Every year we see great TV shows canceled. Sometimes it’s just to writing slipping and other times its scheduling problems. Here are 30 in danger in 2020.
TV shows come and go. There are some that we love to pieces but the networks don’t want to keep them. This is often due to the ratings, as the shows become unviable for the advertisers. In other cases, we just don’t like the direction the shows go in and the networks realize that. Then there are times that the shows have to wrap due to situations behind the scenes.
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It’s come to that time of the year when cancellations and renewals decisions will start to be made. This isn’t just for the primetime networks, but streamers and cable networks will decide the future of the shows. And this will continue throughout 2020.
In some cases, we can assume the shows will be canceled. Or we can look at the initial plans for the series. Some were always meant to be limited series, but had the option to return in the future if the story was right. Now it seems like that isn’t going to happen after all.
I’ve looked across the streaming platforms, the primetime networks, and the cable companies. This is a list of the 30 TV shows most in danger of being canceled in 2020.
The full list is in alphabetical order to make it easier to find out if your favorite show is on the list. I share the reasons why I think they’re in danger of being canceled. As decisions are made, I’ll come back to update the list with the news.
30. Almost Family
Network: FOX
Number of seasons: 1
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: FOX’s freshman series just isn’t performing that well. It was also the only show to get a new episode on Thanksgiving, a night that traditionally sees reruns or football due to families spending time with each other and not having the interest in new episodes of their favorite TV shows. It’s a sign that FOX is looking to cancel the series and just get through the episodes.
At the same time, FOX doesn’t tend to give much time for shows that aren’t performing well. We’ve seen it with others in the past, especially when it comes to freshman shows. Almost Family doesn’t look likely to be renewed for a second season.
29. American Horror Story
Network: FX
Number of seasons: 9 (Season 10 confirmed)
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: Okay, I know you’ll think I’m crazy for putting this show on the list, but hear me out! The show has been running for nine seasons so far. It’s already confirmed for a 10th. While it is popular, isn’t there only so long a series can go on for?
The benefit of American Horror Story is the anthology setup. It’s possible to keep the same cast but change the characters, which does keep it fresh. However, some of the storylines have gone downhill over the last few years.
28. Black Lightning
Network: The CW
Number of seasons: 3
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: The CW shows traditionally get lower ratings than other network TV shows. That’s not necessarily a sign that the series will be canceled. However, Black Lightning has seen a large drop this season when it comes to averages. It’s one of the network’s lowest-rated shows.
However, I don’t think the show will just be outright canceled. The CW is good for giving shows one final season to wrap up a story, and I think that’s what Black Lightning will get.
Update Jan. 7, 2020: Black Lightning has officially been renewed for Season 4
27. Bluff City Law
Network: NBC
Number of seasons: 1
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: Bluff City Law has been unofficially canceled already. The legal drama was confirmed just to get the 10-episode run. No extension here, which is usually a sign that the series is going to be canceled. I don’t think NBC will budge on this one.
Even with the network bringing it’s own streaming service, there’s still a high chance that the show will be canceled. Sunnyside is moving there but only for the remaining episodes at this time. Bluff City Law is at least seeing its full season play out on the network.
26. Charmed
Network: The CW
Number of seasons: 2
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: Part of me thinks that we’re coming to the end of the Charmed reboot. I know a lot of haters will be happy to hear that, and I find that sad because it means haters are happy that people are losing their jobs.
Regardless, the ratings for the show have tanked with the Friday night move. That isn’t all that surprising. The one thing saving it is that the ratings have steadily increased since the Season 2 premiere. I feel like if the show had aired this season as the first season we wouldn’t have had the Friday night move. It has seen stronger storytelling.
The CW doesn’t tend to cancel shows outright once they get past their first season anymore. So either we’ll get a third and final season or the show will continue to do well because delayed viewing is great.
Something else that gives us hope is that this is a CBS Studios production. It means CBS/The CW isn’t paying too much in licensing the series, which it does with the WB produced TV shows.
Update Jan. 7, 2020: Charmed has officially been renewed for Season 3
25. Dublin Murders
Network: STARZ
Number of seasons: 1
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: I’m on the fence about this show, but I do see it being canceled. Dublin Murders has the issue of being a joint production with BBC One, which makes renewals a little difficult. If BBC One didn’t see the viewership it wanted, then it could decide not to renew. That would be left with STARZ deciding whether to pick up the series alone or cancel it.
