The Most Unjust Cancellations of 2023
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Just as death is an inevitable part of life, so too are cancellations an unavoidable part of being a TV fan — but that doesn’t mean we have to like it.
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As with every year, dozens of shows aired their final episodes in 2023. But before we start singing “Auld Lang Syne,” we want to pour one (or perhaps 15) out for the undeserving shows whose shocking, shortsighted and deeply regrettable cancellations will stick with us well into 2024.
Our picks for 2023’s most unjust cancellations include the revival of a popular Nickelodeon sitcom, the reboot of a coming-of-age classic, plus three series based on iconic films about baseball, wizardry and musically inclined gangs.
Other lamentable losses include a seven-time Primetime Emmy Award-nominated comedy, a promising superhero drama and a handful of other series starring several household names. It’s certainly a diverse collection of shows, but they all have one thing in common — they all deserved to see at least one more season.
Read on for (in alphabetical order) the 15 shows whose cancellations we would reverse immediately, if only we could, then drop a comment with your own additions to the list. Which of this year’s cancelled shows will you still miss in 2024?
American Auto (NBC)
We’re still scratching our heads over why the automotive industry comedy, which was just as smart and funny as creator Justin Spitzer’s previous NBC sitcom Superstore, didn’t click with viewers. Be it bad marketing or a lack of audience interest, the show’s sharp satire — the abortion-themed “The Letter” was one of the best episodes of any show this year — and its stellar cast, led by Ana Gasteyer, deserved so much more.
A League of Their Own (Prime Video)
We’re not sure it gets more unjust than this, seeing as Prime Video had initially renewed this series adaptation for a second and final season… but the renewal was later rescinded after Hollywood’s simultaneous strikes delayed production on Season 2. Reversed renewals are always heartbreakers, but the sting of this one still lingers: In addition to ending on a forever-unresolved cliffhanger, A League of Their Own shined a refreshing spotlight on communities and topics that are woefully underrepresented on television.
The Company You Keep (ABC)
The romantic con drama seemingly had it all: A fun, sexy premise, a pairing with solid chemistry in Milo Ventimiglia and Catherine Haena Kim, and an impressive supporting cast (Sarah Wayne Callies, William Fichtner, etc.) Too bad ABC effectively killed one of its most promising new shows in years with a bad timeslot and a lack of faith in its potential to grow an audience.
East New York (CBS)
This CBS drama, led by Amanda Warren and Jimmy Smits and boasting a wonderfully eclectic and diverse array of supporting cast/characters, endeavored to offer a contemporary spin on the usual cop show — in that it spoke to the need for reform, and better policing. Alas, when S.W.A.T.‘s cancellation was reversed by the network, it was East New York that seemingly paid the price.
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Paramount+)
Not only was Paramount+’s Grease prequel fizzy good fun, it delivered some of the season’s best musical numbers — and earned two Emmy nods for its fleet-footed choreography (see video above). On top of all that, the Season 1 series finale left us with approximately a bazillion unresolved cliffhangers.
The Great (Hulu)
We might’ve thought that — spoiler alert! — killing off a character as hilarious and dynamic as Nicholas Hoult’s Peter would signal the end for Hulu’s alt-history comedy. But the bold twist actually reinvigorated the series midway through Season 3, inspiring some of Elle Fanning’s finest work as Catherine and opening up all kinds of storytelling possibilities. So we were royally ticked off, then, to see Hulu drop the axe after three criminally underrated seasons.
Gotham Knights (The CW)
Doesn’t it always happen this way? Just when a new show that got off to a wobbly start starts firing on all cylinders, it turns out to be too late. At first handicapped as being yet another “Batman-less Batman series,” Gotham Knights spun a haunting Court of Owls tale and gave Misha Collins a deviously delicious dual personality arc, all while serving #Tuernla and #StephHarper ‘shippers oh so well.
Home Economics (ABC)
The supremely underrated Topher Grace-led ABC comedy never got its due during its brief three-season lifespan, so its unceremonious — and painfully drawn-out — demise did not come as a complete surprise. But it stung, nonetheless.
iCarly (Paramount+)
This cancellation felt like a slap in the face, and not in a fun way. We’ve been following Carly and Freddie’s friends-to-lovers journey in real time for 16 years, and the Paramount+ revival’s third season finale put them at the altar, where they nearly swapped vows. In a cruel (but also exciting!) twist of fate, Carly’s estranged mother interrupted the ceremony, much to her daughter’s surprise. We were dying to see what the future held for #Creddie, as well as which sitcom actress would be tapped to play the elusive Mama Shay. Sadly, we’ll be getting answers to exactly zero of those questions, thanks to the streamer’s highly debatable decision to pull the plug early.
The Other Two (Max)
Max’s wickedly funny showbiz satire had such a sharp eye for the absurdities of celebrity culture that it seemed like it would never run out of material. But alas, co-showrunners Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider abruptly pulled the plug on all the fun after three seasons, calling it a creative decision. Was the show actually scrapped due to the reported HR complaints about Kelly and Schneider? We’ll never know for sure… but we’ll never stop missing Cary and Brooke, either.
Reboot (Hulu)
Hulu’s razor-sharp sitcom about a sitcom was a TV lover’s delight, packed with meta gags about vain actors and clueless network executives. It also boasted a stacked cast including Keegan-Michael Key, Judy Greer, Rachel Bloom and Paul Reiser, with scripts from Modern Family‘s Steven Levitan. But some of those clueless network executives work at Hulu, apparently, since they cancelled one of the year’s most promising new comedies after just one season.
Shadow and Bone (Netflix)
Another season of this fantasy series should have been a slam dunk given its popularity and passionate fanbase. After an eventful Season 2 finale, which teased a King of Scars storyline as well as the proposed Six of Crows spinoff, fans were left as stunned as the Darkling getting ran through the gut with this unexpected and unjust cancellation.
Willow (Disney+)
There was plenty of magic left in Disney+’s under-appreciated series adaptation of this 1988 cult classic fantasy movie, and we would have loved for the streamer to conjure up a second season. The show was mostly well-received by fans, and creator Jon Kasan considers the show to be more “on hiatus” than officially “canceled.” Kasan is hopeful that he can reassemble the Willow team for “Chapter II” sometime down the line, reminding his social media followers that the original movie “didn’t get its well-deserved sequel for 35 years.” So, you know, it’s something to look forward to with your future grandchildren.
Winning Time (HBO)
The demise of this ’80s basketball drama belongs in the Hall of Fame of boneheaded TV decisions. HBO’s vibrant retelling of the L.A. Lakers’ rise to NBA dominance wrapped up Season 2 with the Lakers suffering a crushing loss to their hated rivals the Boston Celtics… and thanks to HBO’s cancellation, the story ends right there, with only a tacked-on epilogue to tell us that the Lakers went on to beat the Celtics and win three more championships that decade. Why tell the tale of the Lakers’ glory days if you’re going to end the show before the glory days even start?
The Wonder Years (ABC)
We thoroughly enjoyed the first two seasons of this ABC reboot, which is why its premature cancellation makes us feel deflated, like an impotent balloon. With effortlessly funny writing and a charming, multi-talented ensemble, this solid comfort-watch deserved to live on for much longer, like its predecessor.
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