2014-2015 TV Season Cancellations

On 10/24/14, ABC struck first blood by cancelling the freshman comedy after airing only 4 episodes. This also marks the first comedy to be the first cancellation of a TV season in 6 years (the last being “The Ex List” in fall 2008). The series debuted to weak ratings and fell further with the following 3 episodes. It currently ranks as the lowest-rated series for ABC this TV season in both demo and total ratings. There is no word on what will happen to the remaining unaired episodes at this time. A Halloween special will take its spot on Oct. 28th, with a new episode of "Selfie" airing in the slot on Nov. 4th.

On 10/31/14, NBC announced the series was cancelled. The series started with OK numbers, but they fell fast in the following episodes. The current average puts it as the lowest-rated scripted series on NBC. This marks the second romantic comedy to be cancelled this TV season, and most end up getting cancelled after one season. Only 5 episodes have aired so far, but NBC will air all 13. Only 11 episodes have been filmed so far and while this gives the writers a chance to wrap things up, they clearly will not be getting to “Z”.

On 10/31/14, NBC announced the Kate Walsh comedy was cancelled. It premiered to good numbers, but they rapidly declined in the following weeks. It currently ranks as the second lowest-rated series on NBC in the demo, and the second lowest-rated comedy on NBC in total viewership. There were also early signs of trouble when the first showrunner exited the series for “creative differences” nearly a month before premiering. Only 5 episodes have aired, but NBC will air all 13. They have filmed 10 episodes so far, so there is a possible chance of some closure.

On 11/2/14, Fox cancelled the reality series/social experiment after 12 episodes. Premiering to lackluster ratings, it then took a nosedive starting with the next episode. Several noted Fox’s decision to make the series premiere a 3-night event as one of the issues that stunted it from the start. It was regularly airing on Tuesdays and Fridays, but October 2nd, Fox announced it would just air on Fridays. There was brief word that the contestants might be shown reacting to the cancellation news via live-streaming feeds, but it was later realized that would not happen.

On 11/7/14, ABC announced they would not be ordering any more episodes of the freshman comedy beyond the initial 13. It premiered to decent numbers, but they quickly began to dip during the five episodes to follow. The current average puts it as the second lowest-rated series on ABC, right after already cancelled “Manhattan Love Story.” It appears ABC will be airing the remaining 7 episodes.

Update: On 11/13/14, ABC pulled the series from their lineup after airing only one episode since announcing the cancellation. Holiday specials and encores of "Shark Tank" will fill the void.

Update: On 11/24/14, it was announced the remaining 6 episodes would be available on Hulu per week starting Nov. 25th.

On 11/14/14, CBS cancelled the dysfunctional family sitcom after airing only four episodes of the second season. The series did very well in its first season, particularly due to having “The Big Bang Theory” as a lead-in. However, CBS changed this up this time around by shuffling the series to Mondays after “2 Broke Girls” where is has not performed too well. While the demo ratings are fairly good (between “2 Broke Girls” and “NCIS: Los Angeles”), the total viewership places it as the second lowest-rated comedy after “The McCarthys”. It is uncertain how many episodes there will be, but a new one will air on Monday the 17th.

Update: The final 6 episodes will air in pairs on July 4th, July 11th, and July 18th at 8pm.

On 12/15/14, Fox announced the crime drama would not return for a second season. The remake of the popular UK series “Broadchurch” was highly anticipated, even casting David Tennant (who also stars in the UK series). However, it was met with extremely disappointing numbers. When it comes to the demo rating, the current average places it as Fox’s lowest-rated scripted series. The total viewership ratings put it right between “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “Red Band Society.” While the season one storyline was wrapped up, there was always a possibility for the series to return, just like the original series.

On 1/13/15, FOX announced the medical drama was cancelled after one season. The series was welcomed by critics and viewers alike, but that did not help the ratings in any way. Each week, the ratings sunk lower and lower, causing FOX to pull it from the schedule after episode 10 and stop production after episode 13. Executives at ABC Studios (who produces RBS) tried their best to shop the series to other networks, but it didn't work out. The showrunner Rina Mimoun has said that it will be a satisfying conclusion if it does not come back. The remaining episodes will air on Saturdays starting January 31st, the last two airing Feb. 7th back-to-back.