With the live ratings they are, it could be a sign the show is going to be canceled. However, STARZ looks at subscribers watching the series rather than live ratings, which could help see the show get through to Season 2.
24. Dynasty
Network: The CW
Number of seasons: 3
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: This soap opera drama has certainly been a surprise. The ratings have always been low, and yet The CW keeps renewing it. It does suggest that the delayed and international viewers help to keep the show going.
However, the live ratings will play a part in decisions. This could be the year that The CW can no longer justify keeping the show on the air. Rather than an outright cancellation, I do have a feeling this is one of those TV shows that will be renewed for a final season.
Update Jan. 7, 2020: Dynasty has officially been renewed for Season 4
23. Emergence
Network: ABC
Number of seasons: 1
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: ABC doesn’t do well with mystery TV shows. It’s tried a few times and failed. Emergence is the latest show to struggle with the live ratings, ratings that continually fall.
When the show wasn’t picked up for a full season, fans were told not to worry. This was always intended to be a 13-episode story. However, unless the delayed viewings are excellent, I get the feeling we’ll see the end of Emergence after just the one season.
22. The Feed
Network: Amazon Prime Video
Number of seasons: 1
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: We’re looking at our first Amazon Original on the list. To be honest, there aren’t many Amazon Originals at risk. We already know they’re canceled or they’ve been renewed (whether with the hope of future seasons or for the final season). The Feed is one that still has an open fate.
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The trouble with The Feed is similar to Dublin Murders. This is a series that is produced by both Amazon and the British company, Virgin Media. If one decides it’s not worth renewing, the other has to decide whether to keep it alone.
There are more stories to tell when it comes to the source material. There is also some time for the decision to be made, but if we don’t hear by the end of the year, I don’t think it’s getting renewed.
21. Insatiable
Network: Netflix
Number of seasons: 2
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: Netflix very quickly renewed Insatiable for a second season in 2018. This wasn’t all that surprising.
Despite the controversy, it was clear that people were watching. They may have watched to purposely hate it or because they found it funny, but the simple fact is people watched.
That doesn’t seem to be the case as much with the second season. It didn’t receive the same attention the first season did. Netflix hasn’t confirmed it’s fate since the second season premiered in October. It usually takes a month for Netflix to renew shows. Since that hasn’t happened yet, it could be safe to assume Insatiable is being quietly canceled.
20. Keeping Faith
Network: Acorn TV
Number of seasons: 2
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: This is one of those shows that is more an ending than a cancellation. While Keeping Faith Season 2 has been well-received, the decision for this relies on the creator, Michael Hall. He has numerous projects and he wants to pay attention to them first.
This could mean a renewal in a few year’s time. However, it could also mean an outright cancellation. Do fans really want to wait a few years for a new season? Well, Broadchurch, Shetland, and Sherlock fans were happy, so there is some hope.
19. Knightfall
Network: 2
Number of seasons: HISTORY
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: The renewal for the second season was surprising, so a renewal for a third season will be doubly surprising. Knightfall‘s viewer ratings haven’t been great. It’s also a show that has received a lot of negativity over the storytelling and historical accuracy.
HISTORY doesn’t have much in the way of scripted TV shows. It does tend to fair better with the unscripted programming. With SIX canceled and Vikings ending, HISTORY could cancel Knightfall to return to the unscripted focus.
18. The Magicians
Network: SYFY
Number of seasons: 4 (5 premiering in 2020)
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: The show hasn’t even premiered its fifth season yet, but I’m already including it on this list of TV shows in danger of being canceled. The end of the fourth season gained some major complaints due to the handling of the storyline for one of its lead characters. In fact, there were a couple of character storylines that fans believe were poorly handled.
At the same time, the show has now lost one of its major characters—the character we were introduced to the world through. This could lead to a huge drop in ratings and lead to the cancellation of The Magicians this season.
17. Magnum PI
Network: CBS
Number of seasons: 2
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: The Magnum PI reboot saw a huge drop in ratings from Season 1 to Season 2. While the move to Friday nights could be to blame, it’s still a concerning fact. This is a show that has dropped to 17th place out of 20 shows, which puts it in the firing line.
