‘Why Women Kill’ Gets Surprise Cancellation at Paramount Plus

Alison Tolman in 'Why Women Kill'
Alison Tolman in Paramount Plus’s ‘Why Women Kill.’ (Image credit: Lisa Rose/Paramount Plus)

Why Women Kill will not see a third season on Paramount Plus, despite the network green-lighting season three in December. Marc Cherry created the anthology drama. 

When the third season was announced late last year, Paramount Plus talked up season two’s ranking in the network’s top 10 in terms of engagement and subscriber acquisition. Paramount Plus did not offer a reason for the cancellation, but called it a “difficult decision.”

The show began in 2019 on Paramount Plus precursor CBS All Access, with executives calling the rookie season’s performance “phenomenal.” The series examines how the roles of women have changed over the decades, but how their reaction to betrayal has not.

Season one looked at a housewife in the ’60s, a socialite in the ’80s and a lawyer in 2019, each dealing with infidelity in their marriages. 

Season two had Allison Tolman, Lana Parrilla and B.K. Cannon in the cast, and was set in 1949.

Cherry previously created Desperate Housewives. ■

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.