On 1/17/15, it was confirmed the freshman sitcom was toast. The series premiered to very poor ratings and only got worse as it progresses. It was already essentially cancelled on October 18th when Fox reduced the episode order from 16 to 13, shutting production down immediately. However, many speculated the reason the network did not officially cancel it was so it would not be the first cancellation of the season. The averages for the demo and the total viewership sets it as the lowest-rated comedy on FOX. There are 4 episodes still scheduled to air, placing the series finale sometime in February.

Update: Now “Weird Loners” is the lowest-rated scripted series on FOX, “Mulaney” being #2.

On 3/6/15, NBC decided to cancel the freshman spy drama. The series started off with fairly weak ratings and they then began to slip for the next four episodes. Allegiance currently ranks as NBC's lowest-rated scripted drama in the demo, while sitting between already cancelled "Bad Judge" and the ill-fated "About a Boy" in total viewership. Only 5 episodes of haired so far, with the remaining 8 set to air in the summer. The 8-part miniseries "The Slap" will take over Allegiance's Thursday at 10pm slot.

On 4/29/15, it was revealed that season four was also the final season. The series debuted in 2011 to large numbers and was an instant hit. Those ratings have dwindled, unfortunately, placing it as the lowest-rated drama on ABC in both demo and total viewership. Many viewers had also suspected the series was coming to an end, especially with several shocking changes during season four. The showrunner has also assured fans there will be closure in the finale, as it was planned out in advance. The 89th and final episode will air on May 10th.

On 5/6/15, FOX cancelled the Mindy Kaling sitcom after three seasons. The series has surpassed expectations even when cancellation after season two would have made sense due to poor ratings. However, season three saw even lower ratings and it was clear the series was in danger even more so. A sign the network was already unsure about keeping it going was the reduced episode order of 15 instead of the usual 22. However, the network later bumped up the order to 21 episodes. This lead many fans and TV critics to think TMP was likely going to get a fourth and final season, as it would be eligible for syndication. The current average for the series places it as the third lowest-rated sitcom on FOX in both demo and total viewership right after the ill-fated “Mulaney” and “Weird Loners”.

There is possibly some good news, though. Universal TV is in-talks with Hulu to potentially pick it up for a multi-season order. Hopefully this works out for the fans, but remember that these types of “talks” are common now after most shows are cancelled and rarely ever come to anything.

Update: On 5/15/15, Hulu officially picked the series up for a 26-episode fourth season with a premiere date TBD. I'm leaving it on here, though, as it was still cancelled by FOX.

On 5/7/15, ABC said goodbye to Cristela Hernandez and her wacky family. The freshman sitcom debuted to very good numbers, nearly matching its lead-in “Last Man Standing”. However, the ratings began to slip and put the series on the bubble. After “Manhattan Love Story”, Cristela ranks as the lowest-rated sitcom on ABC in the demo. In the total viewership, it jumps up to between “Secrets and Lies” and “Nashville”, both renewed. The 22nd and final episode aired on April 17th.

On 5/7/15, ABC ended Henry Morgan’s immortality. It premiered to very good ratings, took a slight dip with episode two, and then began a decline that did not didn’t stop. The network finally filled in the black hole that was the Thursdays @8 slot, but their Tuesdays @10 slot has continued to be a problem. Just last season, three new dramas were devoured by the slot (Lucky 7, Killer Women, and Mind Games). It resides between “American Crime” (renewed) and “Revenge” (cancelled) in the demo. Meanwhile, the total viewership places it between “Agent Carter” and “Galavant,” both renewed. While its ratings may have been on-par or slightly better than renewed shows, one reason is that ABC does not own “Forever” as it is a Warner TV production. This means any future syndication deals will not benefit them as much as ABC-owned property so the incentive is not there. The 22nd and final episode aired May 5th.

On 5/7/15, The CW finally admitted the series was not returning for a fifth season. The campy drama managed to survive three seasons of being “on the bubble,” but there were too many signs suggesting that luck was going to run out. It was revealed in May 2014 that season four would be held off until midseason. Then in November 2014, it was announced the season would only consist of 10 episodes instead of the regular 22. After season four began airing, the ratings were the final nail as they plunged and continued to drop. Adding to it, The CW renewed every scripted series except for HoD in January 2015. A few actors from the show posted things online saying the show was cancelled, but they were quickly deleted. On March 6th, the showrunner confirmed the series was ending and it would be a satisfying conclusion. Of course, most had to pretend to ignore that since it was not “official” at the time. The 76th and final episode aired on March 27th.

