NBC's 'American Auto,' the sitcom about a fictional Detroit automaker, is canceled
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Sometimes it seems like car companies can’t catch a break – even in prime time.
“American Auto,” the NBC comedy set at a fictional Detroit automaker, won’t be coming back for a third season.
The sitcom was the last scripted series at NBC still waiting to find out if it would continue or not, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
“I really loved this opportunity - everyone on the creative team, the writers, the crew and of course, the ensemble made magic. Lucky me,” tweeted Ana Gasteyer, who played the Mary Barra-ish head of Payne Motors.
I really loved this opportunity - everyone on the creative team, the writers, the crew and of course, the ensemble made magic. Lucky me ❤️ https://t.co/BLMywUtsvr
— Ana Gasteyer (@AnaGasteyer) June 17, 2023
The situation comedy by “Superstore” creator Justin Spitzer focused on the financial struggles of Payne Motors, a century-old company trying to stay afloat in a challenging economy.
Although “American Auto” was never a muscle car in the ratings, it drew appreciative fans and critics who praised its irreverent look inside a stressed-out corporate workplace.
Besides “Saturday Night Live” alum Gasteyer, the ensemble cast included Harriet Dyer, Jon Barinholtz, Tye White, Humphrey Ker, X Mayo and Michael B. Washington.
Although Spitzer said Payne Motors wasn’t based on any specific company, the show did find laughs in some very specific – and relevant – issues. Episodes dealt with stock plunges, defective auto parts, the hacking of Payne’s servers, annual dealer events and the introduction of the ill-fated affordable car, the Pika, named for a cousin to rabbits.
During the research process for the show, Spitzer met Alessandro Uzielli, the head of Ford Motor Co.'s global brand entertainment division and the company’s liaison to Hollywood. Uzielli, the great-great-grandson of Henry Ford, invited Spitzer to the Motor City. Spitzer visited Ford's corporate offices in Dearborn toured Ford's design labs and the Dearborn Truck Plant where F-150s are made.
In a 2023 Free Press interview, Gasteyer expressed her wish to give GM’s Barra a cameo. “I keep pitching that we find a story line to actually have her on the show,” she said.
Some "American Auto" regulars had real-life connections to car culture. Barinholtz, who grew up in the Midwest, told the Free Press during the show’s first season that his grandfather was one of the first used car salesmen in Chicago.
White, a Detroiter and a Brother Rice High School and University of Michigan alum, played an assembly line worker elevated to the corporate ranks – a reflection of his own family’s ties. "To this day, I still have uncles who work in the auto industry or extensions of it. ... When I purchase a car, I still get family discounts," White said in 2022.
Contact Detroit Free Press pop culture critic Julie Hinds at jhinds@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: NBC's Detroit-based 'American Auto' canceled after 2 seasons
