All the canceled TV shows of 2021

Did your favorite TV series get canceled this year?

canceled TV shows of 2021

The year 2020 saw a more than usual number of TV series cancellations due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and even though the TV industry has started to slowly bounce back since the second half of that year, many TV series have still been canceled since the start of 2021. Some of them got the ax due to low ratings and rising production costs, while others simply ran their course. Below is a list of all the canceled TV shows of 2021 so far, including TV series that ended or are ending their respective runs this year.

What shows are canceled for 2021?

Rebel

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 80

Network: ABC

No. of Season: 1

Legal comedy-drama Rebel was canceled by ABC five episodes into its freshman run last May. Despite having the network’s highest-rated series, Grey’s Anatomy, as its lead-in, Rebel underperformed in the ratings. Its 10-episode season 1 only averaged a 0.40 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 3.05 million viewers.

Created by Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 showrunner Krista Vernoff, Rebel centers on Annie “Rebel” Bello (Katey Sagal), a funny, brilliant, and fearless blue-collar legal advocate. Despite not having a law degree, Rebel cares deeply about the causes she fights for and the people she loves. Rebel is inspired by the life of legal clerk, consumer advocate, and environmental activist Erin Brockovich.

For Life

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Network: ABC

No. of Season: 2

ABC opted not to renew For Life for a third season. While the network didn’t offer an explanation for its decision to cancel the legal drama, series star Nicholas Pinnock blamed the show’s soft ratings for its untimely demise. Season 2 of the Hank Steinberg-created series only averaged a 0.35 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 1.8 million viewers ― down by 38% in the demo and down by 26% in viewership from season 1.

“I am in no way bitter with ABC for not renewing For Life for a third season,” the actor tweeted last May. “ABC has been nothing but supportive of our show, and has championed it from the start. So I won’t have you bad-mouthing them. I can tell you firsthand how great they have been to me and to our show. Sadly, the live audience numbers didn’t reflect and equal the social media attention. The catch-up numbers were really good, but that doesn’t fit the model of a network show.”

Loosely based on the true story of New Jersey lawyer Isaac Wright Jr., For Life tells the story of Aaron Wallace (Pinnock) who has been sentenced to life in prison for a crime he did not commit. While incarcerated, he becomes a lawyer and works as a defense attorney for others while striving to get his own sentence overturned.

Call Your Mother

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 82

Network: ABC

No. of Season: 1

Call Your Mother star Kyra Sedgwick took to Twitter last May to reveal that the Kari Lizer-created sitcom won’t be returning to ABC for a second season. Though the actress and the network didn’t reveal any reason for the cancellation, Call Your Mother’s low ratings appeared to be the culprit behind the show’s short-lived run. The sitcom’s 13-episode season 1 only averaged a 0.37 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 2.43 million viewers in Live+Same Day numbers.

Call Your Mother follows empty nest mother Jean Raines (Sedgwick) who decides to be close to her son Freddie (Joey Bragg) and daughter Jackie (Rachel Sennot) by moving cross country from Waterloo, Iowa to Los Angeles, California in order to be with them, much to their chagrin.

Mixed-ish

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 83

Network: ABC

No. of Season: 2

Ranking among the least-watched ABC series this season, Mixed-ish failed to get a third season on the network. The 13-episode season 2 of the Black-ish prequel series averaged a 0.39 in the 18-49 demographic and 1.9 million viewers in Live+Same Day number ― down by 39% in the demo and down by 35% in viewership from season 1.

Loosely based on the early life of series co-creator Kenya Barris’ wife Dr. Rania Barris, Mixed-ish chronicles Rainbow Johnson’s (Arica Himmel) childhood years as she recounts her experience growing up in a mixed-race family in the 1980s. The family faces dilemmas over whether to assimilate or stay true to themselves when Rainbow’s mom Alicia (Tika Sumpter) and dad Paul (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) decide to move from a hippie commune to the suburbs in 1985.

American Housewife

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 84

Network: ABC

No. of Season: 5

Several fans didn’t expect American Housewife to be one of the canceled TV shows of 2021, as the sitcom’s season 5 finale, which now serves as the series finale, ended with multiple cliffhangers. Though the Sarah Dunn-created series had been a strong rating player throughout its five-season run, the show’s couple of casting changes and some behind-the-scenes drama in the summer of 2020 might have played a huge role in ABC’s decision to not renew the series for a sixth season.

American Housewife chronicles the daily life of Katie Otto (Katy Mixon), a wife and mother who tries to maintain her sense of self and family while dealing with the wealthy, pretentious, arrogant housewives and their privileged children in her new hometown of Westport, Connecticut. The show also stars Diedrich Bader as Katie’s husband and Meg Donnelly, Daniel DiMaggio, Julia Butters, and Giselle Eisenberg as the couple’s children.

Black-ish

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Network: ABC

No. of Season: 8

Black-ish’s upcoming season 8 will be its last. In an Instagram post last May, series creator Kenya Barris implied that it was his decision to end the sitcom after eight seasons. “In this day and age, it is rare to get to decide when your show should come to an end,” wrote Barris. “And we are grateful along with ABC to be able to make this final season exactly what we’d hoped for – and to do it with the entire and AMAZINGLY STELLAR cast coming back to close this chapter out with us the right way!”

Black-ish follows an upper-class African-American family headed by Andre “Dre” Johnson (Anthony Anderson) and Rainbow Johnson (Tracee Ellis Ross). The show revolves around the family’s lives, as they juggle several personal and sociopolitical issues. The show also features the characters Zoey Johnson (Yara Shahidi), Andre Johnson, Jr. (Marcus Scribner), Jack Johnson (Miles Brown), and Diane Johnson (Marsai Martin). Black-ish season 8 doesn’t have a release date yet.

Younger

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 86

Network/Streaming Service:  TV Land, Paramount+

No. of Season: 6 on TV Land, 1 on Paramount+

Younger ended its seven-season run last June. Due to the pandemic, filming for season 7 was put on hold. But after the production resumed late last year, ViacomCBS announced that the comedy-drama’s seventh season would be its final run. Younger creator Darren Star had begun talking about ending the show since he started promoting his new Netflix show Emily in Paris. In an interview with TV Line in September 2020, Star said that they “unofficially planning [Season 7] as a final season.’

Aside from Star moving on to season 2 of Emily in Paris, there are other factors that might have contributed to the decision to end Younger with its seventh season. For instance, Younger lead star Sutton Foster is working on the Netflix animated series Ridley Jones, while Hilary Duff is moving on to the Hulu comedy How I Met Your Father.

Wynonna Earp

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 87

Network: Syfy

No. of Season: 4

Syfy originally greenlit a fifth season of Wynonna Earp as part of its fourth-season deal with series producer IDW Entertainment. However, the network announced last February that it decided to forgo the supposed season 5 due to a lack of funding from IDW. Since IDW owns the franchise, it’s not possible for Syfy to produce Wynonna Earp on its own as it does not hold the rights to the show.

Shortly after the cancellation, the show’s devoted fans, aka Earpers, launched the #BringWynonnaHome campaign in hopes to find a new U.S. distributor for the series. With striking publicity stunts, including billboards in major cities in the country, the #BringWynonnaHome campaign has been calling for networks and streaming services to save the supernatural Western drama. However, as of this writing, there’s no word yet if there’s a platform that has shown interest in picking up the series.

Cursed

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 88

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Season: 1

One of Netflix’s many canceled TV shows of 2021 that only ran for one season. Cursed didn’t seem to capture the zeitgeist or seize the cultural conversation the way the streaming giant would have hoped. Though there were a lot of things to admire about the show, including its impressive production design, realistic visual effects, and brilliant performances from the cast, Cursed only debuted to lukewarm reviews and fan response, only generating a 67 percent “fresh” average on Rotten Tomatoes. It also didn’t seem to help that Netflix has already renewed Shadow and Bone and The Witcher for additional seasons, as it’s possible that the streamer doesn’t want to crowd its library with too many medieval fantasy drama series.

