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My Name Is Earl: TBS in Talks for Season Five of Cancelled Sitcom

My Name Is EarlThe once popular My Name Is Earl sitcom was cancelled last month. After four seasons on NBC, the show’s executive producer, Greg Garcia, was informed early in the morning, just 30 minutes before the news was given to the press.

While being dumped by the peacock network didn’t come as a huge surprise, Garcia wasn’t ready for the show to end. He told the LA Times, “There’s a lot of reasons the show would work well on another network, and I think we’d do very well with some promotion. We certainly feel like we have more stories to tell. That’s why we left the show on season four on a cliffhanger. And I know we’ve got at least another season in us and a lot of great ideas. So if another network wants to put us on, fantastic. Nothing that would make me happier.”

It was largely presumed that the FOX network would take on Earl since the sitcom’s produced by a sister company, 20th Century Fox Television. Execs at the network apparently downplayed the possibility and, when the time came, decided to pass.

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Ethan Suplee, “Randy” on the show, broke the news to fans, writing, “Thanks for the effort guys, we appreciate it. It seems that Earl is actually dead. Fox has passed. The mustache will live on in our hearts.”

Now, TBS is apparently interested in keeping Earl going. The cable channel has been airing the show in syndication and expressed some interest in picking up the show at the May upfronts.

Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks, told Company Town that the network likes to develop original programming but that new episodes of an established show like Earl would be an asset in drawing viewers to sample them. At the time, Koonin hadn’t been approached by 20th Century Fox but said, “Tell them to give me a call. We’re in the book.”

The discussions for 13 new episodes of Earl are still in the early stages and there are a some major hurdles that would need to be overcome before they could become a reality. The actors and writers have all been released from their contracts and they’d have to be renegotiated. Also, the show is an expensive single-camera comedy and the overall budget would be an issue as well.

On the positive side however, the show is already in syndication and more episodes would mean additional rerun money for years to come. With that in mind, the studio and participating talent will likely want to make the deal work if at all possible.

While Earl’s return is still considered a longshot, the fact that there are discussions to revive the series is certainly a good sign. What do you think?

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{ 719 comments… read them below or add one }

Paige Young December 28, 2011 at 11:33 pm

Omg please bring earl back please I love the show. Joy is so funny. I have all the seasons on dvd I NEED to know what happens next. Who is earl jr’s dad? Come on someone pick the show up its amazing

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micah ellsworth January 1, 2012 at 11:42 pm

please bring it back i love the show and would like to know who is going to be the dad of earl jr. i cant say it enough i love and miss the heck out of the show

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Jonathan McGirr January 8, 2012 at 7:32 pm

I would love to see more earl i just got into it this year from all the reruns and i would love to know how the list ends or if earl ever gets to finish it before something else happens.

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Anonymous January 13, 2012 at 7:02 pm

Oh snap..I love My Name is Earl!! I really would like to know Joy story on who the Daddy is , it def left us on our seats with an “Oh snap” ending!!

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kathy January 19, 2012 at 11:17 am

We’re from Belgium and just recently discovered My name is Earl on DVD at the library. Our family have become addicts from the first episode. Thinking there MUST be a fifth series, I went to the library today. There isn’t, though. To find out on the internet that there is no more Earl is such a bummer. For once there is a series that is fun, that you can watch with the whole family, that has crazy stuff but also pretty thoughtful things. Good actors, never predictable, just…perfect.
And they closed the books because of money. Whomever decided this is completely nuts.
Right, back to my stove and my cold turkey now…
K

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jesse January 22, 2012 at 5:09 pm

i really love my name is earl and im 12 years old my sisters do to i really hope they uncancle it

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michael January 29, 2012 at 1:25 pm

come on ..yeah I need to bring back my name is earl is 1 of the best series with out there

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dalton February 6, 2012 at 11:09 am

earl was awesome! we whatched it from the begging until they moved it from its regular channel and didnt tell anyone, I just realized they made 2 more series, they will make another if all the fans fight to bring it back.

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Ryan February 8, 2012 at 10:56 pm

Earl must come back! It was all i had for 2 months while off work for an injury. I watched every last episode in order from start to finish in just 2 months and when it came to the last episode i was crushed to find out it was cancelled. (i know i need a life, but this show is…. was great and always managed to keep me on the hook wondering what would happen next) Its not just me but everyone i know that wants to see more. Any network would be lucky to pick up a show that was left with an episode like that to work with going into a new season.

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