Partners: FX Comedy Likely to Be Cancelled

In the past, Kelsey Grammer and Martin Lawrence have both had successful sitcoms that ran for many years. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the duo’s new FX sitcom, Partners, has much of a future. It’s very likely to be cancelled.

On Partners, a snobby lawyer (Grammer) and an overly ethics-driven lawyer (Lawrence) become partners and end up helping each other get their lives in order. The rest of the cast includes McKaley Miller, Telma Hopkins, Danièle Watts, Rory O’Malley, and Edi Patterson.

As you may recall, FX made a 10/90 deal for Partners with Lionsgate TV and Debmar-Mercury. If the sitcom’s first 10 episodes reached a certain ratings threshold then the cable channel was obligated to order 90 episodes for season two — assuring the studios would have enough episodes for a (potentially very lucrative) syndication package.

Charlie Sheen’s sitcom, Anger Management, has a similar deal and this week, the 67th and 68th episodes of that sitcom’s 90 installment second season aired. George Lopez’s Saint George comedy also had a 10/90 deal but drew poor ratings and it was cancelled.

Deadline reports that it’s highly unlikely for Partners to go past a single season and it’s easy to see why. The ratings have been absolutely dismal. This week’s pair of episodes averaged a 0.12 rating in the demo and a mere 415,000 viewers — far lower than Saint George ever dipped.

Supposedly, FX hasn’t reached a decision yet but, unless there’s some sort of miraculous turnaround, it seems like Partners is already doomed to be cancelled.

What do you think? Do you like Partners? Do you think it should be cancelled or renewed for a super-sized second season?