Entertainment
A Complete List Of TV Shows Canceled In 2019
CBS
Is your favorite TV show safe from cancellation this year? For a lot of you, probably not. We're completely excited to see shows like Katy Keene and Nancy Drew take up a spot on our weekly viewings schedule, other shows have to go to make room for them. That only means one thing: TV cancellations. 2018 was a brutal year for canceled TV shows — it felt like everything — including Once Upon A Time, Shadowhunters, The Fosters and Roseanne — got the axe. This year isn't looking any better. Even in the first half of 2019, we've seen over three dozen fan-favorite shows get kicked to the curb by their heartless networks.
Though some have the chance to be saved by another network (like NBC did after last year's Brooklyn Nine-Nine cancellation by FOX), for others, we'll need to say goodbye for good.
Fuller House (Netflix)
Netflix
Genre: Comedy
Seasons: Five
Starring:
Candace Cameron Bure
Jodie Sweetin
Andrea Barber
Michael Campion
Elias Harger
Soni Nicole Bringas
Dashiell and Fox Messitt
Juan Pablo Di Pace
Scott Weinger
John Brotherton
Ashley Liao
Adam Hagenbuch
After four seasons on Netflix, the streaming giant decided that Fuller House deserved a fifth season, but that had to be its last. The show, which was a reboot of the '90s show starring Bob Saget, John Stamos, and the now-scandalous Lori Loughlin, saw most of its OG stars come back for an episode or two. The revival followed the story of the two eldest Tanner daughters. The only person who didn't come back? Michelle Tanner — aka Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The original cast made sure it was known they were not happy about the fashionista sisters snubbing them.
Legion (FX)
FX
Genre: Sci-fi Thriller
Seasons: Three
Starring:
Dan Stevens
Rachel Keller
Aubrey Plaza
Bill Irwin
Jeremie Harris
Amber Midthunder
Katie Aselton
Jean Smart
Navid Negahban
Jemaine Clement
Hamish Linklater
The third season of Legion will be debuting this summer, but that's it for the science fiction/psychological thriller/drama/superhero show. The series' creator always thought of the show as a three-season story and it appears the network agreed. Star Dan Stevens, who you may know from Downton Abbey will be starring in the upcoming spooky flick Blithe Spirit.
Travelers (Netflix)
Netflix
Genre: Science Fiction
Seasons: Three
Starring:
Eric McCormack
MacKenzie Porter
Nesta Cooper
Jared Abrahamson
Reilly Dolman
Patrick Gilmore
We know Eric McCormack has been busy with the Will & Grace revival, but Travelers fans were shocked and disappointed to hear that Netflix canceled the show like it has done to so many others. The star posted a video to his Twitter saying, "Let me say a huge thank you for your ravenous response to season three... who knows what the future holds but Travelers program one is complete."
Jessica Jones (Netflix)
Netflix
Genre: Superhero
Seasons: Three
Starring:
Krysten Ritter
Mike Colter
Rachael Taylor
Wil Traval
Erin Moriarty
Eka Darville
Carrie-Anne Moss
David Tennant
J. R. Ramirez
Terry Chen
Leah Gibson
Janet McTeer
Everyone had a good idea that the remaining Marvel shows on Netflix would probably get the boot soon as the Disney streaming service starts getting together. Netflix tried to hang onto their hugely popular Jessica Jones for as long as they could but ultimately decided that the streaming service was done with this female-led superhero show. The final season, three, will air later in 2019. Netflix's statement read, ". We are grateful to showrunner Melissa Rosenberg, star Krysten Ritter and the entire cast and crew, for three incredible seasons of this groundbreaking series, which was recognized by the Peabody Awards among many others. We are grateful to Marvel for five years of our fruitful partnership and thank the passionate fans who have followed these series from the beginning."
The Punisher (Netflix)
Netflix
Genre: Superhero
Seasons: Two
Starring:
Jon Bernthal
Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Ben Barnes
Amber Rose Revah
Daniel Webber
Paul Schulze
Jason R. Moore
Michael Nathanson
Jaime Ray Newman
Deborah Ann Woll
Josh Stewart
Floriana Lima
Giorgia Whigham
When Jessica Jones got the boot, so did this Marvel Cinematic Universe show (yes, they hold continuity with the movies). The two shows might find themselves on the Disney streaming service, but if they do, it wouldn't be for another year or so. Our fingers are crossed, but everything is so volatile in the media industry so we won't hold our breath. Krysten Ritter herself said her character's journey was finished on Instagram, after all.
Nightflyers (Syfy)
Syfy
Genre: Horror
Seasons: One
Starring:
Eoin Macken
David Ajala
Jodie Turner-Smith
Angus Sampson
Sam Strike
Maya Eshet
Brían F. O'Byrne
Gretchen Mol
After suffering from low ratings, the George R.R. Martin adaptation on Syfy was canceled. Since the author had an exclusive contract with HBO, he could not be very involved on the show which could be part of the reason Nightflyers never reached its full potential.
