‘Outmatched’ Likely Canceled at FOX, Report Claims

Outmatched, the freshman sitcom starring Orange Is the New Black‘s Jason Biggs and former Lethal Weapon star Maggie Lawson, might be canceled. The sitcom aired on Fox with no buzz, poor reviews from critics and drew very small ratings during its 10-episode run. The network has not made an official decision yet, as its fall plans have been thrown for a loop during the coronavirus pandemic.

On Monday, Fox announced plans for its fall 2020 programming, which will include none of its returning or new scripted shows as production has been put on hold in Hollywood this summer. The network did not officially renew its bubble shows, although Last Man Standing, The Resident and Prodigal Son are expected to be renewed, reports The Hollywood Reporter. The outlet predicts Outmatched is “likely done,” but again, no official statement has been made on the show’s future.

Outmatched was created by Lon Zimmet and starred Biggs and Lawson as a married couple living in Atlantic City who are having difficulty raising their four kids, three of whom are geniuses. Ashley Boettcher, Conor Kalopsis and Jack Stanton played the children certified as geniuses, while Oakley Bull played the “normal” child. Tisha Campbell and Finiese Mitchell co-starred as Biggs and Lawson’s friends. Tony Danza, Caroline Aaron, Alyson Hannigan and Eddie Kaye Thomas guest-starred.

Only 10 episodes of the series were produced before production was stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic. The episodes aired between Jan. 23 and March 26, and no episode earned higher than the premiere’s 0.7 18-49 rating. Audiences and critics were not impressed, as the show averaged a 22% percent rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Late last month, The Wrap predicted Outmatched would be one of the poorly-received shows from the 2019-2020 season that would survive because of the pandemic. Since production has been on hold, almost no pilots will be filmed this summer, meaning networks will have to rely on shows that already have fully-staffed productions ready to go when filming can resume. However, Fox’s plans show that the network does not actually need Outmatched to fill slots.

This fall, Fox will air the first season of L.A.’s Finest, the Bad Boys spin-off series starring Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union. The show was previously an exclusive for Spectrum and will air its second season next month. Sources told THR that Fox picked up second window rights to the Sony show. Fox is also going to air the dramas Filthy Rich and Next, which have completed their first seasons and were originally planned to air during the 2019-2020 season. Fox also has its animated shows to run on Sundays, including new episodes of Bob’s Burgers, which was picked up for an 11th season.