While the show extremely popular amongst viewers it was being met with backlash by the media and certain advocates stating that the show was giving a spot light to "gun nuts" and conspiracy theorists. A petition was filed on a popular website to get the show cancelled heavily sighting that one of the Sandy Hook gunmen was an avid prepper and the show had a famous gun rights advocate set to be featured in an episode in 2013 but the episode had to be pulled for this very reason. The risk of the show "inspiring violent action" became too great and despite the fact that it was the highest rated show on National Geographic at the time, they caved to pressure and agreed to cancel it