The Man in the High Castle (Amazon Prime)
Amazon Prime
Genre: Dystopian Thriller
Seasons: Four
Starring:
Alexa Davalos
Rupert Evans
Luke Kleintank
DJ Qualls
Joel de la Fuente
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Rufus Sewell
Brennan Brown
Callum Keith Rennie
Bella Heathcote
Chelah Horsdal
Michael Gaston
Jason O'Mara
Based on the book by Philip K. Dick, this show was imagining if the Nazis had been victorious in World War II. In 1962, Nazi's have control over the States and Japan has occupied San Francisco. The book and TV show adaptation tell the story of a young woman rebelling. It lasted four seasons on Amazon, the pilot was the streaming service's "most-watched since the original series development program began," but still, it got the boot.
Friends from College (Netflix)
Netflix
Genre: Comedy
Seasons: Two
Starring:
Keegan-Michael Key
Fred Savage
Annie Parisse
Nat Faxon
Jae Suh Park
Cobie Smulders
Friends From College season two was its last, as was announced by the co-creator Nicholas Stoller. He wrote on Twitter, "Friends from College will not be returning for a third season. Thanks to everyone who watched it." Later, Netflix confirmed the news right after it announced the cancellation of Jessica Jones and The Punisher.
Counterpart (Starz)
Starz
Genre: Sci-fi
Seasons: Two
Starring:
J. K. Simmons
Olivia Williams
Harry Lloyd
Nazanin Boniadi
Sara Serraiocco
Ulrich Thomsen
Nicholas Pinnock
Betty Gabriel
James Cromwell
After Starz canceled Counterpart in February, the show's executives decided they would shop it around to see if they could get it saved from cancellation by another network. Unfortunately, their tries were fruitless and they realized the writing on the wall in April.
The First (Hulu)
Hulu
Genre:
Seasons: One
Starring:
Sean Penn
Natascha McElhone
LisaGay Hamilton
Hannah Ware
Keiko Agena
Rey Lucas
James Ransone
Anna Jacoby-Heron
Brian Lee Franklin
Oded Fehr
Norbert Leo Butz
Annie Parisse
Melissa George
Jeannie Berlin
Bill Camp
You'd think a show starring Sean Penn would last at least two seasons, but that was not the case. The show wasn't properly marketed and the first season didn't have as many viewers as Hulu would've liked. Guess all their eggs are still in that Handmaid's Tale basket.
Into the Badlands (AMC)
AMC
Genre: Action
Seasons: Three
Starring:
Miles Millar
Starring
Daniel Wu
Orla Brady
Sarah Bolger
Aramis Knight
Emily Beecham
Oliver Stark
Madeleine Mantock
Ally Ioannides
Marton Csokas
Nick Frost
Lorraine Toussaint
Babou Ceesay
Ella-Rae Smith
Sherman Augustus
Fans had been waiting a while for Into the Badlands' second half of its third season, but when they got airtime, it was with notice that those would be the final eight episodes of the show. 32 episodes is nothing to scoff at, but I'm sure the fans wouldn't be upset with more.
Channel Zero (Syfy)
Syfy
Genre: Horror Anthology
Seasons: Four
Starring:
Paul Schneider
Fiona Shaw
Luisa D'Oliveira
Natalie Brown
Shaun Benson
Luca Villacis
Abigail Pniowsky
Marina Stephenson Kerr
Amy Forsyth
Aisha Dee
Jeff Ward
Seamus Patterson
Sebastian Pigott
Jess Salgueiro
Melanie Nicholls-King
John Carroll Lynch
Rutger Hauer
Holland Roden
Olivia Luccardi
Krisha Fairchild
Brandon Scott
Maria Sten
Steven Robertson
Barbara Crampton
Gregg Henry
Greg Bryk
Troy James
Diana Bentley
Steven Weber
The creator of this anthology show announced its cancellation with a lengthy Instagram post. "After 4 seasons, Channel Zero is no more at SYFY." He continued, "I loved making this show and I would have loved to do more… but I can’t complain too much about doing 4 stories I loved with people who I loved working with [...] People like our writers, our actors, our extraordinary crew, the artists who contributed, our editors and post team, our composer Jeff Russo, our team at Syfy and UCP. And especially the four awesome directors, Craig Macneill, Steven Piet, Arkasha Stevenson, and Evan Katz."
