NOTE: Additional TV shows have been cancelled since this posting. For the most recent list, go here.
Has your favorite TV show been cancelled? Here’s a list of television series that won’t be back for the 2011–2012 TV season. If your favorite is on the list, you have our condolences.
This list encompasses shows that have been cancelled so far, covering those that get the ax between June 1, 2010 and May 31, 2011. In some cases, the last episode of a show aired months earlier but the network didn’t get around to canceling the series until later. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, try the 2008–2009 page, the 2009–2010 listings, or maybe you’ve gotten lucky!
Now, let’s bow our heads and remember these fallen series…
18 to Life (The CW)
A comedic series, about a pair of teens who get married on a dare, didn’t register with US viewers. It’s already been renewed in Canada for a second season. Though the series was confirmed as cancelled in the US, producers have been told that the remaining season one episodes will be run in December and the network might be interested in season two.
100 Questions (NBC)
This sitcom went through a lot of changes before it got to the small screen and was postponed until after the regular season. The ratings were terrible so it was cancelled after six episodes. The last one aired on July 1, 2010. We never saw Charlotte Payne find her match.
As the World Turns (CBS)
This venerable soap opera was incredibly popular in its day but has been struggling for years now. After 54 years on the air, viewers have had to say goodbye to the residents of Oakdale. The last episode aired on September 17, 2010.
At the Movies (syndicated)
Movie critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert began this TV show in 1986 under the title Siskel & Ebert & the Movies. The title changed several times over the years. Siskel died in 1999 and Ebert had to step away during his battle with throat cancer in 2006. Other hosts replaced them but couldn’t recapture the magic of the original sparring critics. It was cancelled and the last episode aired on August 14, 2010. Ebert later announced that he and his wife had plans for their own version of the series.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold (Cartoon Network)
This animated series teams the caped crusader with lesser-known heroes and often pays homage to the Adam West TV show from the 1960s. It lasted for two seasons before being cancelled.
Big Love (HBO)
The series about a Utah man and his wives comes to a close after five seasons on the air. The last season of episodes will begin airing on Sunday, January 16, 2011.
Breakthrough with Tony Robbins (NBC)
A feel-good show in which motivational speaker Tony Robbins works with troubled families on a personal level didn’t connect with viewers. NBC cancelled the summer series after two episodes. The remaining four installments were released online.
The Bridge (CBS)
This is a Canadian TV show that follows a cop who’s elected to head the police union. While it’s popular enough in Canada to be renewed for a second season, CBS buried it on Saturday nights and, not surprisingly, it didn’t find an audience in the US. CBS cancelled it after three episodes but CTV will air season two.
Caprica (Syfy)
The Battlestar Galactica prequel didn’t bring many viewers so it was cancelled after one season. The final five episodes will air in a marathon on January 4, 2011. On the positive side, another prequel is in the works and will be more similar in tone to BSG.
Dark Blue (TNT)
A cop drama, which stars Dylan McDermott as the leader of an undercover unit, wasn’t much of a success in season one but the cable channel still renewed it. The ratings got lower in season two so TNT cancelled it. The last two episodes aired on September 15, 2010.
Entourage (HBO)
A comedy-drama that follows the acting career of Vincent Chase and his boyhood friends from Queens, NY. The pay-for-view cable channel has announced that season eight will be the TV show’s last. The final batch of episodes are expected to air in Summer 2011.
Friday Night Lights (DirecTV’s Channel 101, NBC)
Centered around high school football in Dillon, Texas, it’s been announced that the critically-acclaimed (but ratings-challenged) television series is ending after five seasons on the air.
The Gates (ABC)
The summer serial revolves around a gated community that’s populated by people with supernatural secrets. Though vampires and magic are very popular with viewers, this one didn’t catch on. It won’t be back for a second season.
Gravity (Starz)
A comedic and dramatic look at an out-patient program for suicide survivors, this television program never found a large audience. It was cancelled after 10 episodes with the last one airing on June 25, 2010.
Hannah Montana (Disney Channel)
Miley Cyrus has decided to call it quits and move on after four seasons. The final episodes are expected to air by Spring 2011.