Based on Frank Miller and Tom Wheeler’s illustrated book, Cursed was a re-imagining of the Arthurian legend as told through the eyes of Nimue (Katherine Langford), a teenage heroine with a mysterious gift who is destined to become the powerful and tragic Lady of the Lake. After her mother’s death, she found an unexpected partner in Arthur (Devon Terrell), a young mercenary in a quest to find Merlin (Gustaf Skarsgård) and deliver an ancient sword. Over the course of her journey, Nimue became a symbol of courage and rebellion against the terrifying Red Paladins, and their complicit King Uther (Sebastian Armesto).

Mr. Iglesias

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Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Season: 2

Over six months after Mr. Iglesias wrapped its 11-episode sophomore run last December, Netflix announced that the comedy series won’t be returning for another season. Though there won’t be a third season for the Kevin Hench-created series, the streamer reportedly made a deal with its lead star Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias to film a third comedy special.

Mr. Iglesias stars Iglesias as the titular good-natured public high school teacher who works at his alma mater in Long Beach, California. He takes on teaching gifted-but-misfit kids to not only save them from being “counseled out” by a bully bureaucrat Assistant Principal, but also to help them unlock their full potential. In his private life, he recently quit drinking alcohol and regularly attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

Bonding

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Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Season: 2

Bonding follows the life of psychology student Tiffany “Tiff” Chester (Zoe Levin) who is moonlighting as a dominatrix. To help her balance her personal life with school and her job, she recruits her semi-estranged gay best friend from high school, Pete Devin (Brendan Scannell), to be her assistant. Because of its BDSM theme, the first season of the Rightor Doyle-created series struck up controversy that helped it score a second season.

Netflix, however, canceled Bonding last July, suggesting that its sophomore run didn’t pull enough viewers to justify a third season. Aside from Levin and Devin, the dark comedy series also stars Micah Stock, Theo Stockman, and Nana Mensah.

The Crew

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 91

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Season: 1

Netflix canceled the comedy series The Crew last July after just one season. Though there won’t be a second season for Jeff Lowell-created series, Netflix reportedly made a deal with series star Kevin James to develop a single-camera comedy series that he will star in and produce.

The Crew stars James as crew chief Kevin Gibson who runs a NASCAR garage. When the owner steps down and passes the team off to his Stanford-educated daughter, Catherine Spencer (Jillian Mueller), Kevin finds himself at odds with the tech-reliant millennials Catherine starts bringing in to modernize the team. The series also stars Freddie Stroma, Gary Anthony Williams, Dan Ahdoot, and Sarah Stiles.

Country Comfort

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Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Season: 1

Country Comfort was canceled by Netflix just four months after premiering on the streamer. Netflix didn’t offer an explanation for the show’s cancellation, but the 10-episode freshman run of the Caryn Lucas-created series seemingly failed to attract enough viewers to justify a second season.

The comedy series stars Katharine McPhee as Bailey, an aspiring country singer who takes a job as a nanny for a rugged cowboy named Beau (Eddie Cibrian) and his five children after getting kicked out of her up-and-coming band. With a never-give-up attitude and loads of Southern charm, the newbie-nanny is able to navigate the family dynamics and be the mother figure they’ve been missing. To her surprise, Bailey also gets the band she’s been missing in this musically talented family who help her get back on the road to stardom.

Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 93

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Season: 1

The comedy series Dad Stop Embarrassing Me! is not returning for a second season. Though it’s not clear why Netflix pulled the plug on the show last June after just one season, Deadline reported that Jamie Foxx, who starred in and co-created the series with Jim Patterson, was involved in the decision to end the show. Despite the cancellation, Netflix and Foxx’s creative partnership will continue with the upcoming films They Cloned Tyrone and Day Shift.

Inspired by Foxx’s relationship with his daughter Corinne Foxx, Dad Stop Embarrassing Me! also stars David Alan Grier, Kyla-Drew, Porscha Coleman, Jonathan Kite, and Heather Hemmens.

Grand Army

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Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Season: 1

Netflix canceled the Katie Cappiello-created series after just one season. Variety broke the cancellation news eight months after the show’s October 2020 premiere. The streamer didn’t provide any reason for cancelling Grand Army, but a behind-the-scenes drama that surfaced prior to the show’s debut might have impacted the series’ ultimate fate.

When the trailer for the series was released in fall 2020, playwright Ming Peiffer ― who served as a story editor and a co-writer of episode 8 ― revealed on Twitter that she and two other writers of color on the show quit after experiencing “racist exploitation and abuse.” It’s unclear if those claims have been verified, but Peiffer has made no further comment since then.

Loosely based on 2013’s Slut: The Play by Cappiello, Grand Army followed five students at the largest public high school in Brooklyn as they take on a chaotic world and fight to succeed, survive, wild out, break free, and seize the future.

The Irregulars

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Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Season: 1

The Irregulars was canceled by Netflix after one season. Netflix didn’t provide a reason for the show’s cancellation, but Screen Rant reported that the streamer might have pulled the plug on the mystery crime drama series because it didn’t project to be a multi-season hit. The website also noted that the cancellation of The Irregulars might be a result of Netflix becoming more selective about its funding, as industry norms continue to change during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inspired by the Baker Street Irregulars from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels, The Irregulars followed the titular group of teenagers who work for John Watson to solve supernatural crimes while searching for Sherlock Holmes. The series, which launched on March 26th, starred Thaddea Graham as Bea, McKell David as Spike, Jojo Macari as Billy, Darci Shaw as Jessie, and Harrison Osterfield as the Duke of Albany, Prince Leopold. Recurring actors include Royce Pierreson as Watson and Henry Lloyd-Hughes as Holmes.

The Duchess

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 96

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Season: 1

Katherine Ryan, the creator, writer, and star of The Duchess, revealed in an episode of Vicky Pattison’s The Secret To… podcast last April that the streamer canceled the series after a single six-episode season. “[Netflix] didn’t want to make any more, not enough people watched it,” said Ryan. “I think something like 10 million people watched it in 28 days and that wasn’t enough.”

In The Duchess, Ryan played the role of Katherine, a fashionably disruptive single mom living in London, who was starting to consider having another kid, provided she could find a suitable father for the child first. The series also starred Katy Byrne as Katherine’s daughter Olive, Rory Keenan as Katherine’s off-the-grid ex Shep, and Steen Raskopoulos as Katherine’s new orthodontist boyfriend Eva.

Special

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 97

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Season: 2

Comedy-drama Special was renewed for a second season in December 2019. Fast-forward to March 2021, it was revealed that its sophomore run will serve as its final season. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, series star and creator Ryan O’Connell revealed that the decision to end the show with season 2 was made by Netflix.

“People will be surprised that Special is ending but this is just the tip!” O’Connell told the news outlet in March 2021. “[But] I’m not finished telling stories about disability. I’m not finished telling queer stories. This is really just a beginning of a new chapter, so hang tight, baby, I’m coming!”

Based on O’Connell’s book I’m Special: And Other Lies We Tell Ourselves, Special follows Ryan, a gay man with mild cerebral palsy who decides to rewrite his identity and finally go after the life he wants.

Lucifer

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 98

Network / Streaming Service: Fox, Netflix

No. of Season: 3 on Fox, 3 on Netflix

Lucifer’s sixth and final season is dropping on Netflix on September 10th. Netflix renewed the Tom Ellis-led series for season 6 in June 2020, a year after the streaming giant originally announced that the show would end with season 5. While Netflix’s decision to reverse the show’s cancellation came as a delightful surprise for fans, the streamer made it very clear that season 6 will be the show’s ultimate swan song.

In the last 10 episodes of the series, Lucifer (Ellis) scores a promotion but doesn’t know whether he really wants his new job. Chloe (Lauren German) prepares to give up detective work while Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside) joins the LAPD.               