The Son (AMC)
AMC
Genre: Western
Seasons: Two
Starring:
Pierce Brosnan
Henry Garrett
Zahn McClarnon
Jess Weixler
Paola Núñez
Elizabeth Frances
Sydney Lucas
Jacob Lofland
David Wilson Barnes
James Parks
Shane Graham
Kathryn Prescott
The Son fans were waiting on season two patiently, but found out that season two was the final season just before those episodes were released. With a 52% on the TomatoMeter on Rotten Tomatoes, it's not a HUGE guess why it got axed so early.
Criminal Minds (CBS)
CBS
Genre: Crime
Seasons: 15
Starring:
Mandy Patinkin
Thomas Gibson
Lola Glaudini
Shemar Moore
Matthew Gray Gubler
A. J. Cook
Kirsten Vangsness
Paget Brewster
Joe Mantegna
Rachel Nichols
Jeanne Tripplehorn
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Aisha Tyler
Adam Rodriguez
Damon Gupton
Daniel Henney
Criminal Minds had a very, very good run. After dealing with actors leaving and telling stories that could literally keep you up at night. CBS decided it was time to end their long-running show. I guess it's out with the old and in with the new now that The Big Bang Theory is leaving CBS, too? Guess that means it's a point to Law & Order: SVU, which is heading strongly into its 21st season.
Catastrophe (Amazon Prime)
Amazon Prime
Genre: Comedy
Seasons: Four
Starring:
Sharon Horgan
Rob Delaney
Technically, we should be saying this show had four series because it's a British show, but you can't hate me for being consistent. The sitcom was nominated for Primetime EMMY Awards and BAFTAs during its four-series run, so Sharon and Rob can feel good about leaving their legacy behind.
I Love You, America (Hulu)
Hulu
Genre: Talk Show
Seasons: One
Starring:
Sarah Silverman
Sarah herself announced her show was canceled, writing on Twitter, "Well, Hulu cancelled I LOVE YOU AMERICA and we’re all pretty damn heartbroken. … So in traditional twitter funeral style, I’ll be RTing the love." It was one of two woman-led talk show canceled this year, proving that we still live in a patriarchy.
Last Call With Carson Daly (NBC)
NBC
https://tvline.com/2019/02/12/last-call-with-carson-daly-ending-nbc-cancelled/
Genre: Talk Show
Seasons: 18
Starring:
Carson Daly
Fine, some men are also feeling the heat form the changing media landscape. Carson Daly used to be a name we used all the time, now it's just a bullet on a looooong list of 2019 TV cancellations. Poor guy. Initially, the show was a traditional talk show, but it morphed to have various segments in order to keep up viewership. Clearly, that did not exactly work.
Stan Against Evil (IFC)
IFC
Genre: Comedy Horror
Seasons: Three
Starring:
John C. McGinley
Janet Varney
Nate Mooney
Deborah Baker Jr.
The first episode of every Stan of Evil season premiered right around Halloween, which should tell you a lot about the series itself. But sadly, after three seasons IFC decided to give the show the boot. The ratings weren't really ever anything to write home about, but they were steady. Creator Dana Gould announced the show's cancellation, writing, "Will it show up in some other form on some other network someday? Maybe." That's at least a little bit of hope for passionate fans.
Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists (Freeform)
Freeform
Genre: Teen Mystery-Thriller
Seasons: One
Starring:
Sasha Pieterse
Janel Parrish
Sofia Carson
Sydney Park
Eli Brown
Hayley Erin
Graeme Thomas King
Kelly Rutherford
Pretty Little Liars was a groundbreaking smash-hit that lasted seven seasons, but the same couldn't be said for its spin-off show, The Perfectionists. Though Sasha Piesterse and Janel Parrish from the original show reprised their roles, fans of the OG show were particularly upset with how creator I. Marlene King treated the relationship between Alison and Emily on the spin-off. Ultimately, the ratings weren't where they needed to be to earn a second season, and Freeform decided to give it the chop after just one season — much like PLL's OTHER spin-off, Ravenswood.
Suits (USA)
USA
Genre: Legal Drama
Seasons: Nine
Starring:
Gabriel Macht
Patrick J. Adams
Rick Hoffman
Meghan Markle
Sarah Rafferty
Gina Torres
Amanda Schull
Dulé Hill
Katherine Heigl
After the departure of Patrick J. Adams and Meghan Markle, and their replacement with Grey's Anatomy star Katherine Heigl Suits fans knew it would never be the same. Clearly USA Network knew, too, because they decided to cancel the show the very next season. The show did, however, get a spin-off called Pearson which will begin airing during Suits' final season this summer. When one door shuts, another one opens.
Trial & Error (NBC)
NBC
Genre: Mockumentary Sitcom
Seasons: Two
Starring:
Nicholas D'Agosto
Jayma Mays
Steven Boyer
Krysta Rodriguez
Sherri Shepherd
John Lithgow
Amanda Payton
Kristin Chenoweth
NBC decided against bringing Trial & Error back for a third season in early 2019, even though the first two seasons did garner very positive responses from critics and viewers alike. However, the ratings had been swiftly dipping every single episode since its premiere, making the third season a bigger risk than NBC and Warner Bros. were willing to take.
