Latest from Next TV in Cancellation

WWE Fans Royally Peeved on Twitter

Leslie Jaye Goff — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 19:45:00 +0000

In the middle of the #SAGAwards -- think, "Meanwhile, in another #universe," -- wrestling fans dissatisfied over the outcome of a WWE match created a hashtag of their own that was trending worldwide by night's end: #CancelWWENetwork.

The hashtag began showing up after Sunday night's #RoyalRumble (pre-match videos) ended with Roman Reigns victorious. It appears he's old-hat, and both the live and online audiences were unhappy that younger stars in the WWE's stable were overlooked. Combined with some streaming issues, the outcome in the ring had fans urging online subscribers to bail on the SVOD outlet that aggravated at least some pay-per-view providers when it launched last spring.

Monday afternoon, the hashtag was still among the top five trending topics on the social media platform.

By then, WWE had canceled Monday Night RAW because of the blizzard invading the East Coast, but the move took on a wholly larger significance in the Twittersphere. "Monday Night Raw may be canceled due to weather.... Looks like even God decided to #CancelWWENetwork," tweeted @cigarsNscotch, a comical feed. Others posted screenshots of their cancellation notices (see photo), while many tweeted that cancelling a subscription over one event was tantamount to cutting off one's nose to spite one's face.

"The #CancelWWENetwork movement is insane. You're gonna take it out on the entire roster because one guy won a match you didn't want him to?" @TheWrestlingMania posted, while @David_Leavitt (writer David Leavitt) tweeted, "I boycott #SouthPark because Kenny always dies. #CancelWWENetwork."

It remains to be seen how seriously fans take the hashtagged mandate, but the debacle garnered the attention of mainstream publications like Time magazine and Rolling Stone, which dubbed the event "the Philadelphia Phuck You."

No Secret: USA Cancels 'Covert Affairs'

Mike Reynolds — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 16:00:00 +0000

Looks like Christopher Gorham’s Auggie Anderson character didn’t have to make the decision to leave the agency after all: USA Network made it for him.

After a five-season run, USA elected not to renew Covert Affairs, from corporate cousin Universal Cable Productions, for a sixth campaign. As it stands, the Dec. 18 episode in which Anderson was deciding whether to leave the CIA and Piper Perabo’s Annie Walker was weighing a marriage proposal and an offer to join a different CIA taskforce, was the show’s last, attracting 1.6 million watchers.

The show joinsWhite Collar, which concluded its six-season stay at USA last year, and Rush, which lasted just one, on the sidelines.

During its fifth season, Covert Affairs averaged 990,000 18-to-49 viewers in Nielsen live+seven ratings — a 136% increase from its live-plus-same day numbers. The series averaged 1.3 million 25-to-54 viewers gauged on a live+seven basis, up 141% from live-plus-same day, and 3.3 million total viewers, a 117% advance.

Those deliveries evidently weren’t good enough to go forward. The cable network, which ceded its perch atop cable primetime to ESPN in 2014, has renewed a number of series, including Royal Pains, Suits, Graceland, Satisfaction, Playing House and Chrisley Knows Best. On tap for 2015: Dig, Mr. Robot and Complications.

The network also has four pilots in the works.

TV Land To Cool ‘Hot in Cleveland’ After Sixth Season

Daniel Holloway (B&C) — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 03:00:00 +0000

Hot in Cleveland’s next season will be its last. TV Land confirmed that the series will end following the sixth season, which is currently in production.

Hot in Cleveland was TV Land’s first original scripted series. The multi-camera comedy passed the 100-episode mark in 2014. Produced by TV Land, the show has averaged 2.4 million total viewers in Nielsen live-plus-seven ratings over its first five seasons.

'The Lottery's Luck Runs Out After One Season

Mike Reynolds — Sat, 18 Oct 2014 02:45:00 +0000

Saddled with lackluster ratings, Lifetime has dropped drama series, The Lottery, after its first season.

The original series, which averaged only 700,000 viewers on live + same-day basis, concluded its 10-episode run on Sept. 28.

With the cancellation, Lifetime’s roster now features three scripted series entries, Devious Maids, which will return for a 13-episode, third season in 2015, plus newcomers UnREAL and Damien, a six-episode adaptation of the demonic, theatrical franchise.

A pilot order for a take on Jean M. Auel novel, The Clan of the Cave Bear, is also in play.

'Dallas' Runs Dry On TNT

Mike Reynolds — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 21:30:00 +0000

The oil well has dried up for Dallas -- again.

TNT cancelled the modern-day version of the venerable CBS primetime soap, two weeks after its third-season concluder.

TNT's Dallas, which focused on a new generation of Ewings, but also included original cast members Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray, bowed in June 2012 to 6.9 million viewers, earning a quick second-season renewal. Hagman died during shooting for that second campaign.

The third season.opened in February with 2.66 million total viewers. Its Sept. 22 finale, which saw the death of a major character and a number of unresolved questions, drew only 1.7 million watchers.

TNT issued the following statement: “We are extremely proud of [Dallas], which defied expectations by standing as a worthy continuation of the Ewing saga. We want to thank everyone involved with the show, from the extraordinary cast to the impeccable production team, led by the show’s creative forces, Cynthia Cidre and Mike Robin. We especially want to thank the people of Dallas for their warm and generous hospitality during the production of the series.”