It looks like the story of the Sutton clan has come to an end. ABC Family has quietly decided to cancel Lincoln Heights after four seasons.
Lincoln Heights tells the story of Officer Eddie Sutton (Russell Hornsby) who moves his family back to his old neighborhood. Other castmembers include Erica Hubbard, Nikki Micheaux, Rhyon Brown, Mishon Ratliff, Robert Adamson, and Michael Reilly Burke.
The TV show debuted on January 8, 2007 and the first season was successful enough to warrant a renewal by March. At that point, it was one of the cable channel’s higher performers in the key demographics.
While announcing that the second season would kick off in September 2007, ABC Family President Paul Lee said, “We really think we have something unique here… The fact that it’s an African American family drama alone separates it from the crowd, but its terrific cast and superb writing also make it truly special and perfect for ABC Family.”
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Following season two, it took several months for ABC Family to decide to bring Lincoln Heights back for a third round. They finally did and that kicked off in September 2008. The audience grew and the show became the cable channel’s top performer among Females 12-34 and Female teens. It didn’t take as long to renew the series for year four.
Season four kicked off in September 2009. It ended up being one of the channel’s weaker programs of 2009, being outperformed by other ABC Family shows, including cancelled Kyle XY.
No specific reason was given for the Lincoln Heights cancellation. However, though it’s been favored by some critics, the series has never been a big hit for the cable channel and has only been given 10 episode renewals each season.
What do you think? Are you upset or surprised that the series has been cancelled? Do you think the last episode of Lincoln Heights is a worthwhile series finale?
Image courtesy ABC Family.
My husband I sit down to watch this show every week we love this show and are very MAD and SAD that abc has decided to cancel this show!Im with Jamelia I hope they reconsider!
i’m very upset, disappointed, and saddened by the cancellation, yet hopeful that maybe the show will get picked up by another network that appreciates it for what it is and sees it’s potential.
I am soooo disappointed that the show was cancelled. I watched it faithfully each week. My husband even started watching it with me and he doesn’t get into tv shows much. He was even disappointed when he had to be deployed and was missing the show. I started recording them and sending them to him. This is such a disappointment. Just like they brought Trauma back on NBC they need to bring Lincoln Heights and Wildfire back to ABC!!!
I am in my late late thirties and I loved Lincoln Heights… This was the best show that I have seen in a long time. I loved how positive the show was.. it showed a loving father and mother with a beautiful relationship who loved their children and their neighbors. I loved the interacial relationship with Cassie and Charles it showed how love can conquer all! This was truly a gem and I am still finding it hard to believe that LH will not be back for season 5… I am truly heartbroken and disgusted with ABCFamily’s decision to cancel… Read more »
I was really heart broken that Lincoln Heights was cancelled.I started watching the show at the begining of season3 and fell in love with it.I caught up with all the episodes online.I started other fanily member watching the show,this show will truly be missed by many.this is the only show that i made sure i watch every time it came on.hoping and praying that TV1 or some other network will complete take over and have new episodes.Best black show that was on tv.Shame it was cancelled SHAME.TV1 is doing a great job promoting the show.
I’m alittle sad…I caught the show in its reruns.This is a great family show.We need to see more shows like this one,not just because it is centered around a black family and its community,but it centered around the family….Sometimes the exec’s should look pass ratings and see cultural needs….LINCOLN HEIGHTS IS A CULTURAL NEED. Todays kids need to see real family life on t.v. not the baffoonary they put on now ( in the name of ratings)and call it famliy television.Again this is a real need. ABC FAMILY I’m asking as an AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE and single parent that you reconsider… Read more »
How they cancel the show leaving the people that did watch the show with so many unanswered questions! Are you kiddin!? My daughter started me watching the show. Didn’t want to miss an episode. Now the decide to cancel. Can’t they just switch it to another station!?
I’M EXTREMELY UPSET AND CONFUSED ABOUT THE DECISION OF CANCELLING LINCOLN HEIGHTS. THE SHOW IS REALLY GOOD AND THERE IS NO OTHER SHOW ON AIR THAT IS BETTER. I REALLY HOPE ABC FAMILY NETWORK RECONSIDER THERE DECISION.
Very disappointing that “Lincoln Heights” was cancelled. The cast and the writing – a perfect marriage! What’s wrong with you network clowns dropping such a quality show? Since it has aired on TVOne, I haven’t missed a single episode. I didn’t know what I was missing before the weeknight runs in 2010. I even read that there’s no “official” finale. Although I wish there wasn’t a need for a finale in the first place, I do wish you would honor “Lincoln Heights” with at least a 2-hour finale. Or even better, you could consider continuing the show.
I am disappointed that this show has been canceled. “Lincoln Heights” was a “family show” with edge–realistic characters and situations without resorting to tidy happy endings or stereotypical exaggerations. The acting was top-notch and the show was refreshing. In the era of “CelebReality” being all the rage, here was a scripted drama that didn’t involve a hospital or a forensics lab; that showed a loving, intact black family that were relatable across all ethnic lines; kids that acted like real kids; and featured a sweet teen interracial romance. I was happy when ABC Family premiered this show (even though in… Read more »
I am 46 years old and I must say that this is one of the best shows that I have seen in a while. I feel that we should either petition ABC Family to renew the show or petition TV1 or TNT to get the show and produce new episodes. Everyday, I and my entire family can’t wait to get home, to what the show. My teenagers are excited about the show also. They have their friends watching the show. I don’t understand the executives at ABC Family because so many people are screaming for them to bring Lincoln Heights… Read more »
I loved this show. i was one of the very few to give it a chance before it ever aired. I stayed with it for as long as i could then i just couldn’t afford cable anymore, but now i just recently got internet back on and i was going to start watching it again online then i learned this news. ABC Family, TNT, BET, ANY NETWORK…. PLEASE CONSIDER PICKING UP THIS HIGHLY DISTINGUISHED AND PRESTIGEOUS TELEVISION SHOW? SHOWS OF THIS GREATNESS DO NOT EXIST ANYMORE, PLEASE CONSIDER PICKING IT UP, OR BACK UP!!!!
My youth group at church urged me to start watching this show. They told me how positive it is and how real – to life it is. Once I started watching, I am HOOKED. I can’t believe they are taking it off the air. TV1 has been running all the episodes and now a lot of other people are watching. Is it possible it will return? I can’t stand that we won’t see the next episode. How can they leave us hanging like that?
It is very disheartening that a show of this caliber will no longer be aired. As an African-American woman, mother, and professional, I found Lincoln Heights to be exceptionally refreshing. For once the black family was being depicted from all realistic views, not just from the normal stereotypical personification that emerges from Hollywood. This show also embraced the struggles of ALL families, regardless of race, class, or socio-economic backgrounds. It is a shame that ABC will not keep the series for another season. I am especially sad because I only recently found the show and instantly became a fan of… Read more »
I have read allot of the comments about this show, this show was promoted by JET Magazine; I have watched the show from day 1. I’m really sad that this show is being cancelled, it was a wonderful show and the only positive show with a black cast. I’m going to be honest about the black community; we do not stand by our black TV shows. I tried to get so many people to watch this show, I also told people that this was a great show and it shows the other side of the black community. But, allot of… Read more »