Vikings (History)
History
Genre: Historical Drama
Seasons: Six
Starring:
Travis Fimmel
Katheryn Winnick
Clive Standen
Jessalyn Gilsig
Gustaf Skarsgård
George Blagden
Gabriel Byrne
Alyssa Sutherland
Donal Logue
Alexander Ludwig
Linus Roache
Ben Robson
Kevin Durand
Lothaire Bluteau
John Kavanagh
Peter Franzén
Jasper Pääkkönen
Moe Dunford
Alex Høgh
Marco Ilsø
David Lindström
Jordan Patrick Smith
Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Vikings had a passionate fanbase, which is probably kept a show like this on air for six seasons. Sure, the show has been slammed for certain "historical inaccuracies" but, it's fiction — viewers shouldn't really expect it to get them through a history test. Even so, the show had good reviews from fans and critics alike, and it was calmly announced in early 2019 that the show would not have a seventh season because it had run its course.
Strike Back (Cinemax)
Cinemax
Genre: Spy Adventure
Seasons: Eight
Starring:
Simon Burke
James Dormer
Jed Mercurio
Robert Murphy
Tony Saint
John Simpson
Frank Spotnitz
Alan Whiting
Richard Zajdlic
Eight seasons is nothing to scoff at. After the show's premiere in 2010 garnered the best ratings Cinemax had received in five years, many knew that the show would be a mainstay on the cable network for a long time. In February, the series was renewed for an eighth season — and Cinemax announced it would be the last. However, since 2015 there have been talked of a Strike Back feature-length film, so season eight might not actually be the end of the story completely.
Love Connection (FOX)
FOX
Genre: Talk Show
Seasons: One
Starring:
Andy Cohen
You'd think anything Andy Cohen touched would be gold — he's had great success hosting the reunions for the crazy ladies of the Real Housewives franchise — and with the other successful reboots out there, a Love Connection reboot with Andy Cohen seemed like a good idea. Unfortunately, it only lasted two seasons before getting the boot from FOX network just under thirty episodes. The premise involved helping hopeful romantics find a parter after going on three blind dates. Andy's a new father, so maybe he's happy that Love Connection got canceled so he's got some extra time with the family.
Arrow (The CW)
The CW
Genre: Superhero
Seasons: Eight
Starring:
Stephen Amell
Katie Cassidy Rodgers
Colin Donnell
David Ramsey
Willa Holland
Susanna Thompson
Paul Blackthorne
Emily Bett Rickards
Colton Haynes
Manu Bennett
John Barrowman
Echo Kellum
Josh Segarra
Rick Gonzalez
Juliana Harkavy
Arrow started the whole Arrowverse on The CW which now includes The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl, so no matter what, the show has been a success. But a dip in ratings and fan responses led lead actor Stephen Amell to decide it was time to leave his DC superhero show. Obviously, there is no Arrow without The Green Arrow vigilante himself, so the show was renewed for one last season and will conclude with a shortened eighth season.
Crashing (HBO)
HBO
Genre: Comedy
Seasons: Three
Starring:
Pete Holmes
Crashing on HBO was a show that got pretty good reviews during the three seasons it was on air — its premiere season holds a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes! And while there was only one mainstay starring character — creator Pete Holmes, several other big names were guest stars including Seth Meyers, Rachael Ray, and Amy Schumer. There is still a possibility of more Crashing... executives have suggested the option for a full-length film to wrap up the series.
SMILF (Showtime)
Showtime
Genre: Comedy
Seasons: Two
Starring:
Frankie Shaw
Miguel Gomez
Samara Weaving
Rosie O'Donnell
SMILF may have been one of those shows like so many that came before it that failed because of a supremely awful title. (Remember Selfie?) That said, those who watched enjoyed seeing such complex women characters and it was even nominated for two Golden Globe Awards in 2018. Though the second season had ratings that weren't even half of the first season's, the true reason this series got the kibosh were rumors of misconduct on set. Namely, there were allegations that the creator and lead actress Frankie Shaw mishandled sex scenes and may have even separated the show's writers by race.
One Day At A Time (Netflix)
Netflix
Genre: Comedy
Seasons: Three
Starring:
Justina Machado
Todd Grinnell
Isabella Gomez
Marcel Ruiz
Stephen Tobolowsky
Rita Moreno
One Day At A Time was a reboot that fans desperately tried to save. However, Netflix made a statement that the show would not be renewed, writing, "[W]e spent several weeks trying to find a way to make another season work but in the end simply not enough people watched to justify another season." The ones who did watch, however, were passionate as the show was acclaimed for representing marginalized groups. The show itself centered on a Latinx family and had representation of a strong lesbian latina with her coming-out arc praised by LGBTQ+ advocates. Netflix continued on Twitter, "[T]o anyone who felt seen or represented — possibly for the first time — by ODAAT, please don’t take this as an indication your story is not important. The outpouring of love for this show is a firm reminder to us that we must continue finding ways to tell these stories."
