After being ping-ponged around the ABC schedule for two years, the network has cancelled the series about Marin (Anne Heche) and the residents of Elmo, Alaska. In retrospect, the writing’s been on the wall for awhile.
When Men in Trees premiered in the fall of 2006, it attracted a respectable number of viewers. Unfortunately, the show never seemed to be a priority for the network — possibly because it’s not produced by ABC’s in-house production company. Though its viewership was slowly growing, the TV show’s first season was cut short due to ABC’s scheduling of October Road (which is produced by ABC Studios). Instead of airing all 22 episodes, the network opted to air just 17 and added the remaining five episodes to the series’ season two order, in preparation for a possible writers strike.
When the writers strike hit in November 2007, it was expected that Men in Trees would benefit from the lack of original scripted programming on network television. That never seemed to happen and the series was put on hiatus in December. It returned once the strike was over in February and ABC cut Men in Trees’ second season order to 19 episodes, including the five from season one.
There series is on hiatus once again and isn’t scheduled to return until after the May sweeps period is finished — a sure sign that a network has lost faith in a series. ABC sent tapes of both Men in Trees and October Road to Lifetime to see if they’d be interested in taking on either series. They weren’t.
To little surprise, series creator Jenny Bicks was informed of the Men in Trees cancellation last week. She lamented to TV Guide, “I wish the show had not been moved six times and put onto two long hiatuses. No show could survive that.”
She says, “I am really proud of the work we did on MIT… A huge thank you to our supportive fans.”
On the positive side, Bicks realized that the series might not be back for season three and the cast and crew did some extra filming. As a result, an alternative ending for this season’s finale was filmed to serve as a series finale.
Men in Trees is scheduled to return to ABC on May 28th. If the network lets it remain in that Wednesday night timeslot for three episodes, the series finale should air on June 11, 2008. Based on the network’s track record with this show, it’s hard to say if that will actually happen. Stay tuned!
PLEASE BRING BACK THE SHOW! I LOVED IT!!!! =) and Have some faith that it will build an audience and keep it in one time slot please… PLEASE!!!!!
This is the second show that was just cancelled without warning…that I was in love with..The other one was Winfall on NBC.. that one ended with no end… This one MIT ended without warning but a last episode that I didn’t get to see, so now I can’t see how it turned out.. What is wrong with the broadcasting of today, when you hit a home run with a feel good show for all, then you replace it with… I don’t even know what you replaced it with, so it must not be very good, that’s bad advertising..:( I was… Read more »
Hi ! I live in Portugal, I see the show and love it! I want the show come back pleassssseeeee! Reconsider ABC!
Both my wife and I loved to watch Men in Trees (whenever we could figure out which night it was moved to). We will miss your show a lot. It was one of only two shows we made sure to make time for. The cast was wonderful and we will miss them. I’m sorry ABC took the tact it did, moving the show from night to night and time slot to time slot… to say nothing of the times it (ABC) decided to just take it off the air for a while. The last time I got into a TV… Read more »
I guess if you don’t need to identify with other disfunctional families…ie. Supernanny or Wife Swap…and just want to watch a feel good show with beautiful scenery and hot guys….ABC is not the network for you!!! I am sick of this network changing times and days or cancelling shows before they have a chance because they aren’t produced by their own production company…or waiting nearly a year to air the next episode?? Grey’s and Lost are all I am holding on to…and Lost is nearly gone. I used to watch Grey’s, Men in Trees, October Road, Women’s Murder Club, Lost… Read more »
I was so hoping to get MIT back this fall. All of my friends and I just loved this show. It was such a feel good show. I really wish ABC would reconsider.
We’ll miss you Marin, Jack, Cash, etc.
From another half of the globe, we liked the show here too! There will be even more pissed viewers when the show that just seemed to start here, is going off already! Better make that season 3!
ABC Messed up big time on this episode. This show was a huge hit in my area and caused a lot of discussion at work. We were huge fans of this show. I have no doubt that this show would have been a huge hit. It was due to shabby managment from ABC that caused it’s failure. This was the only show that I watched on ABC. Now that it’s not coming back to ABC neither am I. I just don’t understand why lifetime chose to not take it. Lifetime, YOUR LOSS! Unfortunately, this is a huge loss to all… Read more »
I think you took a good, honest show off the air. There are too many reality shows and shows that make absolutely no sense. This was a show about life…and now it’s gone. I guess we’ll have to watch another reality show? Not me. If it were not for Grey’s Anatomy, I would turn ABC off.
Too bad they pulled Men In Trees. a show in Alaska would certainly have quite and audience now
Looked forward to MIT after Grey’s on Thursday nights, now, who knows whats on and who really cares. MIT’s was a wonderful show with lots of talant. too bad you can’t see that it brought humor to all that watched. Just keep with the drap and disfunctional shows that are on. boy they really SUCK…
To all the cast of MITm you will be missed by all..sorry they didn’t give you a chance..you had potential!
Men is Trees was one of the greatest series ever aired. The acting was superb. What in the world is wrong with ABC–tossing it from one time slot to another? I wish it would come back –it was the highligt of my week and I am 79 years old!!!!!
BRING “MEN IN TREES” BACK!!!!!!!!!
bring back men in trees this was a really fantastic show give it a real time slot , bring it back, bring it back,
Hey ABC. You guys are absolute idiots. You have now become famous for canceling shows mid-season or at the end of a season and not saying anything. But that’s okay — we still have stimulating TV like Tori & Dean, I Survived a Japanese Game show, and Wipeout which is a knock off of Spke’s MXC. That’s also okay because I’m sure that some celebrity wannabee will come along and ask you to put them on the air (Dina Lohan, Denise Richards, Pam Anderson). Now that’s quality TV. And we also have all of those crime scene shows which just… Read more »
Very big disappointment, the cancellation of MIT, it really was a great show with a great story line and a great cast. It could still grow, someone, PLEASE put it back on TV, ANY network, we ALL will follow!