., not giving the series any time to gain a larger audience, NBC announced MAYA would end in February. Fans of the series flooded NBC with petitions to keep the series and with fanmail for this "new actor" named Sajid. The influx of fanmail made a teenage Sajid the #1 recipient of mail among all actors at NBC. In addition, the teen magazines were beginning to feature Sajid on its covers and in colour posters. However, NBC held fast to its cancellation of MAYA. Perhaps with the logistics involved with filming deep in a foreign country, NBC deemed a spy series like THE SAINT as an easier series to manage.
In the 1990's, MAYA was rerun on the Turner Network. The series is considered by many to be a lost treasure - worthy of release on DVD.
In 1967, the Nielsen ratings system determined which series would continue and which would be cancelled, based upon a small number of viewing households. Pitted against THE JACKIE GLEASON show, MAYA's time slot resulted in lesser than expected Nielsen ratings. In November of 1967, after two episodes had already been pre-empted, i.e., not giving the series any time to gain a larger audience, NBC announced MAYA would end in February. Fans of the series flooded NBC with petitions to keep the series and with fanmail for this "new actor" named Sajid. The influx of fanmail made a teenage Sajid the #1 recipient of mail among all actors at NBC. In addition, the teen magazines were beginning to feature Sajid on its covers and in colour posters. However, NBC held fast to its cancellation of MAYA. Perhaps with the logistics involved with filming deep in a foreign country, NBC deemed a spy series like THE SAINT as an easier series to manage.
In the 1990's, MAYA was rerun on the Turner Network. The series is considered by many to be a lost treasure - worthy of release on DVD.
