ABC Cancels Freshman Comedies 'Trophy Wife,' 'Mixology'
Following a whirlwind of series orders and renewals, ABC seems to have begun spreading the bad news. First up: Critical darling Trophy Wife and fellow rookie Mixology, which have been canceled after one season each on the network.
From ABC Studios, critical darling Trophy Wife, starring Malin Akerman, Bradley Whitford and Marcia Gay Harden, has a dedicated fan base that helps the single-camera family comedy surge 50 percent in seven days of DVR to grow from a 1.2 to a 1.7 in the key demo.
Both numbers are down from fellow bubble comedy Mixology. Working against its case for a second-season renewal was the pricey cast, with Akerman turning down multiple pilot offers this past season. Also likely hurting its chances was the fact that ABC developed multiple family comedies this past season, with most offering a unique twist on the traditional family -- a la Trophy Wife.
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Harden announced the news on Twitter late Thursday: "Thank u 4 watching beloved fans. Parting is such sweet sorrow... @TrophyWifeABC cancelled just hours ago. @ABC_Publicity#season2watch#:("
Mixology, meanwhile, was considered a big swing from the start. The comedy from ABC Studios about a group of singles that takes place over the course of one night landed in the prime post-Modern Family slot and is averaging a modest 1.5 rating among adults under 50, growing a paltry 20 percent with DVR playback. From the writers behind The Hangover, the ensemble comedy that ranks as exec producer Ryan Seacrest's first live-action scripted comedy, planned to tap creators Jon Lucas and Scott Moore as showrunners in place of Ira Ungerleider for season two. Those plans now appear to be in the scrap heap, after co-star Frankie Shaw announced via Twitter that the series would not be coming back.
The midseason series had momentum heading into the upfronts, with support from ABC brass including ABC Entertainment Group president Paul Lee.
ABC declined comment on both cancellations. Additional renewals, series orders and cancellations are set to come Friday.