Huge (ABC Family)
Nikki Blonsky stars in this drama about a summer weight-loss camp called Camp Victory. The series didn’t get enough viewers for the cable channel so it was dropped after just 10 episodes. The “series finale” ran on August 30, 2010.
JONAS LA (Disney Channel)
The trio of Jonas brothers may still be popular with the pre-teens but their TV show never caught on. It began as JONAS with the boys attending school on the East coast. The moved west and the show’s title changed but the ratings didn’t get better. No season three.
Larry King Live (CNN)
In June 2010, venerable interviewer Larry King announced that he would be leaving the grind of hosting his own nightly show after more than 25 years. His program will be replaced by one hosted by British television personality and journalist Piers Morgan.
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (USA)
Vincent D’Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe return for this venerable crime drama’s final season of eight episodes. They will air in 2011.
Lone Star (FOX)
The critics and some viewers loved it but Lone Star never found an audience. Revolving around a con man who has a conscience, FOX pulled it after two nights of disastrously bad ratings. There are four episodes left unaired.
Medium (CBS)
The network saved the show when NBC cancelled it after five seasons. It performed decently on Friday nights last season but, this year, the ratings have taken a serious hit. CBS cut the season order to 13 installments and that will be the end of it.
My Boys (TBS)
Revolving around a female sports writer in Chicago, this sitcom ran for 49 episodes and four seasons. TBS cancelled it so we’ll likely never find out how the story of PJ and her friends comes to a close.
My Generation (ABC)
A new drama that follows a group of high school students some 10 years after they graduated. The series stumbled out of the gate and ABC pulled it after two episodes had aired. The remaining six have been released online.
No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency (HBO)
Produced in conjunction with the BBC, this series follows a small detective agency in Botswana, run by Mma Ramotswe. The show is finished as a TV series after seven installments but may return as a pair of movies.
Outlaw (NBC)
Jimmy Smits has had some good luck and some bad luck on TV. Unfortunately, this drama about a former Supreme Court Justice was ignored by most viewers. NBC cancelled it after four episodes had aired. The remaining four installments were shifted to Saturday nights.
The Oprah Winfrey Show (syndicated)
The queen of daytime talk is stepping down and will launch new programming on the new OWN cable channel in Fall 2011. The final episode of Winfrey’s syndicated show will air on September 9, 2011
Party Down (Starz)
Following a group of aspiring writers, actors and misfits as they work as a catering team, this series ran for two seasons and 20 episodes. The last episode, which was hardly watched, ran on June 25, 2010.
Persons Unknown (NBC)
A group of strangers find themselves trapped in small town and are under constant scrutiny of security cameras. The show tanked in the ratings on Monday nights and was shuffled off to Saturdays, the TV graveyard. NBC promoted it as a self-contained series but plenty of things were left unresolved by the end. The finale aired on August 28, 2010.
Rubicon (AMC)
A conspiracy thriller that takes place in a government intelligence agency was highly praised but not highly watched. The 13th and final episode aired on October 17th.
Secret Diary of a Call Girl (Showtime)
Star and executive producer Billie Piper signed a deal for the fourth and final season of this UK series. They’ll begin airing on ITV2 in late January 2011. There’s no word yet on when they’ll run in the US.
Smallville (The CW)
After 10 seasons, it looks like Clark Kent will finally become Superman. Will we get to see the man of steel slip on the familiar blue and red tights before the end? We’ll have to wait and see.
Undercovers (NBC)
An action-comedy series that revolves around a husband and wife spy duo never really got off the ground. The peacock network has decided against ordering anymore episodes, effectively cancelling the TV show.
The Whole Truth (ABC)
This legal series starring Rob Morrow and Maura Tierney had lousy premiere numbers and the ratings seemed to sink lower every week. It’s not known if the network will get around to airing all of the episodes.