CBS is getting better at renewing for final seasons. It is also better at moving to the midseason to give new shows a chance. Magnum PI will go on a break in February and return around May, which could show CBS that it needs renewing to moving to the midseason.
16. Making It
Network: NBC
Number of seasons: 2
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: The second season renewal was a surprise. This was a show that just didn’t pick up the viewers that NBC would have wanted to see. When Making It Season 2 premiered, it lost a large number of viewers from the first season finale. The ratings have steadily dropped with almost every episode.
This isn’t one of the TV shows I see getting a third season. The only reason it will is if NBC sees it as a worthwhile investment for a quiet time of year.
15. Nancy Drew
Network: The CW
Number of seasons: 1
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: The CW freshman shows are under a lot of pressure. Nancy Drew was one of two new shows this season, and hasn’t quite pulled in the ratings that it would have liked. The positive news is that it’s a CBS Studios production, which makes it safer than it would have been if it was one of the WB TV shows.
Another thing saving the show is the fact that a number of CW shows are coming to an end in 2020. We’re losing Supernatural and Arrow from the fall season, which keeps slots open for Nancy Drew‘s future. Plus, we’ve seen other shows renewed with lower ratings, like Dynasty, giving this mystery series a chance.
Update Jan. 7, 2020: Nancy Drew has officially been renewed for Season 2
14. Our Cartoon President
Network: SHOWTIME
Number of seasons: 2
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: The ratings have slipped for Our Cartoon President Season 2, which is the reason this show makes it to the list. The slip isn’t small either. Our Cartoon President Season 2 has lost 27% of its audience from Season 1 and 38% of its demo when the season averages are taken into consideration.
On top of that, it’s one of SHOWTIME’s lowest-ranked TV shows, putting it in the firing line. Something that will help it skirt through is the app views. SHOWTIME benefits from having a paid app like STARZ and HBO. This can often lead to shows with low live ratings get through for another season.
13. Perfect Harmony
Network: NBC
Number of seasons: 1
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: Sadly, NBC doesn’t keep shows around that aren’t performing well. That’s especially the case for freshman shows. It’s not all that surprising that Perfect Harmony is on this list when you considered that.
It’s a series that has lost live viewers throughout the season. As one of the lowest-rated shows on the network, NBC will likely want to cancel and give another freshman series a chance.
12. The Purge
Network: USA Network
Number of seasons: 2
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: The Purge Season 2 has been a stronger season in my opinion, but the live ratings aren’t that great. It’s a show that remains as one of the bottom shows on the network, which puts it in direct danger of being canceled.
There is something that could save The Purge. It’s licensed by Amazon internationally, bringing the episodes a few days later after new ones. This could help the series skirt through another season, but the creators will need to adapt something to draw people in.
11. The Resident
Network: FOX
Number of seasons: 3
What it’s about:
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: Last year, there’s no way that I would have said The Resident would be at risk of being canceled. This is one of those TV shows that has fans but the low live ratings are a product of the timeslot. FOX moved the show to the Tuesday night slot up against the likes of NCIS and The Connors.
The one thing that could help the series get renewed is the delayed viewing. However, FOX isn’t usually that fair to TV shows performing poorly. We just have to look at The Gifted and Lucifer for proof of that. That’s not a good side for The Resident.
10. The Rookie
Network: ABC
Number of seasons: 2
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: ABC opted to move its cop dramedy from Tuesdays to Sundays. Many wondered if this would be bad for the future of the show, knowing that Sundays can be bad for the ratings.
Sure enough, the ratings dropped significantly from the first season. However, they have remained relatively steady in the new timeslot and the show has been good for ABC on Sundays. The delayed viewings are also excellent, which is a factor ABC will consider. There is some hope for a renewal.
9. Stumptown
Network: ABC
Number of seasons: 1
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: ABC struggles with TV shows on a Wednesday night. That last hour of the night is a competitive one. So, it’s not all that surprising to see Stumptown towards the bottom of all ABC TV shows in the live ratings. This certainly puts the series in jeopardy.
However, it’s a series that was picked up for a full season despite the lower ratings. It’s gaining in the delayed viewers, which is something ABC loves to see. This could be hope in the future of the show.
