Zac Efron Show Canceled After Just 2 Episodes

The CW has officially pulled the plug on Zac Efron’s documentary series, Down to Earth with Zac Efron, after only two episodes, according to TVLine. It was only announced in June that the Netflix series would be coming to The CW for the summer schedule, and it only just premiered on July 18. Unfortunately, just a few days after the second episode aired, it’s done. The first episode debuted to only 306,000 viewers, with the second episode dropping to 232,000, so it’s not surprising to see that the network has decided to pull it from airing.

Down to Earth with Zac Efron initially debuted on Netflix in July 2020, and each episode follows the actor around the world as he takes on new adventures that include travel, life experiences, nature, green energy, and sustainable living practices. Season 2, which was subtitled Down Under, was based only around Australia and premiered in November 2022. The series has been nominated for multiple Daytime Emmy Awards, with Efron even winning for Outstanding Daytime Program Host in 2021.

The CW has also pulled Down to Earth‘s Tuesday partner, spellbinding docuseries Fantastic Friends, from the lineup, with repeats of Penn & Teller: Fool Us and Whose Line Is It Anyway? taking over the Tuesday slot beginning August 1. The two shows are only the latest to be yanked from The CW this summer, as the network also pulled Australian surfing drama  in June after only four episodes, with repeats of Nancy Drew airing in its place.

Considering the fact that the network is going almost fully acquired or scripted moving forward, especially in the fall, this doesn’t bode well for the rebrand. While the network has usually had acquired shows to fill up most of its summer schedule in the past, even before Nexstar, it’s going to be a different game come fall. Due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, most networks are already showing at least some acquired shows, so it’s not like The CW will be the only one. But since it’s not exactly on the same wavelength as the big networks when it comes to viewers, it’s going to be interesting to see how it does.

While Down to Earth with Zac Efron is no longer airing on The CW, both seasons are still available to stream on Netflix, so at least there’s that. There will also still be some shows to look forward to on The CW’s fall 2023 schedule, even if it’s not original. TV is looking quite different because of the strikes, and it might be a while until it gets back to normal, so fans may have to get used to schedule changes over the next few months.