Manifest

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 99

Network: NBC

No. of Season: 3

NBC canceled Manifest after three seasons last June. But after the first two seasons of the series became available to stream on Netflix and subsequently rose to No. 1 on Nielsen, both the network and the streaming giant have entered into negotiations to continue the Jeff Rake-created series. However, as of this writing, there’s no word yet on whether the show would be getting a fourth season on either of the platforms.

Starring Josh Dallas, Melissa Roxburgh, JR Ramirez, Luna Blaise, Jack Messina, Parveen Kaur, and Matt Long, among many others, Manifest centers on Montego Air Flight 828, which landed safely after a turbulent but routine flight. The crew and passengers were relieved, but in the span of those few hours, the world had aged five years. The returned passengers attempt to reintegrate into their old lives but soon find out that they and their loved ones aren’t the same as they were. Things only get more difficult when they begin to see flashes of the future they refer to as “callings.”

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 100

Network: NBC

No. of Season: 2

Despite having a passionate following, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist was canceled by NBC last June after just two seasons. Though the musical dramedy was a middling linear Live+Same Day ratings performer, the Austin Winsberg-created series had an outsized digital footprint, which made Peacock to consider it for a pickup. While the streamer ultimately opted not to proceed with a third season, it was announced this August that the Roku Channel was nearing a deal for a two-hour Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist holiday movie, which if successful, could lead to more episodes.

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist stars Jane Levy as Zoey Clarke, a programmer who has been recently promoted to engineering manager at a San Francisco–based tech firm specializing in smart devices and apps. An earthquake occurs while she’s getting an MRI and a huge playlist of songs on file is downloaded into her brain. After the unusual event, Zoey suddenly starts to hear the innermost wants, thoughts, and desires of the people around her through popular songs.

World of Dance

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 101

Network: NBC

No. of Season: 4

World of Dance is one of the canceled TV shows of 2021 from the reality competition genre. NBC didn’t offer an explanation for cancelling the series, but Deadline suggested that the axing came as a result of the show’s low ratings. World of Dance season 4 only drew an average of 4 million viewers, losing nearly half of the audience it had in its first season when it averaged 7.7 million viewers. The show also lost a huge chunk of its viewers aged 18 to 49. The first season managed to score a 1.83 rating in the key demo, but by season 4, it was down to 0.74.

Aside from producing the show, Lopez also served as a judge on the show, along with Ne-Yo and Derek Hough. Jenna Dewan hosted the first two seasons, while Scott Evans stepped in as host for the show’s third and fourth installments.

Lovecraft Country

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Network: HBO

No. of Season: 1

HBO announced last July that it will not be moving forward with the second season of Lovecraft Country. The decision not to renew the horror drama is not completely unexpected, as the show’s 10-episode season 1 was based on a single book, so there’s no more source material to fuel a second season.

Based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Matt Ruff, Lovecraft Country follows Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors) as he meets up with his friend Letitia (Jurnee Smollett) and his uncle George (Courtney B. Vance) to go on a road trip through 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father (Michael Kenneth Williams). Along the way, the group encounters racist terrors and horrifying monsters.

Mr Inbetween

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 103

Network: FX

No. of Season 3:

Mr Inbetween wrapped its three-season run on FX last July. While it’s not clear why the network decided to end the crime drama with season 3, it’s worthy to note that the show’s ratings started to drop after its freshman run. Season 2 averaged a 0.12 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 409,000 viewers – down by 28.34% in the demo and down by 14.29% in the number of viewers from season 1. Season 3, on the other hand, only averaged a 0.09 rating in the 18-49 demo and 334,000 viewers.

A serialization of the 2005 feature film The Magician, Mr Inbetween stars Scott Ryan as Ray Shoesmith, a hitman for hire who makes a living out of balancing his criminal activities with his obligations to friends and family. He tries to be a father to Brittany (Chika Yasumura), his daughter with his ex-wife, Jacinta (Natalie Tran), a loving boyfriend to Ally (Brooke Satchwell), and a good caretaker to his terminally ill brother Bruce (Nicholas Cassim). Ray also covers for his friend Gary (Justin Rosniak) when needed, and follows his boss Freddy’s (Damon Herriman) orders without question.

Prodigal Son

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Network: Fox

No. of Season: 2

Prodigal Son is one of the canceled TV shows of 2021 from the crime procedural genre. Though Fox didn’t offer an explanation for the show’s cancellation, a network insider told TVLine that the decision to pull the plug on the series was “incredibly difficult” and that the show’s dwindling ratings was a driving factor. Season 2 of Prodigal Son averaged a 0.40 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 2.05 million viewers. Compared to season 1, that’s down by 46% in the demo and down by 39% in viewership.

Created by Chris Fedak & Sam Sklaver, Prodigal Son stars Tom Payne as Malcolm Bright, a gifted criminal psychologist who uses his twisted genius to help the NYPD solve crimes and stop killers, all while dealing with his own constantly evolving neuroses, a manipulative mother (Bellamy Young), and a serial killer father (Michael Sheen) still looking to bond with him.

The Right Stuff

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Streaming Service: Disney+

No. of Season: 1

Disney+ canceled The Right Stuff last April after just one season. But series producer Warner Bros. TV was reportedly shopping the series around to other networks and streaming platforms. Originally a National Geographic show, Disney had acquired the historical drama for its streaming service. A person familiar with the cancellation told Variety that the axing of the series was not tied to the show’s performance but a redesign of NatGeo’s strategic focus. As of last April, two versions of the show were being shopped around, one that involves the current cast and another that focuses on the 1980s and features an all-new cast.

Loosely based on the 1979 book of the same name by Tom Wolfe and its 1983 film adaptation, The Right Stuff is a gritty, anti-nostalgic look at what would become America’s first reality show, as the obsessive original Mercury Seven astronauts and their families become instant celebrities in a competition that will either kill them or make them immortal. The eight-episode season 1 revolves around the stories of Major John Glenn (Patrick J. Adams) and Lieutenant Commander Alan Shephard (Jake McDorman).

The Unicorn

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Network: CBS

No. of Season: 2

Sitcom The Unicorn was canceled by CBS last May after two seasons. The cancellation didn’t come as a surprise, as it was one of the lowest rating scripted series on the network this season. The Unicorn’s sophomore run averaged a 0.45 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 3.61 million viewers ― down by 36.51% in the demo and down by 36.35% in viewership from season 1.

Created by Bill Martin, Mike Schiff, and Grady Cooper, The Unicorn stars Walton Goggins as Wade, a recently widowed single father with two daughters who is encouraged by his friends to re-enter the dating scene. To his surprise, he becomes highly sought after due to his status as both an eligible widower and a devoted father.

All Rise

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 107

Network: CBS

No. of Season: 2

CBS announced last May that it opted not to renew All Rise for a third season. The legal drama was one of the canceled TV shows of 2021 that ultimately got the axe following a behind-the-camera drama. All Rise’s cancellation came less than two months after series creator and co-showrunner Greg Spottiswood was fired from the show following a probe into allegations of race and gender issues in the show’s writer room.

Based on the 2005 book Courtroom 302 by Steve Bogira, All Rise revolves around the personal lives and relationships of the judges, lawyers, clerks, and law enforcement officers in a Los Angeles courthouse. Simone Missick stars as newly appointed judge Lola Carmichael, a highly regarded and impressive former deputy district attorney who does not intend to sit back on the bench in her new role, but instead leans in, immediately pushing the boundaries and challenging the expectations of what a judge can be.

Killing Eve

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Network: BBC America

No. of Season: 4

BBC America announced last March that Killing Eve’s upcoming eight-episode season 4 will be its last. First announced in January 2020, the fourth season of the spy thriller doesn’t have an exact release date yet but is reportedly set to premiere sometime in 2022.