8. SWAT
Network: CBS
Number of seasons: 3
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: This is another show that is in danger due to the timeslot. Stumptown isn’t the only show that’s struggling on Wednesday nights. SWAT is too. And CBS was warned about this by fans of the series when the night move happened.
The show has dropped as one of the worst out of all CBS TV shows in the live rating. However, when Chicago PD took a break, the ratings jumped up considerably. It proves that fans want to watch but they can’t always watch live because of the timeslot. Hopefully, the delayed ratings help to keep the cop show on the air.
7. Sweetbitter
Network: STARZ
Number of seasons: 2
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: STARZ’s shows don’t have to reach highs when it comes to the live ratings. After all, the network doesn’t work with advertisers and instead gains money from its streaming subscribers. That does allow some hope for TV shows, but Sweetbitter‘s second season ended earlier this year and we haven’t heard about it yet.
To make matters worse, Sweetbitter Season 2 wrapped at the same time as Vida Season 2. The latter was renewed pretty quickly, suggesting the restaurant-set series is going to be canceled.
Update: Sweetbitter has officially been canceled.
6. Taboo
Network: FX
Number of seasons: 1
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: It’s been two years since Taboo Season 1 premiered. And then we’ve had radio silence. We’re still waiting to hear about the future of the show. This isn’t a good sign.
One of the problems with the Tom Hardy-led series is that it’s a joint production between FX and BBC One. We’ve covered this a few times on this list. If the show is canceled by one, then there’s a high chance it will be canceled by another. FX has said that there is the hope of two more seasons, but there could also be none. After the lack of decision, I’m on the side of none.
5. Treadstone
Network: USA Network
Number of seasons: 1
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: USA has a habit of canceling shows with low ratings, especially in the first season. Just recently, Pearson was canceled after just one season. Treadstone is in the firing line as it sits towards the bottom of all USA TV shows when considering the average live ratings.
Part of the problem is the network. This is a great series but it could have worked much better on a streaming service. Maybe Amazon Prime Video can save the series.
4. True Detective
Network: HBO
Number of seasons: 3
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: True Detective is usually one of HBO’s highly anticipated shows. However, each season has come with disappointments since the first season. This third season debuted to 54% less in the audience compared with the Season 2 premiere. Of course, this is live ratings on the channel. We don’t get to see what’s going on with the app.
While the showrunners have said that there are plans for the fourth season, we’ve still not heard about the show’s fate. Considering the third season premiered in January 2019, this isn’t a good sign for the future.
3. Van Helsing
Network: SYFY
Number of seasons: 4
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: I put this series on my list last year and it remains on the list this year. During Van Helsing Season 3, the writers tweeted out that they were at the risk of cancellation due to ratings. SYFY has become strict with ratings recently, seeing the cancellation of many shows like Deadly Class and Krypton.
The one thing that makes me think this series is safe is that SYFY has barely any scripted dramas left right now. If SYFY wants to remain in the game for this, it needs to keep some long-running shows as well as bring in more newer ones.
Update Dec. 17, 2019: Van Helsing has been renewed for a fifth and final season.
2. Veronica Mars
Network: Hulu
Number of seasons: Season 1 on Hulu, Season 4 overall
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: It turns out that the Veronica Mars revival was only supposed to be a limited series. That’s news to me, because it was never put that way when it was brought to Hulu. Anyway, that’s the story now, suggesting that it isn’t getting picked up for a fifth season.
However, just after the release on Hulu, Rob Thomas had said that he would be up for a fifth season. Maybe it just needs the right story, but by the sounds of it, that isn’t happening. Hulu isn’t interested in any more seasons.
1. The Widow
Network: Amazon
Number of seasons: 1
Why it’s in danger of being canceled: We’re onto the last show and it’s another Amazon drama. The Widow is a tricky one because it’s not just Amazon that has to decide. It’s a co-production with ITV in the UK and that can lead to problems with renewal. If one of the networks decides not to take it, the other had to decide if it’s worth the risk going it alone for the next season.
Considering The Widow premiered in March 2019 and we’ve still heard nothing, there’s a high chance the series has been quietly canceled.
Which TV shows are you most worried about being canceled? Which shows do you think could make it through another year? Share your thoughts in the comments below.