NBC Cancels Two Popular TV Series: ‘Marlon’ And ‘Midnight, Texas’
The actors and crew members working on two of NBC’s primetime series — Marlon and Midnight, Texas— received some very unhappy news ahead of what should have been a merry Christmas break: their TV shows were canceled. Both of the programs only spent two seasons on the peacock network.
Marlon
Comedian Marlon Wayans’ eponymous sitcom debuted on NBC in August of 2017 and ran as a summertime series featuring just 10 half-hour episodes per season.
The series starred Wayans as a divorced dad of two impressionable children who was still very much involved in the life of his ex-wife. Essence Atkins, Bresha Webb, Diallo Riddle, Notlim Taylor, and Amir O’Neil costarred.
According to Deadline, Marlon was the No. 1 new scripted summer series on the Big 4 networks during its first season on the air in 2017. However, ratings for this year’s Season 2 were significantly lower.
“It was a good time. More to come. Better to come,” Wayans wrote on Twitter in response to a fan, Stephen White, who said that “the Grinches” at NBC stole “one of the best sitcoms, [Marlon], in recent history.”
“We’re so PROUD of the show we delivered… My heart is so full of gratitude for everyone who watched, binged and loved this series,” said Diallo Riddle, who played Marlon’s roommate Stevie, on Instagram.
Midnight, Texas
Based on a book trilogy from author Charlaine Harris — who also wrote the tomes that HBO’s True Blood was based on — the drama featured psychics, vampires, witches, angels, and more supernatural creatures coexisting with humans in a small town. Francois Arnaud, Arielle Kebbel, Peter Mensah, Dylan Bruce, Parisa Fitz-Henley, and Jason Lewis starred in the show.
Like Marlon, Midnight, Texas, debuted in the summer of 2017. The 10-episode first season ended on September 18, 2017. The series was renewed for a second season, but NBC waited more than one year to premiere the new episodes. During the long hiatus, two Season 1 cast members — Sarah Ramos (Creek Lovell) and Yul Vazquez (Reverend Emilio Sheehan) — announced they would not be returning to the show as series regulars, and the executive producer and showrunner was replaced.
Although Season 2 has been averaging about 2 million viewers per episode, the numbers are down from the first season. The series finale is scheduled to air on NBC on Friday, December 28.
“Thank you to our incredibly loyal fans and to everyone who supported us along the way. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for Olivia… So grateful for this experience,” actress Arielle Kebbel, who played Olivia Charity, wrote on Instagram.
There may be hope for Midnight, Texas fans though — Deadline reported that the producing studio, Universal Television, is shopping the series to other networks.