Though the cat-and-mouse game between Sandra Oh’s Eve Polastri and Jodie Comer’s Villanelle will be wrapping up soon, there are plans to expand the Killing Eve universe through potential spinoffs. AMC Networks and Sid Gentle Films Ltd, the companies that produce the series, are reportedly in the process of developing spinoffs from the series.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond

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Network: AMC

No. of Season: 2

The second and final season of The Walking Dead: World Beyond is set to premiere this October. The decision to end the series after two seasons was announced by AMC in January 2020. Network executive Sarah Barnett revealed at that time that the move to make The Walking Dead: World Beyond a two-season limited series is part of AMC’s experiment to adjust to the changing media landscape in terms of how people want to watch and consume TV.

“What we’re doing next is experimenting,” Barnett said. “World Beyond focuses on the generation of survivors who have grown up post-apocalypse. Led by two young female leads, it is a perfect advancing of the universe in ways that are multi-generational, fresh and unexpected. It is not imitating The Walking Dead either in substance or form – World Beyond is a two-season closed-ended series that will tell a very specific and distinct story. Scott Gimple, the chief content officer of this universe, and his team are planning other experiments in this space, including specials, digital short-form series and other innovations in form.”

Panic

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 110

Streaming Service: Amazon Prime Video

No. of Season: 1

Panic is one of the few canceled TV shows of 2021 from Amazon Prime Video. Despite the streamer’s support, the Lauren Oliver-created series did not connect with audiences the way its fellow young adult drama The Wilds did. That, along with the fact that the show’s 10-episode first season did tell a complete story, led to Prime Video’s decision not to proceed with a second season.

Written and created by Lauren Oliver based on her 2014 best-selling novel of the same name, Panic centers on a small town in America where every year the graduating seniors engage in a competition they believe is their one chance to escape. The series stars Olivia Welch, Mike Faist, and Jessica Sula.

The Pack

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Streaming Service: Amazon Prime Video

No. of Season 1

Last January, Amazon Prime Video announced that it has decided to cancel the reality competition series after just one season. Described as The Amazing Race with dogs, the 10-episode season 1 of the Lindsey Vonn-hosted show features 12 dogs and their human owners traveling around the world to compete in various challenges. The dogs and their owners were accompanied by veterinarians and dog experts to make sure the contestants are kept safe. The winning duo received a $500,000 prize, with an additional $250,000 going to a charity of their choice.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) condemned the show, saying that “animals are individuals – not props for movies and TV shows.” Despite this, an Amazon spokeswoman told Deadline that the animal rights organization’s statement had nothing to do with the streamer’s decision to cancel the series.

Goliath

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Streaming Service: Amazon Prime Video

No. of Season: 4

The upcoming fourth season of Goliath will be its last. Amazon Prime Video announced the show’s season 4 renewal in November 2019, and just last July, the streaming service revealed that it will premiere on September 24th. Amazon Prime Video didn’t offer an explanation why it opted to end the series with season 4.

In the eight-episode final season, Billy McBride (Billy Bob Thornton) returns to his Big Law roots despite chronic pain in the wake of his attack by villain Diana Blackwood (Amy Brenneman) last season. And he’s is looking to face some serious foes by way of newcomers J.K. Simmons and Bruce Dern. Simmons stars as George Stax, the leader of a family-owned pharmaceutical company that’s one of the biggest in the country. Dern, on the other hand, portrays George’s brother Frank.

Ultimate Slip ‘N Slide

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 113

Network: NBC

No. of Seasons: 0

Hosted by Bobby Moynihan and Ron Funches, game show Ultimate Slip ‘N Slide was originally set to premiere on NBC after its primetime airing of this year’s Summer Olympics closing ceremony. But the network announced on August 6th that it decided not to move forward with the series after over 40 crew members came down with what insiders have called “explosive diarrhea.” Sources said some staff members were either passing out on set or too busy rushing to the nearest port-a-potty while at work. One crew member even tested positive for a parasitical intestinal infection called giardia, resulting in a production halt last June.

Although production was halted 7 weeks into the intended 8 weeks of filming, the format of the show, an ongoing competition with a definitive conclusion, meant that the final competition for the grand prize had not been filmed, and production’s attempts to edit the show in absence of its proper conclusion were ultimately passed on. Ultimate Slip ‘N Slide was replaced by Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard’s Family Game Fight! in the post-Olympics time slot.

Debris

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 114

Network: NBC

No. of Seasons: 1

Sci-fi drama Debris, which aired its season 1 finale on May 24th, is not coming back for a second season on NBC. The network canceled the J. H. Wyman-created series due to low ratings. The show’s 13-episode freshman run only averaged a 0.38 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 2.79 million viewers in the live+same day ratings.

Produced by Legendary TV and Universal TV, Debris follows CIA agent Bryan Beneventi (Jonathan Tucker) and MI6 operative Finola Jones (Riann Steele) as they team up to recover and investigate pieces of an alien spaceship that fell on Earth. Each piece of wreckage is found to have unusual and often deadly effects on humans and their surroundings, so the two must set their differences aside to solve the mystery as soon as possible before someone else does.

The Irregulars

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 115

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Seasons: 1

The Irregulars was canceled by Netflix after one season. Netflix didn’t provide a reason for the show’s cancellation, but Screen Rant reported that the streamer might have pulled the plug on the mystery crime drama series because it didn’t project to be a multi-season hit. The website also noted that the cancellation of The Irregulars might be a result of Netflix becoming more selective about its funding, as industry norms continue to change during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inspired by the Baker Street Irregulars from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels, The Irregulars followed the titular group of teenagers who work for John Watson to solve supernatural crimes while searching for Sherlock Holmes. The series, which launched on March 26th, starred Thaddea Graham as Bea, McKell David as Spike, Jojo Macari as Billy, Darci Shaw as Jessie, and Harrison Osterfield as the Duke of Albany, Prince Leopold. Recurring actors include Royce Pierreson as Watson and Henry Lloyd-Hughes as Holmes.

The Duchess

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 116

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Seasons: 1

Netflix canceled The Duchess after a single six-episode season that premiered last September. “[Netflix] didn’t want to make any more, not enough people watched it. I think something like 10 million people watched it in 28 days and that wasn’t enough,” series creator and star Katherine Ryan revealed in an episode of Vicky Pattison’s The Secret To… podcast this April. “But also, I’m not terribly sad about it. I feel like it’s a whole lot of work, a whole lot of time to make a sitcom. I was so grateful to able to make it, but I think it speaks for itself. I kind of like the way it ended.”

In The Duchess, Ryan played the role of Katherine, a fashionably disruptive single mom living in London, who was starting to consider having another kid, provided she could find a suitable father for the child first. The series also starred Katy Byrne as Katherine’s daughter Olive, Rory Keenan as Katherine’s off-the-grid ex Shep, and Steen Raskopoulos as Katherine’s new orthodontist boyfriend Evan.

MacGyver

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 117

Network: CBS

No. of Seasons: 5

CBS renewed MacGyver for a fifth season in May 2020. Almost a year later, earlier this April, the network announced that the show’s fifth season will be its last. The action-adventure series, starring Lucas Till in the title role, is scheduled to air its finale on April 30th.

Though CBS didn’t reveal any reason for the show’s cancellation, MacGyver has seen a decline in viewership since its last season premiere in December 2020. Season 5 of the series currently averages a 0.51 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 4.8 million viewers ― down by 23% in the demo and down by 21% in viewership from season 4.

Off-screen issues might have also affected the network’s decision to cancel the series. In summer 2020, CBS terminated its relationship with series executive producer Peter M. Lenkov for creating a toxic work environment. Two weeks after, Till told Vanity Fair that he had endured numerous instances of verbal abuse, bullying, and body-shaming while working alongside Lenkov.

Bless the Harts

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 118

Network: Fox

No. of Seasons: 2

Bless the Harts is one of the few canceled TV shows of 2021 from the animated genre. Fox announced earlier this April that the ongoing second season of the show will be its last. Though the network was happy with Bless the Harts creatively, it never really gained traction in the ratings. The sophomore run of the adult animated series is currently averaging 0.42 in the 18-49 demographic and 1.2 million viewers. That’s down by 51% in the demo and down by 47% in viewership from the show’s freshman run.