For The People (ABC)
ABC
Genre: Legal Drama
Seasons: Two
Starring:
Hope Davis
Ben Shenkman
Jasmin Savoy Brown
Susannah Flood
Wesam Keesh
Regé-Jean Page
Ben Rappaport
Britt Robertson
Anna Deavere Smith
Vondie Curtis-Hall
Charles Michael Davis
It's possible the world has had enough of legal dramas because none seem to be as successful as the OGs — shows like Law & Order and Criminal Minds. For The People had fairly steady ratings during its first and only two seasons, TV networks are constantly looking for their next big show — and its meh reviews proved that this ain't it.
Splitting Up Together (ABC)
ABC
Genre: Comedy
Seasons: Two
Starring:
Jenna Fischer
Oliver Hudson
Bobby Lee
Diane Farr
Lindsay Price
Olivia Keville
Van Crosby
Sander Thomas
Most of us probably saw this one coming from the second we saw the first trailer for the Jenna Fischer show about a couple splitting up but living together still. Jenna was destined to be Pam on The Office and hasn't really fit any other role just as well. The first season was a short eight episodes, which barely gave viewers time to care. Even though the second season had 26 eps to make up for it, still, no one really cared. ABC killed this show along with several others on May 10.
The Passage (FOX)
FOX
Genre: Thriller
Seasons: One
Starring:
Mark-Paul Gosselaar
Saniyya Sidney
Jamie McShane
Caroline Chikezie
Emmanuelle Chriqui
Brianne Howey
McKinley Belcher III
Henry Ian Cusick
Vincent Piazza
There were three books that this show was based on, yet it only lasted one season. The show didn't get rave reviews so FOX decided to kill it before it had time to do much damage — plus they'd picked up four other dramas so they needed to make room in the schedule.
The Cool Kids (FOX)
FOX
Genre: Comedy
Seasons: One
Starring:
David Alan Grier
Martin Mull
Leslie Jordan
Vicki Lawrence
Another FOX show getting the 2019 cancellation treatment is The Cool Kids, a kind of Golden Girls-esque comedy about 70something year-olds nervous about having their popularity challenged by a newcomer. After one season, the mixed reviews caused FOX not to take a chance on this show for any longer — which is sad because the premise had a lot of potential.
The Kids Are Alright (ABC)
ABC
Genre: Comedy
Seasons: One
Starring:
Mary McCormack
Jack Gore
Sam Straley
Caleb Foote
Sawyer Barth
Christopher Paul Richards
Andy Walken
Santino Barnard
Tim Doyle
Michael Cudlitz
Sawyer Laucius
Jax Laucius
Created by Jim Doyle and based on his own childhood, this show was basically another The Goldbergs, except we already had The Goldbergs and didn't need another. The show took place in the '70s and followed an Irish Catholic family at the time. Sure, it may've been relatable but it didn't have that *it* factor.
The Fix (ABC)
ABC
Genre: Drama
Seasons: One
Starring:
Robin Tunney
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Adam Rayner
Merrin Dungey
Marc Blucas
You know there have been four shows called The Fix since the turn of the century? That's probably not a good thing. This The Fix was a mysterious drama that had only eight episodes before ABC decided they were so over it. It only had a 60% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and its ratings were dropping steadily every week. It was canceled on the "Black Friday" for TV, where networks cancel countless TV shows on one single day.
I Feel Bad (NBC)
NBC
Genre: Comedy
Seasons: One
Starring:
Sarayu Blue
Paul Adelstein
Aisling Bea
Zach Cherry
Johnny Pemberton
James Buckley
Another one-season-wonder, there was at least a decent level of hype for this NBC show when it premiered. It seemed like a timely show about the idea of women who try to "have it all" — work, family, success, etc. With Amy Poehler serving as executive producer, it had a lot of potential. But it never got the following that it needed to, so it's cancellation was ultimately not a massive surprise to anyone.
Speechless (ABC)
ABC
Genre: Sitcom
Seasons: Three
Starring:
Minnie Driver
John Ross Bowie
Cedric Yarbrough
Mason Cook
Micah Fowler
Kyla Kenedy
On Rotten Tomatoes Speechless has a 98% approval rating, so this cancellation was a bit of a surprise — especially because it not an extra episode ordered last year for a 23-episode second season. it was nominiated at the Television Critics Association Awards and the Writers Guild of America Awards in 2017, and in the days following the show's May 10 cancellation, there were several articles about how ABC's decision to axe the show was a huge mistake. In this day and age, though, if ABC decides that's true, they can always bring it back.
