Which Cancellations Angered TVLine Readers Most? (And Which Still Do?)

Matt Webb Mitovich

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As 2019 nears its end, you know what that means. No, not another “Something of the Decade” TV list. But close!

As TVLine prepares to turn nine years old on Saturday, Jan. 4 — and more specifically, sparked by yet another commenter pleading for a second season of The Messengers, which was cancelled more than four-and-a-half years ago by The CW — we thought we’d take a look of the axings that have elicited the most uproar from you, the sometimes not-so-gentle reader.

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Think of it as “The Hardest-to-Accept TV Cancellations on the Almost-Decade.” Though I am open to alternate headlines.

Based on the pure volume of comments alone, made in response to the initial news of a cancellation, the one that has spurred the most discussion from you was… ABC’s The Family, which since May 2016 has amassed north of 3,000 comments.

Placing second (with 2,711 comments), yet in a markedly shorter span of time, is NBC’s The Village, which got the axe just this past May.

All told, the “Top” 10 (based on total comments) looks like this:
1. The Family (ABC, cancelled 5/12/2016)
2. The Village (NBC, cancelled 5/30/2019)
3. The Chew (ABC, cancelled 5/23/2018)
4. Longmire (cancelled by A&E 8/28/2014, then “saved” by Netflix)
5. Forever (ABC, cancelled 5/7/2015)
6. The Witches of East End (Lifetime, cancelled 11/4/2014)
7. Castle (ABC, cancelled 5/12/2016)
8. The Messengers (The CW, cancelled 5/7/2015)
9. Finding Carter (MTV, cancelled 1/29/2016)
10. Game of Silence (NBC, cancelled 5/13/2016)

Filling the next five slots would be The Outsiders, The Glades, The Lying Game, Reckless and Revolution.

But wait, there is a second ranking! Because while the above list perhaps measures Anger, another stage of grief is Denial. And The Village has netted 30 new comments in December of 2019 alone, mourning its gone-too-soon-ness and or begging for its return. Similarly, the long-dead Messengers had seven new comments this month. The report of Castle‘s cancellation, on the flip side, has not seen a new comment in two years. That is the stage called Acceptance.

I know, I know — you’re now wondering, “TVLine, what was the very first cancellation you reported on, after launching nine years ago?” I had the same question! And the answer is… TLC’s Sarah Palin’s Alaska, which got the hook when we were not even a week old.

Meanwhile, the first broadcast cancellation — albeit unofficial, but presumed — we reported on was that of NBC’s The Cape, which had production shut down after 10 episodes and whose series finale wound up streaming online. (Sorry, Abed.)

Which of the above cancellations still saddens you the most? And what are you getting us for our ninth anniversary?

Launch Gallery: Cancelled TV Shows That Came Back

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