TV Shows That Were Canceled Or Ending In 2020
All things must come to an end and there are quite a few TV shows that have been canceled or are ending this year. Some have been on the air for many years with a loyal fan base, while others were canceled less than one year of being on TV.
Viewers can say goodbye to shows such as Modern Family, Will & Grace, and Fresh Off the Boat. It can be sad to see them go, but that means plenty of new ones will be making their way across both network and streaming platforms.
The Good Place Ended At Just The Right Time
The Good Place aired its series finale on January 30, 2020, and lasted for a total of four seasons equating to 50 episodes. Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil, and Manny Jacinto played four unlikely friends who were brought to a fictional version of the afterlife to work toward going to the "good place."
It was done by the same creator of The Office and Parks and Recreation as a feel-good, lighthearted comedy with characters who were able to tackle any challenge that came their way. Creator Michael Schur was ready to end the series after only four seasons because it felt like a natural stopping point.
Modern Family Said Its Final Farewell
After 11 seasons the hit ABC show Modern Family aired its final episode on April 8, 2020. It became one of the longest-lasting sitcoms of the 21st century with a grand total of 250 episodes. The show followed members of an extended family as they navigated life during present-day dealing with relationships, careers, and more.
Fans thought the series finale was bittersweet, especially during the world's current events. Luckily, those who think they'll miss the show too much after it ends can catch reruns that air on networks such as USA and Fox.
Will & Grace Is Ending For The Second Time
Most fans thought they saw the last of Will & Grace when the series ended in 2006, but similar to many shows within the past few years it was given a reboot. The entire original cast came back to pick up where they left off starting in 2017.
Unfortunately, after three new seasons, the reboot will come to an end. Within a few short years, the show has been able to bring back some memorable guest stars and add some new comedic storylines. After 246 episodes the second series finale aired on April 23, 2020, on NBC.
Fuller House Is Wrapping Up Over Three Decades Later
One of the most popular children's sitcoms of the 1980s and 1990s was Full House, which ended in 1995. About 20 years later Netflix revived the series into a spin-off called Fuller House. The reboot centers around daughters DJ and Stephanie Tanner and their best friend Kimmy Gibbler after they've grown up and are raising families of their own.
After five years on Netflix, the creators thought that Fuller House had run its course and decided to end it. The second half of season five will be released on Netflix sometime later in 2020 with a total of 75 episodes.
Fresh Off the Boat Was Based On A True Story
When Fresh Off the Boat aired in 2015 it was one of the first times a show with an all Asian American cast was on television. It was inspired by the early life of restaurateur, author, chef, and attorney Eddie Huang growing up with his family after moving from Washington D.C. to Orlando, Florida in the 1990s.
The Fresh Off the Boat series finale aired on February 21, 2020 after six seasons and 116 episodes. Those who want to watch a similar show after the finale should check out The Goldbergs, Everybody Hates Chris, and Black-ish.
BoJack Horseman May Have Been One Of The Best Netflix Original Series
BoJack Horseman premiered on Netflix on August 22, 2014, as an animated series about an anthropomorphic horse living in Los Angeles who was a washed-up 90s sitcom star. It included the voice talents of famous actors/comedians such as Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, and Aaron Paul.
Critics were in favor of the show citing it the best Netflix original series of all time in publications including Thrillist and Uproxx. The series aired its last batch of episodes on January 31, 2020 with a final total of six seasons and 77 episodes.
Check Out The Cameos In Future Man
After Netflix began creating original content other streaming platforms soon followed. Future Man is a science fiction original series on Hulu that follows an underachieving janitor (Josh Hutcherson) sent out to save the world. He and his friends (Eliza Couple and Derek Wilson) must do this by traveling through time.
Since Seth Rogen is one of the executive producers many of his famous friends have appeared on the show including Awkwafina, Martin Starr, and Kristen Schaal. The show received positive reviews but ended on April 3 of this year after three seasons and 34 episodes.