Angie Tribeca (TBS)
TBS
Genre: Parody Crime
Seasons: Four
Starring:
Rashida Jones
Hayes MacArthur
Jere Burns
Deon Cole
Andrée Vermeulen
Kiersey Clemons
Bobby Cannavale
Created by Nancy and Steve Carrell, you'd think this show would be the next The Office. Starring Rashida Jones, it's surprising more people weren't addicted to this show. Like so many other programs on our list, it was chopped on May 10 after 40 episodes, each of which centered on the LAPD solving a different crime-of-the-week.
Busy Tonight (E!)
E!
Genre: Talk Show
Seasons: One
Starring:
Busy Phillips
It isn't easy being a woman talk show host, and very few see several seasons of their show renewed. Busy Tonight got a lot of press and, still, was axed after one single season on E! The news of the cancellation came just days after a video of her on the show talking about getting an abortion as a teen went viral. At least in the short time that she had the show, she was able to make an impact.
Do You Want to See a Dead Body? (YouTube Red)
YouTube Red
Genre: Surreal Comedy
Seasons: One
Starring:
Rob Huebel
YouTube Red is trying to make a name for itself as a streaming service, but so far, it doesn't look like it's figured out the formula for another hit show. Do You Want To See A Dead Body? pulled out all the stops including countless celebrity guest stars. The concept for the show was inspired by Funny or Die Presents on HBO, but it was clearly a heck of a lot less successful.
Power (Starz)
Starz
Genre: Crime Drama
Seasons: Six
Starring:
Omari Hardwick
Joseph Sikora
Lela Loren
Naturi Naughton
50 Cent
Michael Rainey Jr.
Shane Johnson
Jerry Ferrara
Sung Kang
La La Anthony
Rotimi Akinosho
William Sadler
Andy Bean
David Fumero
Brandon Victor Dixon
Larenz Tate
Starz renewed show Power for a sixth and final season set to premiere during the summer of '19. While the first season because with a shaky start reviews-wise, they redeemed themselves in the seasons since, winning trophies at the NAACP Image Awards, and gaining accolades elsewhere. After the show's ending was announced, 50 wrote to Instagram, "I have 4 spinoff shows coming so don't trip."
Empire (FOX)
FOX
Genre: Musical Drama
Seasons: Six
Starring:
Terrence Howard
Taraji P. Henson
Bryshere Y. Gray
Jussie Smollett
Trai Byers
Grace Byers
Malik Yoba
Kaitlin Doubleday
Gabourey Sidibe
Ta'Rhonda Jones
Serayah
Morocco Omari
Xzibit
Bre-Z
Rumer Willis
Terrell Carter
Andre Royo
Nicole Ari Parker
Chet Hanks
Rhyon Nicole Brown
A.Z. Kelsey
Empire was making headlines for a lot of 2019, but unfortunately, it wasn't for anything happening ON the show. Instead, the news revolved around one of the actors, Jussie Smollett, who allegedly staged an attack on himself to look like a hate crime in order to get publicity. The charges were subsequently dropped, but there have been a lot of questions around his innocence. Therefore, many are thinking it's not a coincidence that FOX announced the show would be ending after its next season. Though the actor hasn't been fired from the show and could come back during the final episodes, FOX claimed there were "no plans" for that. Suspicious? Yes.
Whiskey Cavalier (ABC)
ABC
Genre: Action Dramedy
Seasons: One
Starring:
Scott Foley
Lauren Cohan
Ana Ortiz
Tyler James Williams
Vir Das
Josh Hopkins
Scott Foley has a passionate fanbase from his time on the ABC show Scandal, but he might be going to another network now that ABC canceled Whiskey Cavalier. Deadline reported after the cancellation that Warner Bros. TV would be asking around to see if there was any interest from other networks to pick up Whiskey Cavalier. So far, no luck, but never say never.
Star (FOX)
FOX
Genre: Teen Drama
Seasons: Three
Starring:
Jude Demorest
Brittany O'Grady
Ryan Destiny
Amiyah Scott
Quincy Brown
Benjamin Bratt
Queen Latifah
Miss Lawrence
Luke James
Michael Michele
Stephen Dorff
Lance Gross
Brandy Norwood
William Levy
Matthew Noszka
Like Whiskey Cavalier, the creators of this three-season teen drama aren't ready to say goodbye yet and are hoping another network or streaming service will save it from cancellation. It was often paired with Empire as the two were music-centric with diversity at the forefront — and existed in the same universe — though Star was for a slightly younger demographic. Unfortunately, because, the network claimed they wanted to give "Empire the send-off it deserves," they canceled Star to focus on it.