Created by Emily Spivey, Bless the Harts follows a family of Southerners striving to live the American dream. Its main voice cast includes Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Jillian Bell, Ike Barinholtz, Kumail Nanjiani, and Fortune Feimster.

American Gods

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 119

Network: Starz

No. of Season: 3

Just a week after American Gods wrapped its third season last March, Starz announced that the fantasy drama will not be returning for a fourth season on the network. Though fans were saddened by the premature end to the series, its cancellation wasn’t really unexpected. The third season of the show averaged a 0.04 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 170,000 viewers ― down by a whopping 65% in the demo and down by 49% in viewership from season 2, which aired in 2019.

Despite the show’s cancellation at Starz, executive producer Neil Gaiman and production company Fremantle assured fans that American Gods is not dead yet. “Fremantle are committed to finishing the story that began in episode 1, and right now we’re all just waiting to see which way forward is best, and who it’ll be with,” Gaiman wrote in a tweet.

Fremantle also released a statement echoing Gaiman’s social media post: “Fremantle is committed to completing the epic journey that is American Gods, one of TV’s most inclusive series with the most amazing fans across the globe. With Neil Gaiman and this fantastic cast and crew, we are exploring all options to continue to tell this magnificent story.”

Animal Kingdom

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 120

Network: TNT

No. of Seasons: 6

TNT renewed Animal Kingdom for a sixth and final season last January ahead of the show’s season 5 premiere this summer. The crime drama is a consistent rating performer for the network, so the show’s cancellation is likely a result of a creative decision made by the producers of the series. To complement the WarnerMedia network’s sports slate, TNT has also been shifting its programming focus to unscripted fare as of late, so this might also be one of the factors that led to Animal Kingdom’s cancellation.

Based on the 2010 Australian film of the same name, Animal Kingdom follows a Southern California family, whose excessive lifestyle is fueled by their criminal activities. The Jonathan Lisco-developed series stars Ellen Barkin, Leila George, Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole, Rigo Sanchez, and Jon Beavers.

Black Lightning

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 121

Network: The CW

No. of Seasons: 4

In November 2020, The CW announced that Black Lightning is ending with season 4. The show’s final season premiered on February 8th and is expected to end later this year. A reason for the cancellation was not given at the time of the announcement, but season 4 is only averaging a 0.12 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 438,000 viewers ― down by 44% in the demo and down by 33% in viewership.

Though the Cress Williams-fronted series is about to take its final bow, a Painkiller spinoff series, starring Jordan Calloway, remains a possibility. Black Lightning’s episode 7 of season 4, which aired earlier this month, served as the backdoor pilot for the spinoff.

The Bold Type

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 122

Network: Freeform

No. of Seasons: 5

Last January, Freeform renewed The Bold Type for a fifth and final season, which is set to premiere on May 26th. The Sarah Watson-created comedy drama has been consistently named as one of TV Guide’s 100 Best Shows on TV. But despite being critically acclaimed, the series has actually never done well in the ratings. In fact, season 4 only averaged a 0.06 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 162,000 viewers, making the show the channel’s lowest-rated series, as of this January.

The Bold Type season 5, which is only comprised of six episodes, will find BFFs Jane (Katie Stevens), Kat (Aisha Dee) and Sutton (Meghann Fahy) “on the brink of defining who they really are and how best to leave their mark on the world.” But whatever happens, “their futures are bright, and their love and support for each other will never change.”

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 123

Network: Fox, NBC

No. of Seasons: 5 on Fox, 3 on NBC

NBC announced last February that the upcoming eighth season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine will serve as its swan song. The police procedural comedy series proved that it has a huge following after its fans helped convince NBC to pick up the series after it was canceled by Fox in 2018. Despite the series having a loyal fan base, co-creator Dan Goor suggested in a statement that they had decided to end the show with season 8 in order to give it a definite end rather than being abruptly canceled again like the first time.

“Ending the show was a difficult decision, but ultimately, we felt it was the best way to honor the characters, the story and our viewers,” said Goor. “I know some people will be disappointed it’s ending so soon, but honestly, I’m grateful it lasted this long. Title of my sex tape.”

High Maintenance

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 124

Network: Vimeo, HBO

No. of Seasons: 6 on Vimeo, 4 on HBO

Last January, nine months after High Maintenance wrapped its fourth-season run, HBO announced that the comedy-drama anthology series will not be returning for a fifth season on the network. In a statement, HBO revealed that “co-creators Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair have decided to take a break from producing the show to pursue other projects.”

High Maintenance, which originally premiered as a web series on Vimeo, follows cannabis courier dubbed as The Guy (Sinclair) as he delivers his product to his clients in New York City. Each episode focuses on different characters as their lives intersect with The Guy.

Dwight in Shining Armor

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 125

Network: BYUtv

No. of Seasons: 5

BYUtv announced last February that Dwight in Shining Armor is ending with its ongoing fifth season. The last 10 episodes of the family fantasy show premiered last March and its series finale is set to air on May 23rd.

Based on a statement from series co-creator Brian J. Adams, Dwight in Shining Armor will not be back for a sixth season because the story has already reached its end. “We’ve experienced so many emotions in the last year as we’ve brought this story to an end,” Adams said. “But the strongest feeling we have now is gratitude. We’re so thankful that we got to finish our story and give it the ending we envisioned more than ten years ago.”

Launched in 2019, Dwight in Shining Armor takes place in a suburban town where a 21st-century teen named Dwight (Sloane Morgan Siegel) falls into an ancient, underground chamber and lands lip-to-lip with Gretta (Caitlin Carmichael), a gothic princess who has been magically sleeping for a thousand years. Dwight’s kiss awakens Gretta, her court magician, Baldric (Joel McCrary), as well as scores of medieval villains, and makes Dwight her de facto champion until her hordes of enemies are defeated.

The Haves and Have Nots

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 126

Network: OWN

No. of Seasons: 8

OWN announced last January that the network’s first-ever scripted drama, The Haves and Have Nots, is ending with season 8. The final season of the Tyler Perry-created series premiered in November 2020 and is scheduled to air its finale in May.

While The Haves and Have Nots has been a ratings hit for OWN, the show will not be returning for a ninth season on the network, as Perry seemingly decided to focus on producing shows for BET and BET+ under his new deal with ViacomCBS. The Haves and the Have Nots is actually Perry’s last remaining series on OWN under his deal with the network, which ended in 2019.

Starring Tika Sumpter, Crystal Fox, Tyler Lepley, John Schneider, and Reneé Lawless, among many others, The Haves and the Have Nots follows the complicated dynamic between the rich and powerful Cryer and Harrington families and their hired help who work for them in their opulent mansions.

The Twilight Zone

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 127

Streaming Service: CBS All Access

No. of Seasons: 2

Paramount+, the rebranded CBS All Access, announced last February that there won’t be a third season of The Twilight Zone. In a statement released that month, producers Monkeypaw Productions and Genre Films revealed that it was their decision to end the series.

“We greatly enjoyed our time working on The Twilight Zone — particularly when the real world around us often felt more and more like another dimension. We cherished the opportunity to collaborate with so many talented writers, actors and crewmembers,” read the statement. “[But] after 20 unique episodes, we have told the stories that we wanted to tell, and CBS All Access was gracious in their understanding of our decision.”

A modern reimagining of Rod Serling’s 1959 anthology series of the same name, The Twilight Zone tells various tales of science fiction, mystery, and horror narrated by Jordan Peele.

The Last Kingdom

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 128

Network: BBC America

Streaming Service: Netflix

No of Seasons: 2 on BBC America, 3 on Netflix

The upcoming fifth season of The Last Kingdom will be its last. “We had such a tremendous response to the last season, so are thrilled to be bringing it back for a fifth and final season on Netflix,” executive producer Nigel Merchant said in a statement. “With such a loyal fanbase, we’re excited to give viewers a chance to follow Uhtred (Alexander Dreymon) on the next stage of his epic quest, where not everyone survives.”