GLOW Combined Feminism, History, And Sports
The idea for GLOW came when the creators wanted to make a female-centric show and wound up watching a documentary about female wrestling. They took the angle of focusing on the aftermath of the women's movement that spread from the late 1970s and early 1980s.
GLOW had one of the largest ensemble cast made up primarily of women in TV history with stars including Alison Brie, Betty Gilpin, Britt Baron, and Sydelle Noel. It was announced that after the fourth season and 40 episodes the show would not be returning to Netflix.
The Ranch Couldn't Recover After A Major Secret Was Revealed
Ashton Kutcher and Sam Elliott starred as a father and son duo running a cattle ranch in Colorado on Netflix's The Ranch. Many of Kutcher's fellow That 70s Show cast members reunited with him such as Wilmer Valderrama, Kurtwood Smith, and Debra Jo Rupp.
Once allegations were made about Danny Masterson he was written out of the show and replaced by Dax Shepard. The bad publicity shifted the show toward ending, so Netflix aired the final batch of episodes on January 24, 2020. It came to a conclusion after four seasons and 80 episodes.
Jane The Virgin Fans Are Still Reeling
First airing on The CW on October 13, 2014, the TV comedy-drama Jane the Virgin became an instant hit and moved to Netflix. Gina Rodriguez both directed and starred in the series that's loosely based on a Venezuelan telenovela.
With a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, no one has a bad thing to say about it, so why on earth was it canceled? Nonetheless, the final new episode aired July 31, 2019. Catch the reruns on Netflix while you still can.
Supernatural Halted Production Ahead Of Series Finale
Supernatural premiered on September 13, 2005, on The WB and switched over to The CW after the former went off the air. After 15 seasons and 327 episodes the drama, fantasy, and thriller series will finally end. The show focused on two brothers (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) sent to fight evil creatures such as demons, monsters, and gods.
The series finale was set to air on May 18, but has been rescheduled for November 19, 2020.
Ray Donovan Was Canceled Without Warning
When Ray Donovan premiered on June 30, 2013, it broke Showtime records being the most-watched pilot episode of all time on the network. Liev Schreiber plays the titular role of an Irish American man who works for a powerful law firm but commits crimes for the rich and famous of Los Angeles.
After the seventh season aired Showtime announced they would be ending Ray Donovan without letting the cast or crew know in advance. Showrunner David Hollander was completely shocked because he had huge plans for season eight. Luckily, Schreiber took to his Instagram to let the outraged fans know that more Ray Donovan is on its way.
13 Reasons Why Covered Serious Topics That Can Be Triggering
One of the more emotionally heavy original series on Netflix is teen drama 13 Reasons Why. The show was based on a novel by Jay Asher that followed a high school student who found a box of cassette tapes that detailed his friend's reasons why she ended her life.
Since the series deals with very serious topics it can be triggering to viewers, so they made special videos and a support website to coincide with it. Netflix aired the final new episode on June 5, 2020.
Lucifer Had A Big Network Switch
Tom Ellis plays Lucifer Morningstar, a Devil who comes from the underworld into Los Angeles to become a nightclub owner on Lucifer. By circumstance, he meets an LAPD officer and starts to work as a consultant who uses his power to bring out peoples' darkest secrets in order to fight crime and bring people to justice.
Fox initially canceled the series after three seasons, but it was then picked up by Netflix. They ran it for two seasons and announced that the fifth would be its last season. The final episodes will be available to stream later in 2020.
Homeland Has Great Acting Across The Board
For a while, Homeland on Showtime was one of the most popular TV dramas and earned several awards for Best Acting and Outstanding Drama Series. It was based on an Israeli series called Hatufim and centered around Claire Danes' character of a CIA agent with bipolar disorder who believes an American prisoner of war is now an enemy to the United States.
Many critics believe the acting is the best part of the show with great performances by Danes, Damian Lewis, Mandy Patinkin, and F. Murray Abraham. The series aired its eighth and final season with the series finale shown on April 26, 2020.