On 5/7/15, The CW cancelled the supernatural mystery series after airing only 3 episodes. The series premiere was met with mediocre ratings which soon dropped it to being the lowest-rated scripted series on The CW for the season. All the episodes will be aired, which will go through the summer months.

On 5/7/15, ABC cancelled the supernatural drama after two seasons. The series debuted to huge numbers in March 2014, slipping a bit towards the end of the initial 8-2pisode run, it was still a ratings hit. However, season two saw a gradual decline in the ratings as each episode aired. In the demo, it’s ranked between “Last Man Standing” (in danger) and “American Crime” (renewed). In total viewership, it resides between “Galavant” and “Agents of Shield”, both renewed. Despite a few shows with lower ratings getting renewed and Resurrection being an ABC/Disney production, the extreme drop in the ratings likely was too much for the series. The series had a total of 21 episodes, the final one having aired on January 25th.

On 5/7/15, ABC cancelled the reality cooking series after three seasons. The series saw decent ratings for the first two seasons, but season three had slightly worse numbers. It currently ranks as the lowest-rated non-scripted series on the network. The final episode aired January 23rd.

On 5/7/15, NBC announced the sophomore sitcom was cancelled. It started off with surprisingly good numbers in February 2014, only taking a slight dip in the end of the first season. However, the second season started off down in the ratings and continued to drop each week. In January 2015, NBC reduced the episode order from 22 to 20 which was not a good sign. In February 2015, Minnie Driver said the show was basically cancelled and the series finale was airing on Feb. 17th. However, it was soon confirmed by a producer that there were 6 episodes left to air and NBC was just putting the series on an extended hiatus. Those 6 episodes have still not aired and if NBC ever releases them, it will likely be online.

On 5/8/15, FOX swiftly cancelled the freshman series. It debuted to decent ratings, but they continuously slipped all the way to the finale. The current average for total viewership places it "The Last Man on Earth" and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine", both renewed. However, the dreaded demo ratings pushed it closer towards the bottom between "Red Band Society" and "The Mindy Project", both also cancelled. The 13th and final episode aired April 30th.

On 5/8/15, CBS axed the police comedy. The series debuted to decent numbers, but they slipped each week. It is currently the lowest-rated scripted series on CBS in both demo and total viewership. There are 4 episodes left to air of the series, the final one scheduled to air May 24th.

On 5/8/15, NBC announced the supernatural drama was cancelled. The series debuted to fairly low ratings, noticeably down from the premiere ratings “Dracula” received in the same slot the previous fall. The remaining episodes remained steady in the ratings, for the most part, but were fairly low. It ranks as NBC’s lowest-rated drama series for the current TV season in the total viewership. In the demo ratings, it ranks between already cancelled “Bad Judge” and “Allegiance”. Warner TV is apparently shopping the series to other networks to try and find it a new home.

Update: On 6/7/15, the search for a new home was officially called off.

On 5/8/15, FOX announced the crime drama would not return for a fourth season. The series launched with big ratings in January 2013, and was able to keep decent numbers for the remainder of season one. Season two saw a serious drop in the ratings, putting the series on the bubble. Season three received even lower ratings which was not a good sign. The total viewership place the series between already cancelled "Gracepoint" and "Red Band Society." The demo ratings put it a few notches up between "Bob's Burgers" (already renewed) and "The Mindy Project" (cancelled). There are 4 episodes left, the final 2 airing May 18th.

On 5/8/15, NBC said “I don’t” to the freshman sitcom. The series started off with decent ratings, but they quickly began a steep decline. The series was put on an indefinite hiatus after its February 17th airing to make room on the schedule, leaving 4 unaired episodes. Its current ranking places it between “The Mysteries of Laura” (renewed) and “One Big Happy” (cancelled) for the demo ratings. Meanwhile, the total viewership puts it between “One Big Happy” and “Bad Judge”, both cancelled. No word on if the unaired episodes will ever be released.

On 5/8/15, CBS cancelled the low-rated sitcom after one short season. The series premiere saw fairly decent numbers, but they slipped down a bit and it was eventually pulled from the schedule in February. It currently ranks as the lowest-rated sitcom on the network in total viewership. The demo ratings, however, rank it between already cancelled “Stalker” and renewed “Madam Secretary.” There are 4 episodes that have not aired yet and there is no word on if they ever will.