The cancellation news shocked a lot of fans as the fifth and final season of the show will only cover the ninth and tenth books of Bernard Cornwell’s 13-part Saxon Stories series, leaving the final three installments unadapted. Unfortunately for fans, Netflix didn’t provide a reason for the cancellation.

Originally launched on BBC America in 2015 before moving to Netflix in 2018, The Last Kingdom centers on Dreymon’s Uhtred, a Saxon raised by Vikings who seeks to claim his ancestral birthright.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 129

Network: Syndication

No. of Seasons: 19

Ellen DeGeneres’ eponymous daytime talk show is ending with its upcoming 19th season, which is slated to air in Spring 2022. The decision to end the show was made by DeGeneres herself, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “When you’re a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged — and as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore.”

Though the news comes in the wake of a controversial year for the talk show, which became the subject of behind-the-scenes controversy involving widespread accusations of a toxic workplace, DeGeneres made it clear that it was not the reason behind her decision to end the program. “If I was quitting the show because of that, I wouldn’t have come back this season,” the host explained. “So, it’s not why I’m stopping.”

Truth Seekers

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 130

Streaming Service: Amazon Prime Video

No. of Seasons: 1

Truth Seekers is one of the few canceled TV shows of 2021 that only lasted for one season. Series star, co-creator and executive producer Nick Frost announced the cancellation last February on Instagram.

“Sadly, Truth Seekers will not be returning for a second season,” he said in a since-deleted video. “Truth Seekers has not been renewed, which is a massive kick in the willy for me. We really put our all into this – our heart and soul, and blood in some cases — so to not come back is really sad for us. It’s a shame. I think we had lots of lovely ghost stories to tell, stories that will remain untold. If you liked the show, thank you. I really, really appreciate your support. And if you didn’t, well, are you happy now? Happy now?”

A comedy-horror series, Truth Seekers follows part-time paranormal investigators who use homemade gizmos to track supernatural at allegedly haunted locations throughout the U.K. As their spooky stakeouts become more terrifying, they start to uncover an unimaginable, apocalyptic conspiracy.

Peaky Blinders

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 131

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Seasons: 6

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight announced last January that the upcoming sixth season of the British period crime drama will be its last. He, however, noted that “while the TV series will be coming to an end, the story will continue in another form.”

Back in 2018, when Peaky Blinders had already aired four seasons, Knight told the press that it will take three more seasons to end the series. While it’s unclear why the show is ending slightly earlier than fans expected, Knight’s jam-packed schedule might have something to do with it. The Oscar-winning writer is currently juggling his time between Peaky Blinders and a number of other projects, including season 2 of his Apple TV+ drama See, a Princess Diana movie starring Kristen Stewart, a Jake Gyllenhaal and Benedict Cumberbatch thriller titled Rio, and a series called SAS: Rogue Heroes.

Starring an ensemble cast led by Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory, Joe Cole and Paul Anderson, Peaky Blinders is a gangster family epic set in 1900s England, centering on a gang who sew razor blades in the peaks of their caps, and their fierce boss Tommy Shelby.

Pose

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 132

Network: FX

No. of Seasons: 3

FX renewed Pose for a third season last 2019. But just this March, it was announced that it’s going to be the final season of the drama series. The show’s seven-episode final season is set to debut on May 2nd. The series finale will air on June 6th.

Series co-creator Steven Canals wrote in a tweet that they decided to end Pose with season 3 because they “reached the intended ending” of their story. Canals’ fellow co-creator Ryan Murphy said the same thing in a statement: “We got to tell the exact story we wanted, as we wanted to tell it, and I’m incredibly honored and grateful. Pose’s story may end in 1996, but its impact will go on forever.”

Set in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Pose is about New York City’s drag ball culture scene, the gay and trans community, and the raging AIDS crisis of that time.

Insecure

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 133

Network: HBO

No. of Seasons: 5

Insecure star and co-creator Issa Rae announced last January that the upcoming fifth season of the comedy-drama series will be its last. In a statement, Rae revealed that she and fellow executive producer Prentice Penny had always envisioned Insecure as a five-season series. “Prentice and I are so grateful that HBO believed in our show from the beginning and kept faith in us to see our vision through the end,” Rae told Deadline. “We always planned to tell this story through five seasons, but we couldn’t have made it this far without the tremendous support of our audience.”

Co-created by Larry Wilmore and partially based on Rae’s acclaimed web series Awkward Black Girl, Insecure follows the awkward experiences and racy tribulations of a modern-day African-American woman named Issa Dee (Rae). Aside from Rae, the series also stars Jay Ellis, Yvonne Orji, Alexander Hodge, and Kendrick Sampson.

On My Block

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 134

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Seasons: 4

On My Block was renewed for a fourth and final season by Netflix last January. The teen dramedy became the streamer’s most binged show after it launched in 2018, so its popularity among viewers is likely not the main reason for its cancellation. The decision to end the series, however, might have something to do with co-creator Lauren Iungerich’s contract with Netflix. Last year, Iungerich signed a multi-year overall deal with the streaming service to develop new projects, so it’s possible that On My Block was canceled so she could focus on creating new projects for the platform.

Starring Sierra Capri, Jason Genao, Brett Gray, and Diego Tinoco, On My Block is a coming-of-age story about four bright, street-savvy friends navigating their way through high school in the gritty inner city of South Central Los Angeles.

Shrill

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 135

Streaming Service: Hulu

No. of Seasons: 3

Hulu announced last January that Shrill is ending with its upcoming third season, which is set to premiere on May 7th. A reason for the cancellation was not revealed, but the heavy workload of series star Aidy Bryant was probably one of the factors that led to the decision to end the series.

Since Shrill launched in early 2019, Bryant, who writes, produces, and stars in the series, had been pulling double duty. She filmed the first two seasons of the Portland-based comedy while Saturday Night Live was on hiatus, enabling her to be back in 30 Rock for the SNL season. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, filming for the third season was moved to the fall of 2020, preventing her to appear in SNL for its run of election-themed episodes.

Based on Lindy West’s book Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman, Shrill centers on Bryant’s Annie Easton, a woman who seeks out ways to change her life without changing her body.

Castlevania

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 136

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Seasons: 4

Castlevania is coming to an end at Netflix with its upcoming fourth and final season. Its last batch of 10 episodes is set to premiere on May 13th. Though it’s not clear why Netflix canceled the adult animated series, the streaming service is reportedly eyeing a new show set in the same universe, featuring a new cast of characters.

Inspired by the classic video game of the same name, Castlevania follows a vampire hunter who fights to save a besieged city from an army of otherworldly creatures controlled by Dracula.

Mom

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 137

Network: CBS

No. of Seasons: 8

The ongoing eighth season of Mom is its last. The sitcom’s final season premiered in November 2020 and its series finale is set to air on May 13th. While CBS didn’t explain why it canceled the show, star Allison Janney has a theory why the network pulled the plug on the series.

“I’m sad,” Janney said during an appearance in The Late Late Show last March. “I wish we’d had at least another year for the writers to have that much time to ramp up to the ending. We sort of found out sooner than we thought we would hear. We thought, ‘Surely they’re going to want more Mom,’ and they decided not. There are so many reasons behind it — most of them probably money.”

Created by Chuck Lorre, Mom follows dysfunctional daughter/mother duo Christy (Anna Faris) and Bonnie Plunkett (Janney) who attempt to pull their lives and their relationship together by trying to stay sober and attending Alcoholics Anonymous.

Queen of the South

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 138

Network: USA Network

No. of Seasons: 5

Queen of the South is ending with its ongoing fifth season, which premiered on April 7th. The series finale is set to air on June 9th. USA Network didn’t explain why the show is coming to an end, but it appears that the story of the show is about to run its course.