Why All Eyes Were On The Empire Cast
Not only is Empire a riveting drama centered around a family who owns a successful hip-hop label, but it also features new songs to go along with the episodes. The cast comes with a lot of well-known stars including Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, and Gabourey Sidibe.
Critics thought the chemistry between Howard and Henson mixed with interesting plotlines and good music made it an all-around entertaining watch. The series received a lot of attention last year during Jussie Smollett's whole ordeal but didn't let it mess up the show's dynamics. Empire lasted a total of six seasons and 105 episodes with the series finale airing April 21, 2020.
Criminal Minds Took Its Final Bow After 15 Years
There are plenty of investigative dramas on television, but one with some of the most loyal fans was Criminal Minds. The show premiered on September 22, 2005, and ran for 15 seasons and 323 episodes and finally concluded on February 19, 2020.
It followed cast members such as Mandy Patinkin, Paget Brewster, Aisha Tyler, and Thomas Gibson as they solved various crimes, while also trying to overcome their own personal struggles. Criminal Minds lasted so long on CBS because it accrued high ratings and even had a South Korean spin-off and a video game.
Anne With An E Added A Dark Twist To A Classic Story
Anne with an E was based on the classic novel Anne of Green Gables, but the show had a much darker and grittier tone. It was set in 1896 Prince Edward Island, Canada as a 13-year-old orphan girl (Amybeth McNulty) came to a new town after years of hardships working as a servant.
After it was released on the Canadian network CBC in 2017 Netflix made it one of its original series for streaming. The series was canceled after 27 episodes and three seasons and aired the final season on Netflix on January 3.
Arrow Was The Catalyst For Many Other Superhero Shows
Those who might think they recognize the costumes in Arrow may be surprised to know that the show is actually based on the DC Comics character of the Green Arrow. Stephen Amell played the crime-fighting superhero whose alter-ego is a billionaire playboy who got shipwrecked on a mysterious Chinese island.
The show takes place in the fictional world called the "Arrowverse" and many other shows have soon followed to be set there including The Flash, Vixen, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, and more. Arrow lasted for eight seasons and 170 episodes with its series finale airing on January 30 of this year.
Judge Judy Will End With Close To 3,000 Episodes
Judge Judy has been on our television screens since 1996 showing actual court cases and allowing the public to see the judicial process. It became one of the most popular daytime TV shows in history and Judy Sheindlin is the highest-paid TV personality with a net worth of at least $440 million.
Almost every episode Sheindlin can be heard snarkily arguing with the clueless prosecutors and defendants, which makes her show a ratings hit. When it was announced that Judge Judy would end in 2020 after 25 seasons it came as quite a shock to fans. Luckily, she said a new show of her own is in the works.
Blindspot Is Similar To A Famous Movie
Similar to the plot of Memento, Blindspot is about a woman (Jaimie Alexander) who is found by the FBI covered in tattoos with no prior memories. As the series goes on she realizes that her tattoos are clues from her past that will help her solve crimes.
According to Rotten Tomatoes, the series has an average 69 percent score out of 100 and viewers are drawn in by the "intriguing mystery and strong action." The show premiered on September 21, 2015, on NBC and is set to end after its upcoming fifth season. Blindspot's last batch of 13 episodes premiered on April 30th and ended July 23, 2020.
Shameless Made Showtime History
When Shameless premiered on Showtime on January 9, 2011, the cast had no idea that it would turn out to be the network's longest-running original scripted series of all time. It has one of the largest ensemble casts led by William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum with the latter leaving after the ninth season. It follows a dysfunctional family in the South Side of Chicago.
Showtime announced that Shameless would end after its eleventh season sometime in 2021. The final season has been rescheduled to premiere on December 6, 2020.
Hawaii Five-0 Helped Local Businesses
Hawaii Five-0 was based on a show with the same name that ran from 1968 to 1980, with the newer version being an action police procedural show that centered around a group of police officers and other officials solving crimes against the backdrop of Oahu, Hawaii.
It ran for 10 seasons and 240 episodes eventually ended on April 3, 2020. Even though the series has ended its initial run the rights were bought by TNT with reruns currently airing. Local businesses reported an increase in sales after they were shown on the series with fans wanting to go to the same places the characters went.
