ABC Cancels Agent Carter & Castle
Last night, whilst most of us in the UK were sleeping, a number of US networks were taking to the ‘upfront’ battlegrounds, where they announce what shows would be commissioned, and what would be stabbed through the heart and left to bleed out on the cold hard ground of cancellation. There are still some shows hiding out in the wilderness, their fate to be determined, but here is a run down of what we have so far… Welcome to the opening salvo of TV Bloodbath 2016…
ABC were particularly ruthless this year, although that comes as no great surprise, as Disney-ABC has a new President looking to make his mark on the network. Most disappointing for us here at Geektown was the cancellation of Agent Carter. Whilst it’s numbers had dipped a lot in it’s 2nd season, we had hoped for a last minute reprieve. Sadly it was not to be. Nashville also took a cancellation dagger through the heart after 4 seasons (although is being shopped around to other networks), as did the network’s longest running drama Castle. There had been some talk of the 8 season strong show getting renewed, but it seems a controversial sacking your female co-lead is not the way to win over fans, and so it got the axe. Not even The Muppets could escape ABC’s wrath, as Kermit and friends were taken behind the woodshed and disposed of… Not content with just cancelling shows that have aired, they also announced the network would not be picking up the Agents of SHIELD spin-off Marvel’s Most Wanted. Disney was definitely more Maleficent than Snow White this season!
Things at CBS were a little less violent. Supergirl escaped the battle by flying off to join her fellow DC heroes on The CW. However, the last son of CSI wasn’t so lucky, with CSI:Cyber being taken down after only 2 seasons, bringing the long running franchise to an end. The Good Wife, Mike & Molly, and Person Of Interest had already been cancelled by the network. That still leaves Rush Hour, Limitless, and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders on the battlefield. The latter 2 shows are looking good for renewal. Rush Hour… not so much…
Fox seems to have lost it’s sense of humour, and canned a raft of freshmen comedy series. Rob Lowe’s The Grinder got ground, Grandfathered starring John Stamos didn’t manage to make it to old age, and Bordertown closed it borders.
The CW had been particularly benevolent this year, handing out renewals to nearly everyone. That didn’t however, stop them stabbing Julie Plec’s new show Containment through the heart after only 4 episodes on air.
The bloodbath will carry on throughout May as the ‘Upfront’ presentations continue. If you want to keep track of renewed and cancelled shows, check out the Renewed/Cancelled page here.
