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Rob Lowe Considers Walking Away From Network TV For Good

By Victoria Miller
Published on: 22:40 PST, May 13, 2016

Rob Lowe may have filmed his last scene for network television. Just ahead of the announcement that his Fox comedy The Grinder has been canceled, Lowe said he may have to look beyond network television for his next role because he likes to do a certain type of show that he feels no longer has a home on network TV.

“If the show doesn’t get picked up, I really need to examine what I have to offer on network television in this climate because I do a certain type of show — West Wing, Parks and Recreation, The Grinder — and my sense is that is really no longer where network television lives,” Rob said.

Rob Lowe told The Hollywood Reporter that he has not been in talks with execs from more liberal platforms, like Netflix, yet, but he revealed that if The Grinder was axed, he definitely would start looking at other options.

“That’s certainly where I will put my focus,” Rob said.

Rob Lowe noticed the disturbing TV trend earlier this year when he received a Golden Globe nod for his work on The Grinder, and he realized he was the only person in the category that was on a network show. Indeed, Lowe’s competition in the category included Amazon star Jeffrey Tambor, Netflix star Aziz Ansari, Starz star Patrick Stewart, and eventual winner Gael Garcia Bernal of the Amazon original series Mozart in the Jungle.

“I was so happy that our show, so early in its life, was able to get the nomination, [but] I sat there looking at my colleagues in my category, and I was the only person on a network show,” Lowe said.

Lowe went on to say that some networks are “way worse” than others to work with. While he didn’t name network names, Rob has appeared on shows on ABC, NBC, Fox, Lifetime, and even National Geographic Channel during his prolific television career.

Lowe’s response to The Grinder’s cancellation by Fox came soon after his THR interview. It was something fans of the cult comedy had hoped they wouldn’t hear after just one season.

“The Grinder was not renewed by @FOXTV,” Lowe tweeted. “It was unapologetically original, smart, funny and had a murder’s row of talent. #GrinderRests.”

Rob went on to say that the 22 Grinder episodes that were produced will live on and that he has no regrets for signing on to the Fox legal comedy that also starred Fred Savage, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, William Devane, Natalie Morales and Steve Little.

Rob Lowe later hit Instagram to post a photo of The Grinder cast and crew. Lowe said the show will rest in peace with other series gone before their time like Freaks and Geeks and Arrested Development.

Rob Lowe’s statements about network TV come as fellow former Fox star John Stamos posted a similar sentiment after his show, Grandfathered, was also axed by the network. Stamos declared the end of network television, but unlike Lowe, he already has a deal with Netflix for the sitcom Fuller House.

Based on Rob Lowe’s recent comments, it would be no surprise to see him turn up on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, or a pay cable giant for his next project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGCAa1fCnY4

As for his final social media thoughts on the demise of his clever Fox comedy, Rob Lowe tried to look at the bright side with a cheeky tweet about the Grindr dating app.

Take a look at the video below for more on Rob Lowe’s reaction to the cancellation of The Grinder.

[Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Profile]

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