Canceled TV Shows 2015: ‘Castle’ On The Ropes Due To Low Ratings, Considered Likely To Be Cut


Castle could soon be among the shows canceled in 2015 with low ratings putting the detective show in danger of getting cut.

Though never a ratings monster, the show’s downward trend in ratings has many critics thinking that ABC could pull the plug at some point soon, most likely when the show ends its season.

The blog TV By The Numbers, which makes predictions based on ratings and network trends, has listed Castle as “likely to be canceled by May 2016.”

The show just had its fall finale, with Rick and Kate reconciling but deciding to make it seem to the rest of the public as if they had broken up. It was a long-running plotline, one that co-showrunners Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter said was quite an investment.

In an interview with TVLine, Winter said they are happy with how the show has gone so far this season.

“We went down some roads that we were unable to go down if we didn’t make the choices that we made. It’s funny that you ask that question, because Alexi and I were just talking about this the other day — we’re really happy with how the first third of the season has gone. And we’re excited about what the next third’s going to be, and also how we’re going to take it to the end of the season.”

Hawley added that she show could still have more suspense ahead, with Rick and Kate playing off as if they’re broken up for at least a little while longer. The audience will be in on the act, Winter added, saying there will be “a couple of great sequences” when the show returns from its midseason hiatus.

Despite the drama surrounding their “break-up,” there are no big changes ahead for Rick and Kate, the showrunners said. When asked about the possibility that Kate could get pregnant, Hawley said it was a discussion they have had but for now the logistics don’t seem to work out.

“And we have to ask ourselves: How is it helpful to our storytelling going forward if and when she gets pregnant?” Winter added. “It’s not off the table, but there’s nothing planned for anytime soon.”

As Castle struggled in the ratings, Hawley cautioned against looking too deeply into the numbers. He noted that the show may have debuted lower in Season 8, but that it has remained consistent since then.

Hawley added that Castle does well outside the traditional ratings as well. When DVR numbers are factored in, he estimated that it draws in between 9 and 10 million viewers a week, which is “a really healthy number these days for network television.”

But, Hawley did admit some problems, saying the show didn’t do as well in the coveted 18 to 49 demographic as the showrunners — or the network — would like. He said the producers are committed to “tell really good stories” and believed that could continue to bring in an audience.

While some are predicting that Castle could be one of the canceled shows either in 2015 or 2016, others note that its consistency could become a saving grace. While the show is not bringing in big ratings, it does have a devoted audience that has kept it from dipping too low. In a time when networks are becoming more cautious about giving shows the axe and have a longer leash, that consistency could give it an advantage to come back for at least another season.

[Image via ABC]

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