The 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.
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?
Image courtesy 20th Century Fox.


I love this show the person that took it off the air is an idiot
oh yeah and thanks NBC for giving us such gems as Minute to Win it, shows that do not require you to have a brain to watch. At least Earl was clever. I miss Conan.
Why does NBC do this kind of crap. Like adam sandler said on one of Conans last shows. NBC, nothin but *****
the show didnt even jump the shark yet? I can only hope that it continues on some network it is to good to lego!!
Please put it back on best show in the world
My name is Earl is the best show out there it better come back for another season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me and my dad love watching it.Iwant to know who earl jr. ‘s dad is very bad.Now i really want to know because stupid fox dropped my other favorite 24!!!
I HATE NBC.
I love the show,and would like to see more but at the very least give the show some closure. 13 More episodes would be great!!! Please bring earl back.
Season 5 needs to happen…..i am going crazy trying to think of who earl jr.’s dad is
nWTF!!!!!! Just finished the season 4. if I knew it was gonna end like this, i wouldnt start watching it in first place. canceling the show at the most interesting place, I’m so ****** curious who’s Earl juniors’ DAD
I LOVE! MY NAME IS EARL I WAS SO SAD WHEN MY MOM TOLD ME IT WAS CANSOLED I’M ONLY 10 BUT THE BUST SHOW IS THE BEST FOR EVERY ONE. PS I think earls JR.’s dad is that foren dude that earl tought engleish to
Hey, Thats a really nice guess
Just finished watching my name is earl season 4 aswell. Seems a shame to not find out who the dad is, and there is easily enough more laughs to come from My name is earl,
fingers crossed for a season 5
nooo! Why, I wanna see My name is Earl dammit!
i agree with Brett, i would also really love Earl to come back on tv. its an awesome show, and i bet it would get a lot of viewers too.
This is like a bad nightmare, i just watched the end of the season 4 “dodge’s dad” it put me on the edge of my seat and then just went off like that. I thought there would be another episode for sure until i read that. I dont care what it takes. Earl needs to stay on tv. I mean there is so many stupid shows out there it could easily replace if the network would just give it a shot. There is no point in taking Earl off for a dumb reason expressed in the above article. It would… Read more »