Rel (FOX)
FOX
Genre: Sitcom
Seasons: One
Starring:
Lil Rel Howery
Jordan L. Jones
Jessica Moore
Sinbad
Less than a year after Rel premiered in September of 2018, it was axed by FOX during its massive TV show cleanse that included Empire and Star. The overall consensus on the show was that it was nothing special, making the TV cancellation not a gigantic surprise.
Proven Innocent (FOX)
FOX
Genre: Legal Drama
Seasons: One
Starring:
Rachelle Lefevre
Russell Hornsby
Nikki M. James
Vincent Kartheiser
Riley Smith
Kelsey Grammer
Clare O'Connor
Another item of evidence proving that the world has had enough with legal dramas, Proven Innocent lasted one measly season before FOX sent it to the guillotine. Though the topic of wrongful conviction is a new spin on this genre, that is what we are all watching true crime for, is it not? A 25% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes is kind of all you need to know.
Santa Clarita Diet (Netflix)
Netflix
Genre: Horror Comedy
Seasons: Three
Starring:
Drew Barrymore
Timothy Olyphant
Liv Hewson
Skyler Gisondo
Santa Clarita Diet was a fun take on the popularity that zombies have seen in the past few years. It takes zombies from the post-apocalyptic world and instead moves their drama to the suburbs. It's funny, it's got Drew Barrymore, and it got three seasons — which is a lot more that Netflix can usually commit to, TBH.
Fam (CBS)
CBS
Genre: Sitcom
Seasons: One
Starring:
Nina Dobrev
Tone Bell
Odessa Adlon
Sheryl Lee Ralph
Brian Stokes Mitchell
Gary Cole
Nina Dobrev fans were really hoping that this would be a hit. The actress was previously known for her work in campy TV dramas like The Vampire Diaries and Degrassi, and clearly wanted to try something new. Maybe she can go back to Mystic Falls for the second TVD spin-off Legacies now?
Murphy Brown (CBS)
CBS
Genre: Sitcom
Seasons: One
Starring:
Candice Bergen
Faith Ford
Joe Regalbuto
Grant Shaud
Jake McDorman
Nik Dodani
Adan Rocha
Tyne Daly
Technically the 11th season, Murphy Brown was an original-cast revival of the '90s show. Candice Bergen did receive a Golden Globes nomination for her work on the rebooted show, but that wasn't enough for CBS to keep the show around for more than one revival season.
Happy Together (CBS)
CBS
Genre: Sitcom
Seasons: One
Starring:
Damon Wayans Jr.
Amber Stevens West
Stephnie Weir
Victor Williams
Chris Parnell
Felix Mallard
Can't lie — this show probably would have been more successful if they talked about Harry Styles's involvement more, and how it was based on his real story coming into fame. But the reviews were never that could, and in my recollection, the former One Direction guy hardly promoted it at all.
The Tick (Amazon)
Amazon
Genre: Superhero Comedy
Seasons: Two
Starring:
Peter Serafinowicz
Griffin Newman
Valorie Curry
Brendan Hines
Yara Martinez
Scott Speiser
Jackie Earle Haley
Superhero shows can be hit or miss. Freeform's Cloak & Dagger has picked up a committed audience, whereas ABC's Inhumans was canceled after one season despite being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe continuity timeline. The creator announced the news on Twitter, writing, "I'm sorry to say Amazon has chosen not to proceed with @TheTickTV... I'm not sorry to say I love this show, its cast, its story, and its message. Destiny demands that my compatriots and I now seek a new home for this series."
The OA (Netflix)
Netflix
Genre: Science-Fiction Mystery
Seasons: Two
Starring:
Brit Marling
Emory Cohen
Scott Wilson
Phyllis Smith
Alice Krige
Patrick Gibson
Brendan Meyer
Brandon Perea
Ian Alexander
Jason Isaacs
Sharon Van Etten
Paz Vega
Will Brill
Chloe Levine
Kingsley Ben-Adir
Netflix's most recent brutal cancellation is The OA, which was beloved by audiences and pretty buzzy — making its cancellation feel completely and totally random. It had received GLAAD Media Awards and the second season had a huge 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. WTF, Netflix? News of its cancellation started trending on social media almost instantly and fans are begging Netflix to either reverse its cancellation or for another network or streaming service to swoop in a save The OA.
Sneaky Pete (Amazon Prime)
Amazon Prime
Genre: Crime Drama
Seasons: Three
Starring:
Giovanni Ribisi
Marin Ireland
Shane McRae
Libe Barer
Michael Drayer
Peter Gerety
Margo Martindale
Jane Adams
Efrat Dor
Bryan Cranston of Breaking Bad fame was a creator of this show, so your guess is as good as ours for who the hell wants to get on Heisenberg's bad side. This three-season show about a conman was canceled by Amazon in early June, less than a month after its third season dropped.