What do you think? Are there any shows on this list that you’ll particularly miss?
am in africa kenya….n av been having fun watching series n great programs until the cable people decided we shid get to know what our celebs do everyday…who gves a ****….all i wnt is to wtch samwans genius of coming up wth a greatly scripted program instead of this reality crap….i wanna wtch t.v to escape real lyf………
I hate that the best new shows don’t seem to “find an audience” soon enough for the network. There’s too much on tv as it is, give it time. Jimmy Smits was great in Outlaw, as well as the rest of his cast, it should be renewed. The Whole Truth was an awesome idea, and my mom and I loved to go back and forth between commercials about what we thought the ending would be. The stars were perfect with great chemistry between Maura and Rob. I loved My Boys and wish it was back. I liked Persons Unknown and… Read more »
I love my super natural boys!
i will miss the gate i love that show
OK, I just have to put my two cents IN. They never count the that people watch most of the show on demand but they will not record every liked show. Hence the show gets cut due to it can not be watched when people really do have the time to watch. I also can not find show on line that I like to watch either. SO PRODUCERS< DIRECTORS or just plan CEO's OF SHOWS YOU ARE NOT COUNTING YOUR DOLLARS TO MAKE the modeRN WAY OF today technologies. Guru's have made commercials uncuttable no where you watch the show… Read more »
I LOVED MEDIUM SO DID MY SISTER,DAUGHTER AND GRANDAUGHTER
I WILL MISS GHOST WHISPER ALSO. I AM SO SICK OF ALL THE SO CALLED REALITY SHOWS
Though not on this list, the show Terriers was one of my favorites of last year that was cancelled after only 13 episodes. FX has other good shows but this was definitely worth watching.
I belive the biggest mistake NBC ever did was it,s canselation of the origonal Law and Order . I do admitt I like Law and Order LA but ive heard thats about to be droped maybe thats why I find myself wathching TNT and USAand reruns of Law and Order, because the 3 networks dont give shows the chance to find there leggs and the shows that are popular like CSI MIAMI are moved around.Other shows that were mistankingly droped were COLD CASE, WITHOUT A TRACE, and THE WOMANS MURDER CLUB maybe if they bring back these shows they could… Read more »
really liked Undercovers. Network should have given it more of a chance. NBC had a lot of stinkers that should have gone first.
I would take Persons Unknown off this list.. I do think or at least i have heard through the grapevine that they got such an over wellming response for this show that season two is being thought about.. I hope so .. this show was what they call a “sleeper” show.. People didn’t relize how amazeingly great it was untill it hit dvd.. A lot like the show Jericho remember that show? the ending to this show left alot to be desired.. I want to know what level 2 is all about and how Joe and the ex hubby will… Read more »
I really like The Event, Undercovers, and The Whole Truth. There’s a lot of crappy stuff on TV right now; everything is a game show or a sexual reference laced -the-audience-must-be-stupid show! Good shows with great actors and decent plots will work if you give them a chance. Furthermore, the mid-season interruptions don’t help. The Event was similar to Lost in it’s execution, but has not received half the promotion or studio support. it would help too to stop jumping shows around on the time schedule. The great thing about DVR capabilities is that when any of my favorite shows… Read more »
dark blue was a good show im sorry to see it go
It appears that two episodes of Undercovers will likely go unaired. Two of the last four were run over the Christmas holidays and there doesn’t appear to be any more scheduled. Although there’s still a possiblity that they’ll be burned off in a single night over the summer.
I’m serious bigtime unless your a teen,then put your reality show crap on just one f****** network, and quit creating more garbage, because every single year you keep coming out with this s*** on more, and more cable channels then ever before! That is just played out period! I remember when TLC was actually a great educational channel, when it had an interesting format, but now you got Palin, Kate and her football team pretty much; nobody wants to know what goes on Alaska, or hear a women b******* about anything! If a person really truly wants to hear that… Read more »
I totally agree with what Chris has been saying. There is nothing REAL in reality TV. It plays on peoples lack of intelligence. It all should be put on a dedicated network and leave the rest of the networks for television programming that gives you something to think about, laugh at and learn from.
I’m dissappointed that Big Love Entourage, and Law & Order Criminal Intent are all getting the AXE! What a f****** huge joke! Put the s***** Big Brother, American Idol, all the f****** Reality shows on the list from cable to regular tv on that list! Who gives a squirt of s*** about that wasted garbage period! Take a f****** huge hint cable, and TV network executives! ENOUGH WITH THIS CRAP ALREADY!!!!!!!