Update: The final 4 episodes will air in pairs on July 4th and July 11th at 9pm.

On 5/8/15, CBS got a restraining order against the freshman crime procedural. It launched to very good ratings, but they took a bit of a dip in the following weeks. Signs of trouble showed up when CBS put the series on an indefinite hiatus in February with only 3 episodes left. The series returned on April 27th to very low ratings which puts the series between “2 Broke Girls” (renewed) and “Elementary” (in danger) in the demo. It ranks a bit higher in the total viewership, between “Person of Interest” (in danger) and “The McCarthy’s” (cancelled). There are 2 episodes left to air, the final one being on May 18th.

On 5/8/15, NBC axed the Katherine Heigl series after one season. It debuted to decent ratings, but they dropped as the series progressed. Another sign the series was in danger was when Universal Home Entertainment quietly released the first season on MOD (manufacture on demand) DVD just one month after the finale. The cancellation does come as a bit of a surprise since the ratings were not horrible and it was within the top 10 best-rated scripted series on the network. For the demo, it resides between two renewed series, “The Night Shift” and “The Mysteries of Laura”. The total viewership ratings place it between already renewed “The Night Shift” and “Undateable”. The 13th and final episode aired February 16th.

On 5/11/14, FOX isolated the loners for good. The series debuted to very poor ratings and only slipped down a bit each week afterwards. It is the lowest-rated scripted series on FOX for the current TV season. All 6 episodes of the series have aired, concluding on May 5th.

On 5/13/15, CBS announced the series was cancelled. It was hugely successful, lasting fifteen seasons, launching three spin-offs, but the ratings have dipped a bit recently. Despite the dip in the ratings and a reduced episode order (18 instead of 22), it looked like there was still a possibility the series would be renewed. A TV movie will air September 27th with former cast members returning. Ted Danson will join the cast of CSI: Cyber, the only still-airing addition to the CSI franchise.

On 6/22/15, NBC announced the critically acclaimed drama would not be getting a fourth course. The series has always been on the bubble, but the fact that NBC does not produce/put a great deal of money into it was one of the reasons it's very low ratings got a pass. However, the third season has started off with extremely low ratings and NBC could not ignore them this time around. There are 10 episodes left, which will air through August as scheduled. There is hope, however, as the producers are already busy looking for a new home and series creator Bryan Fuller has stated he already has season four mapped out. Fuller’s involvement with a possible fourth season is also in question since he has recently signed on to develop “American Gods” for Starz. He has said that if the season three finale ends up being the series finale, it will work as such.

Update: The contracts for Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy expired on July 1st, making them free agents. If the series finds a home, there is always the chance of re-signing them, but acting is their job so they cannot wait forever. Also, Laurence Fishburne has been cast to star in the upcoming remake of "Roots". This, along with other previously noted issues, will make it more difficult to get the series picked up. At least without an extra-long hiatus.

Update: The finale did end on some weirdly satisfying cliffhangers, but talk of doing a movie has been growing. Fuller said that if anything happens, it won’t be for at least a year, though.

On 6/30/15, NBC cancelled the conspiracy-theory series after one season. It started off with anything but a bang, giving so-so ratings and slipping each week since. Some critics have noted that this is just a bunch of recycled plots that add nothing new or exciting. It definitely seemed to have a few pieces from Showtime's "Homeland" in a way, just like "Allegiance" was very similar to FX's "The Americans." It ranks as NBC's lowest-rated drama series for the “official” 2014-2015 TV season, with the exception of only outperforming summer series “Hannibal,” which has also been cancelled. There were a total of 13 episodes, the final one having aired on June 28th.

On 7/3/15, NBC announced they would not be continuing the series. While first conceived and continuously promoted as a miniseries, NBC was interested in possibly bringing it back for a second season. The ratings started off very well, but took a dive that wouldn't stop. The total viewership was actually great, placing it between "Chicago PD" and "The Night Shift" (both renewed). However, the dreaded demo ratings is what hurt them the worst; placing between "Grimm" (renewed, but airs on Fridays) and "About a Boy" (cancelled). There were a total of 12 episodes and the final one aired on June 28th.