It was a brutal year in the TV business, and a lot of shows — good and bad — were left on the cutting room floor.
There have been a slew of cancellations in 2018, from network TV to cable to streaming services, and even web shows on up-and-coming platforms. In a lot of respects, the over-saturated market created by the Internet and streaming devices means that TV is more competitive than ever. Where before a mediocre show might have survived a few bad seasons, now it does not stand a chance.
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That is not to say that every show canceled this year necessarily deserved it. Many of 2018’s victims were amazing programs that simply did not find their niche. Many were shows that would have been better served on a streaming service but landed on a network instead, or vice versa.
Of course, another huge factor in 2018 was shifting social consciousness. Many shows were dropped for optics alone as the world grappled with the implications of the Me Too movement and other social revolutions. Confused audiences were left hanging, lashing out at networks or at the public outcry itself, blaming their political opponents for their new primetime schedules.
Whatever the case, there are a lot of cancellations to look back on in 2018, for better or for worse. Here are 102 shows that ended or were canceled over the course of the year.
CBS
It was a pretty average year on CBS in terms of cancellations. The network dropped some poor performers in the ratings and had its first cancellation on its CBS All Access streaming service. The real strain for CBS will come in the spring, when the finale of The Big Bang Theory airs. In the meantime, 2018’s cancellations are below:
Scorpion
Code Black
Kevin Can Wait
Superior Donuts
Salvation
9JKL
Wisdom of the Crowd
Living Biblically
One Dollar (CBS All Access)
ABC
ABC really experienced the highs and lows of the entertainment industry in 2018. The show reached ratings that have been unheard of for years with the Roseanne reboot, and the ensuing cancellation drama left just about everyone mad at them. Meanwhile, a few new series fizzled out early while some veteran shows closed up shop at last.
Scandal
Once Upon a Time
Roseanne
The Middle
Quantico
The Chew
Deception
Take Two
Kevin (Probably) Saves the World
Alex, Inc.
The Mayor
Ten Days in the Valley
The Crossing
NBC
NBC saw some major shake-ups this year as well — not just in its primetime line-up, but all across its schedule. After dumping Matt Lauer from the Today Show at the end of last year, the network dropped Megyn Kelly Today as well, finally caving to the slip-ups and scandals she had become known for.
Timeless
Midnight, Texas
Shades of Blue
Great News
Megyn Kelly Today
Taken
The Brave
Rise
Marlon
Champions
Harry
Reverie
Fox
Many of the most beloved gems on Fox said their goodbyes this year as well. The network canceled Brooklyn Nine-Nine only to have NBC snap it up, but The Last Man on Earth, Ghosted and New Girl were not so lucky. Meanwhile, the X-Files reboot finally came to an end when Gillian Anderson decided to leave the project.
The X-Files
New Girl
The Last Man on Earth
The Americans (FX)
The Mick
Ghosted
LA to Vegas
The CW
The CW is riding high these days, capitalizing on shared universes in a way that few other networks have managed so far. Still, a few shows had to say goodbye in 2018, and their fans mourned as emphatically as any other fans did.
The Originals
Life Sentence
Valor
Netflix
Netflix shocked the world with a year of ruthless cancellations. The streaming service had never dropped so much original content at once before, showing that the company is beginning to function more like any other entertainment business. Still, since Netflix appears to take fan outcry into heavy consideration, many are still holding out hope for their favorites in petitions and social media campaigns.
Marvel’s Daredevil
Marvel’s Luke Cage
Marvel’s Iron Fist
House of Cards
American Vandal
Sense8
Everything Sucks
The Break With Michelle Wolf
Love
The Good Cop
The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHale
Disjointed
Seven Seconds
All About the Washingtons
Other – Cable Networks
The turnover on cable channels is never quite as high as that of network TV, yet there were still some big departures this year. Comedy Central, for example, was accused of calling it quits on Detroiters far too early, while the passionate audience of Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time is still mourning the show’s finale.
Detroiters – Comedy Central
Another Period – Comedy Central
The Opposition With Jordan Klepper – Comedy Central
Nashville – CMT
Six – History
Hit the Floor – BET
The Rundown with Robin Thede – BET
12 Monkeys – SyFy
Z Nation – SyFy
The Last Ship – TNT
Major Crimes – TNT
The Librarians – TNT
Portlandia – IFC
Love Is __ – OWN
Dietland – AMC
K.C. Undercover – Disney Channel
Stuck In the Middle – Disney Channel
The Royals – E!
The Arrangement – E!
Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce – Bravo
Imposters – Bravo
Shooter – USA Network
Colony – USA Network
Damnation – USA Network
Adventure Time – Cartoon Network
Hap and Leonard – Sundance
Nobodies – TV Land
American Woman – Paramount Network
Heathers – Paramount Network
Other – Streaming Services and Premium Networks
Finally, shows on streaming services are not immune to cancellations, nor are the original series on premium networks like HBO. Some heavy hitters left the Internet for good this year, and Smart TVs across the world are worse off for it.
UnREAL (Lifetime) – Hulu
Casual – Hulu
The Path – Hulu
Mozart In the Jungle – Amazon
Ash vs. Evil Dead – Starz
Who Is America – Showtime
I’m Dying Up Here – Showtime
Animals – HBO
Here and Now – HBO
Outcast – Cinemax