May TV Cancellation Bloodbath: A Rundown Of Big Shows That Were Recently Axed
Even though today’s TV landscape looks radically different from the status quo even a decade ago, with the growing abundance of streaming services, it hasn’t yet disrupted the fact that shows drop like flies every May as networks shape their upcoming schedules while going wild with cancellation and renewal announcements. 2023 certainly hasn’t been the stage for a rebellion on that front, as all kinds of shows’ fates have been sealed this month already, and there are weeks to go. (Though such fates aren’t always permanent, with S.W.A.T.'s cancellation being reversed after Shemar Moore echoed fan complaints.)
Below, we’ve rounded up all the big shows coping with cancellation news in May 2023, with both new entries and established favorites facing the axe, with the ongoing WGA writers strike possibly fueling some of those decisions.
Call Me Kat (Fox)
Call Me Kat and the world at large suffered the death of Leslie Jordan in October 2022, and while the Fox comedy did a formidable job of handling things in the aftermath, the sitcom’s already modest numbers only dropped throughout its third season. Mayim Bialik shared her reaction to the cancellation with a prediction for where things could have gone next.
The Winchesters (The CW)
On paper, a prequel spinoff to one of TV’s most fanbase-friendly series sounds like a lock. Unfortunately, EP Jensen Ackles’ attempt to dive back into the history of Supernatural’s Sam and Dean coincided with The CW being bought out by Nexstar Media, which took over with a vested interest in culling pricy original programming. Following The Winchesters’ cancellation, Ackles started efforts to save the show via a new home.
The Company You Keep (ABC)
Coming off of the hit NBC drama This Is Us, Milo Ventimiglia teamed with a Walking Dead vet and an FBI vet for ABC’s flashy con man drama The Company You Keep. Unfortunately, the show underperformed in its Sunday night time slot, and the network pulled the plug less than a week after its season finale aired. (This Is Us’ Jack technically survived longer.)
Man Vs. Bee (Netflix)
Marking the TV return of Mr. Bean and Black Adder genius Rowan Atkinson, Netflix’s Man vs. Bee played up the comedian’s strengths, but it was possibly too quirky a comedy to develop the buzz it needed to convince the streaming service to order a second season. It’s technically hard to know if this actually happened in May, as the cancellation report surfaced in a somewhat untimely manner.
East New York (CBS)
Despite a promising debut in Fall 2022, CBS’ East New York soon dealt with behind-the-scenes problems over producer terminations, and its initially solid viewership and ratings stats dropped over time. Though it remained on the bubble longer than other shows, the network canceled East New York a week before its finale aired.
Archer (FXX)
While there’s no conceivable way Archer could outlast the pop culture presence of its James Bond inspiration, lasting longer than a dozen seasons is a huge feat that producers for other shows on this list would love to boast. But all good things must come to an end (phrasing), and FXX announced that the upcoming Season 14 will be the animated spy comedy’s last one.
Alaska Daily (ABC)
Hilary Swank’s ABC newspaper drama Alaska Daily wasn’t exactly a social media phenomenon, but built up a faithful audience that was extremely hopeful it would get renewed after its finale aired in March. After waiting for more than a month, however, the network dropped the disappointing news that the drama had been canceled.
Yellowstone (Paramount Network)
After becoming one of TV’s biggest surprise successes, Paramount Network’s Yellowstone is now shockingly heading for its endgame via the remaining Season 5 episodes that haven’t yet been filmed. Issues started earlier this year over reports of behind-the-scenes feuds with Kevin Costner over scheduling. While the details behind the rumors have yet to be clarified, Paramount execs confirmed that Season 5 will be the neo-western’s last outing, though fans can still look forward to upcoming Yellowstone shows such as the straight-to-series sequel spinoff that’s set to immediately follow up on the flagship’s narrative.
Walker: Independence (The CW)
Similar to how The Winchesters’ future was set in stone by The CW’s buyout, the past-set spinoff Walker: Independence didn’t get much time to build up a core audience before its twist-driven finale was followed up by cancellation news. What makes this more interesting, however, is the fact that Jared Padalecki’s mothership drama Walker was one of the few scripted projects that The CW chose to renew.
Lockwood & Co. (Netflix)
Fans of Jonathan Stroud’s Lockwood & Co. series were delighted when Joe Cornish fronted an adaptation for Netflix, and by and large, the show drew positive responses from just about everybody who watched the supernatural mysteries play out. But it would appear that not enough positive-minded people watched it to justify budgeting out a second season.
Big Sky (ABC)
Despite taking its story in a different direction with its third season (subtitled Deadly Trails), ABC’s Big Sky didn’t appear to bring in new audiences. Even with the additions of beloved celebs Jensen Ackles and Reba McEntire, its viewership sagged below the second season’s averages, and Big Sky was canceled nearly a year after Ackles’ casting was revealed.
Fantasy Island (Fox)
It’s weird to think we’re at a point in pop culture where there have been two completely different Fantasy Island projects in just the past three years. Fox’s TV reboot wasn’t anything like Jeff Wadlow’s 2020 film, for better or worse, and managed to last two seasons (and a humdinger of a Melrose Place reunion episode) before it was canceled.
Kung-Fu (The CW)
This update of David Carradine's classic '70s drama was laudable for featuring one of broadcast TV's biggest (and only) Asian-American casts. Sadly, Kung Fu has also been one of broadcast TV's least-watched series, despite earning three seasons in full before it fell to The CW's own mini cancellation bloodbath.
Sweet Tooth (Netflix)
Thankfully for Sweet Tooth fans, the fun and family-friendly fantasy drama has been watched by enough Netflix subscribers that the service gave the thumbs up for showrunner Jim Mickle can close out Gus and the hybrids' story in a proper fashion with a third and final season. But despite its endgame news hitting in 2023, we'll likely be waiting until 2024 to see how closely the story matches up with the end of comic mastermind Jeff Lemire's original tale.
True Lies (CBS)
Coming nearly 30 years after the Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis blockbuster hit theaters, CBS' True Lies wasn't destined for the same greatness, though having James Cameron on board as an executive producer should have helped the drama earn a big enough audience to make it through two seasons. Alas, its stereotypical narratives didn't win many over, not even with a guest-spot from the movie's co-star Tom Arnold.
For now, these are the "only" victims of the monstress herd of May TV cancellations, but keep checking back to see if and when newly disappointed entries get added. And check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what other shows are on the way soon.
