Canceled Shows 2016: ‘Castle’ And ‘Nashville’ Both On The Ropes As Ratings Sink, May Not Be Back In The Fall
The list of canceled shows for 2016 could soon have two surprising additions, with reports that both Castle and Nashville are on the ropes for renewal.
The shows have been mainstays of the ABC lineup for years now and both amassed fairly large and otherwise very active fan bases, but sinking ratings and a lukewarm response from the network could still doom them.
The television blog TV By The Numbers, which tracks ratings and keeps weekly tabs on the likelihood of which shows could be canceled, has had the two hovering around the cancellation line all year. In the latest analysis, the blog rated them both as “toss ups” and noted that by the ratings alone they should be canceled.
That might not end up being the case, the report noted, as ABC may not feel strongly enough about a replacement to give the shows the boot. That leaves the situation up in the air for fall renewals.
“If you look at the numbers, this season should be it for ‘Castle’ and ‘Nashville.’ But the Bear is in the prediction business, and the silence from ABC about both shows suggests the network is trying to work out a way to bring them back.”
“Thus both shows now get a tossup rating, even though if ABC knows what’s good for it they should be let go. It’s been a very weak year for new shows, dramas especially, at the network, which could be making them a little gunshy about adding new series. It’s starting to feel, however, like ABC will try to wring one last year out of each.”
Castle has been rumored to be on the list of canceled shows for 2016 dating back several months, including some lingering uncertainty over whether the headliners, Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic, would renew their contracts beyond this season.
Another wild card could be Castle star Stana Katic herself. As TMZ reported, the actress recently made headlines for filing a police report after a stalker left harassing messages on her social media accounts wishing death on her husband. The suspect reportedly knew the names of Stana’s extended family members and her family dog, which are not shared with the public.
While there’s no indication that this incident has any bearing on Castle or her status on the show, it could conceivably lead her to step out of the spotlight for a bit.
Nashville has faced similar cancellation rumors, finishing the fall as ABC’s third lowest-rated show, ahead of only Wicked City and Blood & Oil. Both of those shows ended up being canceled.
As reports grew that both Nashville and Castle could be canceled in 2016, ABC president Paul Lee even stepped in to address the rumors. Speaking at the 2016 Television Critics Association press tour, he said that Nashville wasn’t in danger.
“We don’t have any plans to finish Nashville,” Paul said, according to E! Online.
He also said the network would “love for Castle to keep going for many years to come,” but said there could be some changes with its main stars.
“There are a lot of conversations about how we can do that…there’s lots of good ideas in there. So I am feeling optimistic that we have a lot of good ideas,” he continued.
Juicy love triangles? Ferocious family meltdowns? It's #Nashville drama just the way you like it!https://t.co/ojA5q4KF7p
— Nashville (@Nashville_ABC) April 14, 2016
#Caskett ?? #Castle pic.twitter.com/NFkt82rZdp
— Castle (@Castle_ABC) April 12, 2016
If Castle and Nashville do end up on the list of canceled shows for 2016, it would likely leave two fan bases quite angry, TV By The Numbers notes. Both shows have fans that are very active online, meaning they would likely cause a stir for the network if either were to get the ax.
[Image via ABC]
