Rachel Brosnahan As Abby Isaacs In Season Two, Episode Two: Fatherland (via WGN America)
Although creator Sam Shaw already had a third season planned, WGN America cancelled the Manhattan TV series, after its second season. Perhaps seeing the writing on the wall, back in November, Shaw said he crafted season two of Manhattan, with an eye toward some resolution, in case of cancellation.
Upon cancelling the historical drama which starred John Benjamin Hickey and Olivia Williams, WGN America President Matt Cherniss issued a statement citing the usual culprit — low ratings. Still feeling the sting of the end of the critically-acclaimed Manhattan, Cherniss has now offered more insight into the decision he tried to avoid.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Cherniss said he did everything he could to give Manhattan some momentum in the ratings and build up an audience. Among the steps he took were moving the show to the fall, when more viewers are watching, and moving it from Sunday nights to a less competitive spot. He even tweaked the ad campaign. In the end, it just was not enough.
“As we got to mid-season of season two, reality for me had started to set in that it was going to be very difficult to bring the show back for a third season,” Cherniss says, acknowledging at that point it simply didn’t “make economic sense” to move forward. He knows it would be easy to chalk up the paltry turnout to the stresses of “peak TV,” but he has watched as WGN’s other originals delivered considerably more viewers: Witch drama Salem drew 770,000 viewers in its second season, while new entry Outsiders shattered network records with 3.9 million watching its Jan. 26 premiere. […]
“When you’re starting a network and building a brand, you’re looking for reasons to pick up a show, not the opposite,” he adds. “But at some point, you have to see some momentum.”
Were you a fan of the Manhattan TV show? Do you think WGN America was right to cancel it after season two, or should it have been renewed for a third season? Do you feel like you got some closure in Manhattan‘s second season i.e. series finale? Sound off, in the comments.
I was so sorry to see the this show cancelled. I have just written a book about the Manhattan Project in Hanford, Washington. My Aunt was their during the war years 1943-1945 and left her memoirs and had asked me to publish them. She worked for DuPont and had been trained to operate the PBX phone systems. She set up the system for the entire Manhattan Project in Hanford, WA. Such a big secret for everyone to keep and they did… I was so looking forward to at least season 3.
Would so much like to read your book! Is it published & what is the title!
Thank you. The name of the book is “Keep your Ducks In A Row!” She left her journal’s and notes It is about her job and her living in the barracks, eating in the mess halls, setting up the system, etc. It is available on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Apple ITunes, Google Play and Kobo. I was around 9 or 10 when she returned home in 1945.
What a shame to cancel this epic series. Excellent attention to detail and true history. And to think this was true reality vs the junk on TV today. Please bring this back somewhere. .. Nexflix? ??
Then at least finish the series off with a, say, three-episode mini series. After two years, I believe we all deserve to see the proper ending of the story of those people.
This show ia INCREDIBLE: intelligent writing & gifted actors.PUHLEEZE Netflix pick this up.
Remember Mad Men? This show deserves another season!!!!
Very disappointed that this show was canceled. Please get Hulu to pick it up.
Amazon or Netflix needs to pick it up. Loved the show.
Great show please try to get another network to pick it up it was one of the best shows ever on tv…and I’ve been watching tv since 1950. ….
Maaaaaan! People watch the dumbest shows and allow them to continue. This one was pure gold! Way to go America… We’ll keep watching zombie shows and spin-offs of zombie shows, but ones that portray pivotal points in our history. Oh no, we’ll let those dies off. 🙁
This was my favorite show. Loved the history. The actors are amazing and the writing was so good! Daniel London’s portrayal of Oppenheimer prompted me to read the biography, American Prometheus.
Very sad to see this one go away.
Loved the show, had watched every episode right from the start. I was very disappointed to see it cancelled after only two seasons. You could sense the storyline was ‘hurried up’ in the second season, as though the writers had a hunch there might not be a third season. Even so, the war was not over at the end of the second season, and so much history was left to tell about the atomic bomb and how it shaped the postwar years. With so much history, the show could have easily gone on for several seasons. Really a shame it… Read more »
We just finished the second season of Manhattan and really loved it. It’s so frustrating when these great shows can’t continue because of low viewership. I was pretty disappointed there wasn’t more seasons.
I’m going to miss Manhattan as well. I value my viewing time and I choose to watch those shows that have some redeeming value. I enjoyed the history, the science, the characters and cinematography very much. I too keeping hoping that another network might pick up season 3.
By the way – I also was a big fan of Rubicon.
Manhattan was good drama ,although the second season ending confused me a little think goodness for DVR I was looking forward to the 3rd season .WGN put on three excellent shows that are or was “do not miss” The Outsiders and Underground has me two nights a week .Good casting for the most part and all the shows feel like real TV. Thank you.
Best really historic show on TV. It was a superb history lesson for those of us who weren’t born yet at that time in America’s past.
Loved the show, however my cable company dropped WGN midway through the season, which may help explain why the ratings were down. Never got to see the second half of season 2.