Thursday, March 28, 2024

NBC Brass Explains ‘Carmichael Show’ Cancellation: ‘It’s Been Sort of This Labor of Love’

THE CARMICHAEL SHOW -- "Maxine's Dad" Episode 211 -- Pictured: (l-r) Lil Rel Howery as Bobby Carmichael, Tiffany Haddish as Nekeisha, Loretta Devine as Cynthia Carmichael, Jerrod Carmichael as Jerrod Carmichael, David Alan Grier as Joe Carmichael -- (Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC)
THE CARMICHAEL SHOW — “Maxine’s Dad” Episode 211 — Pictured: (l-r) Lil Rel Howery as Bobby Carmichael, Tiffany Haddish as Nekeisha, Loretta Devine as Cynthia Carmichael, Jerrod Carmichael as Jerrod Carmichael, David Alan Grier as Joe Carmichael — (Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC)

*NBC’s “The Carmichael Show” was cancelled in June following three seasons and critical acclaim for writer/star Jerrod Carmichael.

During the network’s session at the Television Critics Association summer press tour on Thursday, execs opened up about the decision not to bring the show back for season 4.

“I think the collective decision was maybe [that] it’s best to let the show end,” NBC entertainment president Jennifer Salke told reporters. “I have to say personally for all of us, it’s a really hard decision that wasn’t just made on one side of things. It was one of those difficult decisions that kind of live with you for a while that you don’t feel great about because you wish it had done better. … This was the situation we found ourselves in.”

The series, which ends its third and final season later this month, was one of NBC’s rare co-productions with an outside studio, 20th Century Television Fox. That, combined with the tepid ratings for the show, led to the cancellation, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“We love the show. I mean, creatively we’ve been very involved in the show, involved with that cast and Jerrod [Carmichael] and everyone involved with it from the start. It’s been sort of this labor of love,” Salke said. “Everybody was hoping the show would really perform and grow. I think we saw a great kind of stable audience sort of slowly building and a lot of critical attention. … But at the same time, it remained in a challenging situation.”

Salke also pointed out that the show began at NBC and Universal Television, where it was originally developed as a comedy called “Go Jerrod Go” that narrowly missed a series order for the 2014-15 season, before 20th TV was brought in.

“There was never any sense of lack of ownership on the show,” Salke said. “That never came into play.”

NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt pointed out that The Carmichael Show lasted longer than several other higher-rated comedies at the network. The series currently stands as the network’s longest-running comedy on the air. “Superstore” will begin its third season in September.

We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!

YOU MAY LIKE

SEARCH

- Advertisement -

TRENDING