Why ‘Dog the Bounty Hunter’ Was Canceled, and Why Fans Want It Back

Amid a resurgence of sorts for the canceled A&E reality TV show Dog the Bounty Hunter, longtime fans are hoping for a series revival that would bring the show back to TV screens once again.

The long-running series was shut down before what would have been its ninth season after negotiations broke down, according to TMZ. A source connected with the show cited “creative differences,” and the network never made an official statement as to what happened during negotiations.

But ever since Duane “Dog” and Beth Chapman once again opened up their lives to A&E cameras for Dog & Beth: Fight of Their Lives in 2017, fans have been begging the network to strike a new, recurring deal with the family previously known for their work in the dangerous bounty hunting industry.

A&E continues to air reruns of the family’s eight-season run from 2004 to 2012 — but some fans say the network should bring back what they call the best entertainment it has to offer.

“I only watch [A&E] when [Dog and Beth Chapman] are on,” one fan wrote on Twitter in February. “We need a new show.”

“C’mon [A&E] are ya getting the hint yet? [Dog and Beth] were much better entertainers than some of the crap you are airing now,” another fan wrote. “We want some REALNESS back in our lives!”

Another user has pitched daily her cry for a Dog the Bounty Hunter reboot, from creating a petition to put the Chapmans back on air to grabbing the attention of the show’s bail bondsman, Bobby Brown.

“Dog The Bounty Hunter & Beth fight crime, cancer & now we want to see a new tv show!” an ambitious user wrote alongside her petition.

Brown responds often to fans’ rallies for a new or rebooted series, writing, “‘WE’ truly STAND by you & support your [sign the petition] campaign and WE truly appreciate each of you that do SUPPORT the [millions of fans] of [Dog and Beth] that want to see the [next chapter] pf their life back.” The former reality show cast member added, “[A&E] please.”

The Chapmans returned to reality TV in December for Dog & Beth: Fight of Their Lives, an A&E special which followed Beth’s journey with throat cancer. Despite the fact the special aired five years after the family’s original show was canceled, fans were still rallying behind the Chapmans’ emotional health battle.

After the special, Beth’s self-proclaimed “right hand and left ear” bail agent Rainy Robinson polled fans on what should come next.

“After the epic airing of Dog & Beth: Fight for Their Lives… what should follow this?” she asked, giving fans three options to vote: A new show, a new show or a new show.

Robinson shared the overwhelming, albeit biased, results on Twitter: “The results are IN. 83% said they want a new show 11% said they would like a new show and 6% would like a new show,” she wrote.

Even if the Chapmans and a TV network agreed on a deal to bring them back to reality TV, the show would likely center around a different premise; the Chapmans have decided to give up the bounty hunting business following Beth’s cancer struggle.

With the danger that engulfs the profession, Beth said it was time for her to step back from the family business. Dog also decided to leave his longtime post so his wife wouldn’t worry about his safety while hew as on the clock. Instead, they’ll spend more time together and Dog will look for another profession.

“I don’t know that he’s looked for a job in the past 40 years, but we gotta change because we need longevity,” Beth told TooFab in November. “We have small children, we have people counting on us. It doesn’t mean that our stance on the criminal justice system has changed, it means that we may want to change.”