‘Carol’s Second Act’ Canceled After One Season at CBS

On Wednesday, Carol’s Second Act was canceled after just one season on CBS. The medical comedy was a promising new entry to the 2019-2020 TV season, but it did not reach the heights needed for a renewal. according to a report by TV Line, The show will not be returning in the fall.

Carol’s Second Act was a sitcom starring Patricia Heaton as a former schoolteacher who decided to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor starting in her early 50s. There was a lot to love about the show, but according to TV Line, the ratings were not there. The show averaged a 0.63 in the key demographic of adults aged 18-49, with an average of 5 million viewers per episode. Even with viewers throughout the week accounted for, the show did not get enough eyes on it go for another season. CBS had eight sitcoms airing this season, and Carol’s Second Act came in a distant last in terms of ratings.

Carol’s Second Act had all the ingredients of a hit sitcom in place. As the star, Heaton brought familiarity from her long-running role as Debra on Everybody Loves Raymond, along with other beloved roles. She was not the only TV veteran on board either — Kyle Maclachlan played Carol’s friend and colleague, Dr. Stephen Frost, and Ashley Tisdale played Carol’s daughter, Jenny.

In the season finale — now the series finale — the show also introduced Kelsey Grammer as Richard Kenney, Carol’s ex-husband, who was hired at the same hospital as her. The set-up was just begging for another season.

Carol’s Second Act got 18 episodes for its first season, and the finale aired in March. It took over the time slot left by the Murphy Brown revival last season, which was canceled. Carol’s Second Act was reportedly down 25 and 17 percent from Murphy Brown‘s ratings last year.

CBS had am ambitious slate of new shows testing the waters in the 2019 TV season, following the conclusion of The Big Bang Theory and other heavy-hitters for the network. On Wednesday, a number of CBS shows were canceled all at once, including Tommy, Broke and Man With a Plan. Meanwhile, shows like NCIS, FBI and FBI: Most Wanted were renewed.

Fans couldn’t help but wonder if the coronavirus pandemic played some role in the network’s decision making for the end of this season. With many productions on hold for the safety of the cast and crew, the slate of entertainment in the coming months is uncertain, and may leave some fans broken-hearted.

All 18 episodes of Carol’s Second Act are now streaming on CBS All Access. For the latest in TV news, keep it locked to PopCulture.com for more on your favorite dramas, sitcoms and primetime blockbusters, and follow us on Twitter for fresh updates!