‘All Rise’ Canceled: Showrunner and Cast Members React to the News

As fans continue to mourn the recent cancellation of All Rise, the series’ showrunner and cast are taking to social media to react. CBS announced Saturday that the Simone Missick-starring legal drama would not be returning for Season 3, the cancellation coming alongside the cancellation of single-camera sitcom The Unicorn and just ahead of the series’ upcoming Season 2 finale, which will now serve as the series finale, on Monday, May 24.

Shortly after the cancellation news broke, Missick, who stars as idealistic Los Angeles Judge Lola Carmichael, reacted to the news on Twitter, where she expressed gratitude for the fans. In a tweet, Missick thanked “our amazing [risers] who watched, rewatched, tweeted, DMd, and shared with us all the ways” the series “touched them from week to week.” Although the cancellation has left many shocked, Missick encouraged viewers to “enjoy these last 2 episodes,” adding that she is “certainly proud to say the least.”

Missick’s co-star Lindsey Gort said she was “so grateful to [have] had the opportunity to play such a strong intelligent character” in defense attorney Amy Quinn for the past two years. The actress added that she “will forever cherish the people and the memories of [All Rise].” Gort later returned to Twitter with a lengthier statement in which she expressed hope that All Rise “reached people that wouldn’t normally watch a show with such a diverse cast” and that “some people who don’t normally see themselves represented on tv, felt seen.” Gort said she “will miss everyone” involved with the series and also expressed gratitude to “CBS and Warner Brothers for giving us the chance to tell these stories, in spite of everything.”

Showrunner Dee Harris-Lawrence also reacted to the cancellation, sending her “admiration, love and respect to this hardworking cast, crew & bada– writers”” Harris-Lawrence, who quote retweeted staff writer Lucy Luna’s tweet giving a showout to all those involved in the series, said those working on All Rise were “determined to tell impt & impactful stories through a pandemic, with a diverse cast, headed up by a Blk Female Judge.”

Although CBS did not provide a reason for the cancellation, the decision came as the series slipped in ratings. According to TVLine, Season 2 was down 27% from its freshman run, and out of the network’s 14 original dramas this TV season, All Rise ranked as 12th in the demo and 11th in audience. The cancellation also followed behind-the-scenes issues, including reports that many of the show’s writers left after Season 1, explaining that they repeatedly clashed with showrunner Greg Spottiswood over the show’s treatment of race and gender. Warner Bros. Television fired Spottiswood in March due to misconduct allegations.