Yesterday brought a lot of bad news for many favorite TV shows: Not only did ABC cancel Marvel's Agent Carter, but it also decided not to go through with Marvel's Most Wanted and brought the ax down on musical comedy Galavant.
But those weren't the only shows to suffer at the hands of the major networks: on May 12, a lot of series got cut from networks' schedules, leaving fans of those shows upset.
Perhaps part of the problem is that major networks don't know how to handle shows that don't get major ratings but still have dedicated audiences. A series such as Agent Carter generally does well with a certain nerdy Marvel-loving crowd, even during the winter season, but its numbers don't add up for the networks who, let's face it, love their numbers.
The same goes for a show such as Galavant, which had a large social media following, but still didn't manage to pull in ratings that made ABC happy.
Here are the shows that met their ends at the hands of networks yesterday:
Agent Carter
The second season of Agent Carter didn't fare well in the ratings department, although it remained popular with Marvel fans. Season one didn't really score that well in the ratings either, but it still got a renewal then, thanks to the dedication of those fans. This time, though, ABC decided to kill the series during the same week that Captain America: Civil War killed off the character of Agent Peggy Carter in the movies. It's almost as if Disney/Marvel planned the death of Peggy in advance, both on TV and film. It's also sad, because this was Marvel's first female-led TV series.
Marvel's Most Wanted
ABC canceled this series before it ever got started, having apparently changed its mind. That now leaves a huge hole on its only existing Marvel series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., because the two characters set to star in Most Wanted got written off of S.H.I.E.L.D. Fortunately, they remained alive, so here's hoping S.H.I.E.L.D. will welcome those characters back next season.
Galavant
This musical comedy was the little show that could, much like the series' lizard-dragon Tad Cooper. It's not a huge surprise that this Princess Bride-meets-Monty Python series got the ax, though: ABC surprised fans last year by giving it a second season. It was probably the funniest and most unique series on TV, and it's a shame ABC didn't believe in dragons enough to continue forward with a third season.
The Muppets
The Muppets arrived as a troubled series. Not only did ABC end up retooling the show about midway through, but many fans complained that the magic that once made the old The Muppet Show so wonderful just wasn't there. The Kermit and Miss Piggy breakup didn't help matters, either.
The Family
ABC seems super trigger-happy with cancellations this year, but the thriller series The Family never fared too well on the network. Reviews for the show were generally mixed and it's not one of those series people talked much about.
Nashville
Guess what? This is another show ABC decided to drop the ax on. This one came as a surprise because it's been a hit for the network, both with viewers and critics. But ABC decided that the time for the series was at its end, and so viewers will never know what happens next.
Castle
This one also came as no surprise, because earlier this year, ABC announced that Castle co-lead actress Stana Katic wouldn't return for the series' ninth season. Considering that Katic's departure would greatly impact the show moving forward, most fans already wrote it off as a lost cause.
Other networks also announced cancellations, but none had shows as beloved as those ditched by ABC. Fox let go of Bordertown, Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life, Grandfathered and The Grinder. CBS killed off CSI: Cyber, while The CW let go of Containment.
There is some good news, though. Supergirl got a reprieve and a second season, thanks to The CW, which will serve as the show's new home. Considering that DC shows do well on that network, Supergirl will probably benefit from her new location and most fans would argue she belonged there all along with her fellow superheroes Arrow, The Flash and DC's Legends of Tomorrow.
