Update: Add “Agent Carter” and “The Muppets” to the list of shows cancelled by ABC this week.
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“Nashville,” “Galavant,” “Castle,” and “The Family” all felt the swing of the proverbial ax Thursday. The four ABC series were officially cancelled.
A perennial bubble series, “Nashville” had survived three straight upfront seasons — at least once in the eleventh hour. Lightning will not strike a fourth time; ABC, despite the brand value associated with the series, will not move forward with a fifth season.
Modest in season one, ratings for “Galavant” became undeniably weak in season two. The show had support from some executives and from a passionate fanbase, but the support structure ultimately proved too small to justify a third season.
“The Family” was considered dead-on-arrival after premiering to soft ratings for its special Thursday preview — and then delivering markedly weaker ones for its Sunday time period premiere. The show has held fairly steady in the weeks following its premiere, but that point of stability is simply too low.
The “Castle” cancellation comes amid news that the show would have eliminated key cast members — including star Stana Katic — as part of a ninth season. Instead of moving forward with a revamped, streamlined iteration of the show, ABC will simply wave goodbye.