‘Rebel’ Canceled By ABC After One Season

Five episodes into its freshman run, ABC’s Katey Sagal-starring drama Rebel has been canceled.

It was clearly a tough decision for the network because the series, inspired by the life of activist Erin Brockovich, comes from ABC’s most valuable drama showrunner, Krista Vernoff, who is shepherding the network’s top two scripted series, Grey’s Anatomy and spinoff Station 19.

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Both Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 were recently renewed for next season, with Vernoff set to continue at the helm of the duo. Rebel, Vernoff’s first series as a creator, has underperformed in the ratings despite having ABC’s highest-rated series, Grey’s Anatomy, as a lead-in. But there was speculation that the new show’s pedigree and strong cast could earn it more time to find a wider audience.

Rebel centers on Annie “Rebel” Bello (Sagal), a blue-collar legal advocate without a law degree. She’s a funny, messy, brilliant and fearless woman who cares desperately about the causes she fights for and the people she loves. When Rebel applies herself to a fight she believes in, she will win at almost any cost.

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Andy Garcia, John Corbett, James Lesure, Lex Scott Davis, Tamala Jones, Ariela Barer, Kevin Zegers and Sam Palladio co-star in the Rebel, which received a 10-episode straight-to-series order in September 2020.

The series is produced by ABC Signature, part of Disney TV Studios, in association with Sony Pictures Television and Davis Entertainment.

The news today comes on a busy day for cancellations at the network which also said it was not renewing American Housewife, For Life and Mixed-ish and fellow freshman Call Your Mother.

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