An adaptation of the telenovela La Reina del Sur, Queen of the South stars Alice Braga as Teresa Mendoza, a poor Mexican woman who becomes wealthy by building a vast drug empire.

Superstore

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 139

Network: NBC

No. of Seasons: 6

Canceled by NBC in December 2020, Superstore ended its six-season run last March. The network didn’t give an exact reason for the show’s cancellation, but the decision to wrap the sitcom with season 6 might have something to do with America Ferrera’s departure from the series.

Ferrera announced her exit from the show in February 2020, and though her last appearance was supposed to happen at the end of season 5, she ended up reprising her role as Amy Sosa in the first two episodes of season 6, after season 5 was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though Superstore features an ensemble cast, Ferrera is undoubtedly the sitcom’s biggest star, and her absence likely led to the producers’ decision to end the series altogether.

Created by Justin Spitzer, Superstore follows a group of employees working at Cloud 9, store number 1217, a fictional big-box store in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition to Ferrera, the sitcom also stars Ben Feldman, Lauren Ash, Colton Dunn, Nico Santos, Nichole Sakura, Mark McKinney, and Kaliko Kauahi.

Carmen Sandiego

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 140

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Seasons: 4

The fourth and final season of Carmen Sandiego arrived on Netflix last January. The streamer announced the fourth season renewal of the animated series in October 2020. But two months later, it was revealed that it’s going to be the show’s final season. When one Twitter user asked if Carmen Sandiego was ending because it was canceled, the show’s official Twitter account replied that it was “not canceled, just ending.” This suggests that the decision to end the series with season 4 was made by the show’s producers and not by Netflix.

Featuring the voice of Gina Rodriguez, Carmen Sandiego offers a serialized look at the titular thief’s backstory told from her own perspective.

Shameless

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 141

Network: Showtime

No. of Seasons: 11

Showtime renewed Shameless for an eleventh and final season in January 2020. The show’s last batch of episodes was supposed to premiere in mid-2020, but was pushed to December of that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It aired its series finale this April.

In an interview ahead of the show’s season 11 premiere, executive producer John Wells implied that the decision to end Shameless with season 11 was made by the show’s creative team and not by the network. “We’re just following people’s lives. We just have to walk away from them at some point,” Wells said at the time.

An adaptation of Paul Abbott’s British series of the same name, Shameless depicts the poor, dysfunctional family of Frank Gallagher. A neglectful single father of six, Frank spends his days drunk or in search of misadventures, leaving his children to take care of themselves. The ensemble cast was led William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum.

DuckTales

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 142

Network: Disney Channel, Disney XD

No. of Seasons: 3

The third and final season of DuckTales ended its run last March. While Disney didn’t give a reason why the animated series wrapped with season 3, it is believed that DuckTales was not renewed for a fourth season because it had already surpassed the so-called “65th episode rule.” Part of the Disney Channel’s programming strategy in the ‘90s and 2000s, the said rule saw hit shows like Even Stevens and Lizzie McGuire end after reaching 65 episodes, as shows with 65 episodes could be syndicated by Disney every day for 13 weeks.

A reboot of the original 1987 series of the same name, DuckTales centers on the lives of Scrooge McDuck and his family as they engage in a variety of adventures around the world, as well as in the fictional city of Duckburg. It also tells deeper character stories involving Donald Duck.

Claws

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 143

Network: TNT

No. of Seasons: 4

Set to premiere this June, Claws’ fourth season is going to be its last. Though the crime dramedy is one of TNT’s highest-rated shows, Claws saw a drop in ratings after its second season, which was probably one of the reasons for its cancellation. Its creator Eliot Lawrence is also working on Freeform’s freshman series Motherland: Fort Salem, so it’s possible that he decided to end Claws so he could focus on his new show.

Starring Niecy Nash, Carrie Preston, Judy Reyes, Karrueche Tran, and Jenn Lyon, Claws follows five manicurists at the Nail Artisans salon of Manatee County, Florida who enter the traditionally male world of organized crime when they begin laundering money for a neighboring pain clinic and eventually work their way up to controlling their own criminal empire.

Conan

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 144

Network: TBS

No. of Seasons: 10

Conan O’Brien’s eponymous late-night talk show, which has aired on TBS since 2010, will conclude at the end of its 10th season in June 2021. It appears that O’Brien decided to end Conan with season 10 so he could focus on his upcoming weekly variety series that will stream on HBO Max.

“In 1993 Johnny Carson gave me the best advice of my career: ‘As soon as possible, get to a streaming platform,’” O’Brien said in November 2020 when his new deal with WarnerMedia’s streaming service was announced. “I’m thrilled that I get to continue doing whatever the hell it is I do on HBO Max, and I look forward to a free subscription.”

Feel Good

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 145

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Seasons: 2

British comedy-drama series Feel Good was renewed for a second and final season by Netflix in December 2020. The show’s sophomore run is slated to premiere sometime this year.

Based on a statement from series star and co-creator Mae Martin, it seems that Feel Good had always been envisioned as a two-season series. “I’m beyond excited to be able to return to the world of Feel Good, and to see Mae (Martin) and George’s (Charlotte Ritchie) love story through to the dramatic conclusion we had always planned,” said Martin last December. “I’m really deeply attached to this story and I’m so grateful to be getting back to work with the incredible team at Objective Fiction and our hilarious cast.”

Co-created by Martin and Joe Hampson, Feel Good follows a London-based comedian named Mae (Martin) as she navigates sobriety and a new relationship with her girlfriend, George (Ritchie).

Van Helsing

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 146

Network: Syfy

No. of Seasons: 5

The fifth season of Van Helsing, which premiered this April, is the show’s final season. While Syfy didn’t release an explanation for the show’s cancellation, the fantasy drama’s viewing figures have started to fall since season 1. Season 4 of the series averaged a 0.08 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 296,000 viewers. Compared to season 3, that’s down by 8% in the demo and down by 22% in viewership.

Created by Neil LaBute, the show stars Kelly Overton as Vanessa “Van” Helsing, a descendent of Van Helsing, who awoke from a coma to find vampires had overtaken the world. A prime target for the vampires, she’s also humanity’s last hope with her immunity to vampires and her ability to turn them into humans. The cast includes Jonathan Scarfe, Tricia Helfer, Nicole Munoz, Keeya King, Neal McDonough, Vincent Gale, Rukiya Bernard, and Aleks Paunovic.

Supergirl

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 147

Network: The CW

No. of Seasons: 6

The ongoing sixth season of Supergirl is its last. The 20-episode final season of the Melissa Benoist-led series premiered last March and is scheduled to air its finale later in the summer.

The CW didn’t give a reason for the show’s cancellation, but ratings certainly played a major part. Ratings dropped steeply through the fifth season, which only averaged a 0.22 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 837,000 viewers ― down by 36% in the demo and down by 30% in viewership. Benoist’s new role as a mom might also be one of the factors that led to the decision to end the series with season 6.

Supergirl tells the story of Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El who decides the time has come to embrace her superhuman abilities and fulfill her destiny as a hero.

Last Man Standing

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 148

Network: ABC, Fox

No. of Seasons: 6 on ABC, 3 on Fox

The ninth and last season of Last Man Standing, which premiered last January, is set to air its finale on May 20th.

In a statement from series star and executive producer Tim Allen in October 2020, Allen revealed that the decision to end the series with season 3 was a collective decision between Fox and the creative team of the show. “We had all considered to end the show after last season, but together with Fox, we decided to add a year so we could produce a full season to create the gentle and fun goodbye,” Allen said at the time.

Created by Jack Burditt, Last Man Standing follows Mike Baxter (Allen), a senior executive and director of marketing for an outdoor sporting goods store chain. His home life is initially filled with his wife, three daughters, and a grandson, but later extends to the young men who are married to or dating his daughters.

Judge Judy

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 149

Network: Syndication

No. of Seasons: 25

Judge Judy’s ongoing 25th season is its last. The arbitration-based reality court show will end its run this year. During an appearance on Ellen in March 2020, star Judy Sheindlin revealed that CBS, which distributes the show, was the one that pulled the plug on the series.

