ABC Cancels "The Kids are Alright"

[AB]

Originally Posted by JamesG

ABC’s Karey Burke on "The Kids Are Alright" Cancellation: “Fanbase Was Not Strong Enough”
by Dino-Ray Ramos
August 5, 2019


The ABC comedy "The Kids Are Alright" was canceled in May after one season and fans — including TCA members — still want answers. ABC Boss Karey Burke addressed the cancellation of the series saying that they looked at the show’s ratings from every angle but, “did not see enough upside.”

They also examined its multi-platform and social media performances and it just didn’t look good for the series. “There did not seem to be a strong enough fanbase at the time,” Burke added. “This was a tough business decision.”

https://deadline.com/2019/08/abc-kar...bc-1202661658/

A real shame it didn't get a second season. I thought those kids could be pretty funny.

[JamesG]

Michael Cudlitz Slams ABC’s "Rude" Comments Blaming "The Kids Are Alright's" Cancellation on Fans
by Mike Miller
Aug. 6, 2019


Michael Cudlitz is apologizing to fans of "The Kids Are Alright" after ABC blamed the show’s cancellation, at least in part, on viewers — or the lack thereof.

Cudlitz’ comments come in response to ABC president Karey Burke telling reporters at the Television Critics Assoc. on Monday that “there did not seem to be a strong enough fan base” to renew the show.

“Seriously, @abc. Just say ‘no comment.’ This is just rude. I apologize to the @TheKidsABC fandom on behalf of @abc. Smfh,” wrote the actor, who played Mike Cleary on the show.

https://ew.com/tv/2019/08/06/michael...-cancellation/

[James28]

Originally Posted by JamesG

The ABC comedy "The Kids Are Alright" was canceled in May after one season and fans — including TCA members — still want answers. ABC Boss Karey Burke addressed the cancellation of the series saying that they looked at the show’s ratings from every angle but, “did not see enough upside”.

They also examined its multi-platform and social media performances and it just didn’t look good for the series. “There did not seem to be a strong enough fanbase at the time,” Burke added. “This was a tough business decision.”

So essentially, The Kids Are Alright was cancelled due to poor delayed-viewing numbers (probably the poorest out of all of ABC Network's scripted shows during 2018-19?). I think most U.S. broadcast TV serieses nowadays have to rely on delayed viewing (C+3 or C+7) to boost their chances of a renewal/continuation, because their Live+SD ratings are so poor. It's becoming more and more difficult every year for such shows to get eight-digit total-vieweiship figures and an 18-49 demo rating above a 2.

[TMC]

Mary McCormack still thinks The Kids Are Alright can be revived -- she even enlisted half the Friends to help her

McCormack, who played the matriarch of the canceled 1970s-set ABC family comedy, created a short video featuring celebrity friends and The Kids Are Alright fans Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, Debra Messing, Chelsea Handler, Alison Janney and Mark Hamill (whom she's never met). “It feels too short,” says McCormack, speaking days before the show's creator, Tim Doyle, became showrunner of ABC's Schooled. “It’s hard to get something really funny and nuanced and moving, and I thought our show was all those things. There’s a lot of stuff I don’t understand about how shows find new homes, but you do hear about it. And I guess because you hear about it, your fans think there’s hope. There are just so many networks now — networks I’ve never heard of. So I’m still holding out a little hope that someone will look at us and see we’re like the already housebroken cute shelter pet that needs someone to adopt them.”