How You Might Know The Star Of Brockmire
Hank Azaria is best known for the numerous voices he provides for The Simpsons, but Brockmire lets him actually physically appear on television. The IFC series is about a former Major League Baseball announcer who tries to rebuild his career by moving to a small town and announcing for a minor league team called the Morristown Frackers.
Azaria received two nominations from the Critics' Choice Television Awards for Best Actor in a Comedy Series and the show was met with generally favorable reviews. After four seasons and 32 episodes, Brockmire officially ended on May 6, 2020.
What Made Claws An Award-Winning Show
Claws got its name for being a show about five manicurists in Florida who start to launder money and eventually create their own criminal enterprise. Actress Niecy Nash leads the cast and critics thought the entire show was pretty well-acted. It also got recognition for being "aesthetically captivating."
Nash won a Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series and the series won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series. The network let fans know the show would be ending after the fourth season, but production has since been halted due to the current global health crisis.
Almost Family Was Off The Air Within Months
Some shows are on for decades, while others don't last more than a few months. Almost Family premiered on Fox on October 2, 2019, and ran until February 22 for only 13 episodes before it was canceled. The show's premise included a fertility doctor who had conceived over 100 children and three of his daughters would reunite with a different sibling each episode.
Reviewers weren't thrilled with the premise even though they thought the actresses who played the daughters (Emily Osment, Brittany Snow, and Megalyn Echikunwoke) were believable in their roles. Shortly before the series was canceled it was revealed that cast member Timothy Hutton was a part of a prior negative incident.
What To Take Away From Dear White People
The Netflix original series Dear White People was met with critical acclaim because it does a good job of balancing current social commentary with intellectual humor. The show focuses on a group of black students at a predominantly white Ivy League college as they deal with race issues and discrimination.
Dear White People is based on a 2014 film of the same name and brings back some of the same characters. Netflix revealed they will be ending the series after its fourth season drops sometime in 2020.
Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Got Plenty Of Mixed Reviews
Marvel fans may know that the abbreviation in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. stands for Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. The team is a peacekeeping and spy organization of superheroes set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was released on September 24, 2013, and will finish in 2020 after seven seasons.
Something unique about the show is that when it started it received mostly negative reviews. As the show progressed the ratings significantly dipped, but the reviews became more positive, especially around the visual effects.
Power Isn't Over Quite Yet
One of STARZ's top shows ended on February 9 of this year, but that doesn't mean that fans have seen the last of some of the memorable characters. Power was about a clever criminal who wanted to become a nightclub owner and it's set to have at least four separate spin-offs called Ghost, Raising Kanan, Influence, and Force.
While the series primarily focused on Omari Hardwick's character it still had a large ensemble cast made up of actors such as Joseph Sikora, Naturi Naughton, Lela Loren, and Curtis Jackson (50 Cent).
The Magicians Lasted Longer Than Expected
A show about magic needs a few things to keep people watching such as believable special effects and creative storylines. According to Rotten Tomatoes, that's exactly what Syfy's The Magicians was able to do, at least at the beginning. The show was set at a magic college called Brakebills University where protagonist Quentin Coldwater trained in "Magical Pedagogy."
The Magicians premiered on December 16, 2015, and lasted five seasons and 65 episodes until airing the series finale on April 1. As the show progressed critics thought some of the plotlines were too heavy and left a bad taste in their mouths.
Schitt's Creek May Have Ended Too Soon
The Canadian original series, Schitt's Creek, aired its series finale on April 7 after six seasons and 80 episodes. The show starred real-life father/son duo Eugene and Dan Levy, along with Catherine O'Hara and Annie Murphy as a family who lost everything and was forced to move to a small town called Schitt's Creek.
This situation comedy was mainly character-driven with eccentricity across the board as the audience followed their daily experience living in a town in the middle of nowhere. Right after the series finale, a documentary called Best Wishes, Warmest Regards aired and was about the making of the last season of the show.