“I’ve had a 25-year-long marriage with CBS and it’s been successful. Next year will be our 25th season, silver anniversary,” Sheindlin said at the time. “And CBS, I think, sort of felt they wanted to optimally utilize the repeats of my program because now they have 25 years of reruns. So what they decided to do was to sell a couple of years’ worth of reruns.”

Sheindlin, however, said that she’s “not tired,” so she’ll star in a similar yet new show called Judy Justice, which will stream on Amazon’s ad-supported IMDb TV.

Created by Kaye Switzer and Sandi Spreckman, Judge Judy features Sheindlin adjudicating real-life small-claim disputes within a simulated courtroom set. Prior to the proceedings, all involved parties signed arbitration contracts agreeing to Sheindlin’s ruling.

Keeping Up with the Kardashians

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 150

Network: E!

No. of Seasons: 20

The ongoing 20th season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians is the show’s final season. In an interview with Grazia USA in October 2020, series star Kim Kardashian said her family decided to end Keeping Up With the Kardashians with 20 seasons because they needed a “break.”

“This was a dream of all of ours. We never imagined we would get onto season 2 Now we’re on 20,” Kardashian said. “Sometimes we just need a break. It’s really simple. We just need a minute to regroup. You know, we haven’t had a break for 14 years. We’ve gone in filming a season, then a spinoff and I think there’s no other way to say it other than, we just live such big lives. And we have kids now. And they need us.”

Created by Ryan Seacrest, Keeping Up with the Kardashians documents the personal and professional lives of the Kardashian–Jenner blended family. It focuses mainly on sisters Kim, Kourtney, and Khloé and their half-sisters Kendall and Kylie.

Money Heist

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 151

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Parts: 5

The upcoming fifth part of Money Heist, aka La casa de papel, is going to be its last. In a letter to shareholders announcing Netflix’s Q1 earnings, the streamer revealed that the 10-episode part 5 of the crime drama series will premiere on the streaming service in the second half of 2021.

Netflix didn’t give a reason for the show’s cancellation, but based on a statement from series creator Alex Pina, it seems that the show’s story has already reached its intended ending. “We’ve spent almost a year thinking about how to break up the band. How to put the Professor (Alvaro Morte) on the ropes. How to get into situations that are irreversible for many characters. The result is the fifth part of La Casa de Papel,” Pina said in July 2020. “The war reaches its most extreme and savage levels, but it is also the most epic and exciting season.”

Launched back in 2017, Money Heist follows an unusual group of robbers as they attempt to carry out the most perfect robberies in Spanish history.

Lost in Space

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 152

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Seasons: 3

Season 3 of Lost in Space, which was officially announced in March 2020, is going to be the final season of the sci-fi series. The show’s last batch of episodes is set to premiere on Netflix this year.

In a statement announcing the show’s third season renewal, showrunner Zack Estrin revealed that Lost in Space has always been meant as a trilogy. “From the beginning, we’ve always viewed this particular story of The Robinsons as a trilogy,” Estrin said. “A three-part epic family adventure with a clear beginning, middle and end. It’s also worth noting that, with what these characters go through just trying to survive each episode — if anyone deserves to catch their breath before their next mission — it’s Will (Maxwell Jenkins), Penny (Mina Sundwall), Judy (Taylor Russell), Maureen (Molly Parker), John (Toby Stephens), Don West (Ignacio Serricchio), Dr. Smith (Parkey Posey)… and The Robot (Brian Steele). And, of course, Debbie the Chicken.”

A reimagining of the 1965 series of the same name, Lost in Space follows the adventures of a family of space colonists whose spaceship veers off course.

The Kominsky Method

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 153

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Seasons: 3

The third and final season of The Kominsky Method is set to premiere on May 28th. Netflix didn’t give a reason for the show’s cancellation, but it seems that that comedy-drama series is ending because there’s nothing left to tell of Kominsky’s story.

Created by Chuck Lorre, the half-hour comedy centers on the adventures of Sandy Kominsky (Michael Douglas), an aging former actor-turned-acting coach, and his agent and friend Norman Newlander (Alan Arkin) as they navigate their later years in Los Angeles. In the last season, Kominsky struggles with health issues and deals with his daughter’s new boyfriend, while Newlander is reunited with an old flame.

Atypical

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 154

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Seasons: 4

The upcoming fourth season of Atypical will be its last. Though Netflix didn’t give a reason for the show’s cancellation, it seems that the story of the coming-of-age dramedy is coming to its natural conclusion. The 10-episode final season of Atypical doesn’t have an exact release date yet, but it is expected to arrive on the streamer this late summer or sometime this fall.

Created by Robia Rashid, Atypical tells the story of Sam Gardner (Keir Gilchrist), a young adult with autism spectrum disorder, as he searches for love and independence. It also stars Jennifer Jason Leigh, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Amy Okuda, and Michael Rapaport.

Better Call Saul

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 155

Network: AMC

No. of Seasons: 6

AMC renewed Better Call Saul for a sixth and final season in January 2020. While it’s not clear why the network decided to end the crime drama with season 6, showrunner and executive producer Peter Gould said at the time of the renewal that they’re going to do their “damnedest to stick the landing.” The show’s 13-episode last season is expected to premiere late this year.

Both a spin-off and a prequel of Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul follows the transformation of former con artist James “Jimmy” McGill (Bob Odenkirk) into the personality of the flamboyant criminal lawyer Saul Goodman over the six-year period prior to the events of the mothership series.

Dear White People

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 156

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Seasons: 4

The upcoming fourth season of Dear White People will be its last. The dramedy’s 10-episode last season doesn’t have an exact release date yet, but it is expected to arrive on Netflix later this year. Since Netflix rarely release viewership details for its shows, it’s not clear whether or not the show’s cancellation was due to low ratings. No matter what the case is, series creator Justin Simien is “grateful” that his “little indie-that-could has made it to four seasons at Netflix.”

Based on the 2014 film of the same name, Dear White People follows a group of black students as they navigate various forms of racial and other types of discrimination at a predominantly white Ivy League college. It stars Logan Browning, Brandon P. Bell, DeRon Horton, Antoinette Robertson, John Patrick Amedori, Ashley Blaine Featherson, and Marque Richardson, among many others.

Grace and Frankie

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 157

Streaming Service: Netflix

No. of Seasons: 7

Starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the titular roles, Grace and Frankie was renewed for a seventh and final season in September 2019. But because production on the final season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show’s 16-episode final season is now expected to premiere late this year or in early 2022.

In an interview with Insider in December 2019, Fonda said that the show’s cancellation was Netflix’s sole decision. “You know, they have their algorithms and their rules and… a point comes where it just doesn’t make financial sense for them. We’re going to be very sad. I can tell you,” Fonda said at the time.

In the Marta Kauffman and Howard J. Morris-created series, Grace Hanson (Fonda) and Frankie Bergstein (Lily Tomlin) become unlikely friends after their husbands announce they are in love with each other and plan to get married.

Bosch

All the canceled TV shows of 2021 158

Streaming Service: Amazon Prime Video

No. of Seasons: 7

Bosch’s upcoming seventh season will be its last. The final season of the police procedural drama is expected to premiere later this year. In a statement, creator Michael Connelly implied that the decision to end the series with season 7 was made by the show’s creative team. “I’m proud of what we have accomplished with Bosch and look forward to completing the story in season 7. It’s bittersweet, but all good things come to an end, and I am happy that we will be able to go out the way we want to,” he said.

Drawing from Connelly’s novels The Concrete Blonde and The Burning Room, Bosch season 7 will have Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) and Jerry Edgar (Jamie Hector) pursuing two separate but perilous murder investigations that will take them to the highest levels of white-collar crime and the deadly depths of the street-level drug trade.

Bosch is Amazon Prime Video’s first original drama series and is the streamer’s longest-running original series by a wide margin.

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