Swamp Thing (DC Universe)
DC Universe
Genre: Superhero Horror
Seasons: One
Starring:
Crystal Reed
Virginia Madsen
Andy Bean
Derek Mears
Henderson Wade
Maria Sten
Jeryl Prescott
Jennifer Beals
Will Patton
Kevin Durand
Crystal Reed could have brought the Teen Wolf audience to Swamp Thing, but instead the show was canceled after just one season and the reasons why are somewhat mysterious. It was canceled only five days after its first episode premiered and DC Universe continued to air the rest of the season's episodes knowing the show wouldn't be going anywhere. Even stranger, early reviews of the show were quite positive. Realistically, the cancellation probably had more to do with weird corporate mergers and what not than the quality of the show. Which is a pretty big bummer considering Swamp Thing seemed to have a heck of a lot of potential.
Chambers (Netflix)
Netflix
Genre: Supernatural Horror
Seasons: One
Starring:
Uma Thurman
Tony Goldwyn
Sivan Alyra Rose
Marcus LaVoi
No one knows what Netflix is doing. After snagging a name like Uma Thurman, they canceled Chambers after just one season. The series followed a teenager who starts getting freaky visions after a heart transplant and these premonitions help her dive into the mystery behind her heart donor's death.
She’s Gotta Have It (Netflix)
Netflix
Genre: Dramedy
Seasons: Two
Starring:
DeWanda Wise
Anthony Ramos
Lyriq Bent
Cleo Anthony
Margot Bingham
Chyna Layne
De'Adre Aziza
Based on the '90s Spike Lee film, this two-season wonder was chopped by Netflix. The show got positive reviews from critics, but because Netflix doesn't release its viewership information, it's hard to tell how many people were actually watching it. Put She's Gotta Have It on the long list of shows canceled by Netflix for seemingly no reason at all. We thought the streaming giant wanted diversity in its program? Based on its cancellation decisions, that might not truly be the case.
Tuca & Bertie (Netflix)
Netflix
Genre: Adult Animated Sitcom
Seasons: One
Starring:
Tiffany Haddish
Ali Wong
Steven Yeuny
We're not exaggerating when we say people were crushed by the unexpected cancellation of Tuca & Bertie after one season. Many were critical of the streaming service for not giving the show enough of a chance to find a bigger audience and not adequately promoting it — especially considering that the show has an amazing 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This animated adult show seems prime for getting picked up by another network if Netflix will allow it, so we'll just have to be patient.
The 100 (The CW)
The CW
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Drama
Seasons: Seven
Starring:
Eliza Taylor
Paige Turco
Thomas McDonell
Eli Goree
Marie Avgeropoulos
Bob Morley
Kelly Hu
Christopher Larkin
Devon Bostick
Isaiah Washington
Henry Ian Cusick
Lindsey Morgan
Ricky Whittle
Richard Harmon
Zach McGowan
Tasya Teles
Shannon Kook
This TV show based on a book series of the same name was a quick hit among The CW's passionate audience. Featuring a bisexual woman lead, it was all kinds of groundbreaking (even if it did fall into quite a few tropes). Sadly, it's viewership dropped steadily after season one, and execs at the TV channel decided it would be best to give them a seventh season to wrap up all the storylines and then cut the cord. Showrunner Jason Rothenberg tweeted out the news, writing, "I have some bittersweet news to share: Season 7 will be our last. We are eternally grateful to WB & CW for always allowing us to tell our story the way we want to & to wrap the show on our terms."
Let’s Get Physical (POP)
POP TV
Genre: Sitcom
Seasons: One
Starring:
Matt Jones
Misha Rasaiah
AnnaLynne McCord
Chris Diamantopoulos
Jane Seymour
Jahmil French
James Cade
Dylan Bailey
Though this Pop TV sitcom hasn't been ~officially~ canceled, an executive at the cable network Brad Schwartz told Deadline that season 2's "ship has sailed." It didn't have amazing ratings — in fact they were pretty bad, even for a Pop TV show, so it won't exactly be missed by the masses. Poor AnnaLynne McCord hasn't found herself a hit since 90210, has she?
Happy! (SyFY)
SyFy
Genre: Black Comedy
Seasons: Two
Starring:
Christopher Meloni
Ritchie Coster
Lili Mirojnick
Medina Senghore
Patrick Fischler
Christopher Fitzgerald
Bryce Lorenzo
Please let the cancellation of Happy! lead to Christopher Meloni going back to Law & Order: SVU. At least he knows that show will literally *never* be canceled. This strange SyFy comedy about an alcoholic hitman whose heart attack gives lets him see his estranged daughter's imaginary friend got good reviews from those who watched, but ratings for season two dropped by nearly half which probably lead to its sad cancellation.