Another casualty of the networks’ efforts to trim their expenses is the sophomore sitcom, Samantha Who?.
The ABC sitcom revolves around a nasty young woman (Christina Applegate) who is hit by a car. When she awakens from a coma, she’s developed amnesia and has even forgotten her terse personality. Samantha Who? also features the talents of Jennifer Esposito, Kevin Dunn, Melissa McCarthy, Tim Russ, Barry Watson, and Jean Smart.
Samantha debuted on October 15, 2007 and was given the plum position of following ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. With that lead-in, the first season averaged 11.8 million viewers. However, though the show’s ratings looked good on paper, the sitcom consistently lost a significant portion of Dancing’s large audience. Looking beyond that, ABC renewed Samantha for a second season.
For the start of its sophomore year, ABC once more gave the sitcom a cushy post-Dancing timeslot. Episodes averaged 10.76 million viewers. Once Dancing finished, the sitcom’s audience fell to 6.75 million.
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Then, the network moved Samantha to Thursday nights and things really fell apart. Without the benefit of a strong lead-in, Applegate and company attracted just 5.24 million viewers. Due to the poor numbers, ABC ended up pulling Samantha and In the Motherhood two weeks early.
Despite the faltering ratings, there have been ongoing discussions about keeping the show going for another season; likely because the show is co-produced by ABC’s in-house production company and because they still have seven unaired episodes.
Producers were asked to find a way to cut $500,000 in expenses from each episode. One possibility that was looked at was changing Samantha to a traditional multi-camera comedy, a format that takes less time and money to produce.
Things were looking good going into the weekend but ultimately it wasn’t possible to shave enough money from Samantha’s budget. ABC also has lots of new comedies in the making so finding a place for it on the schedule also became an issue. As a result, ABC has opted to cancel the series.
It was previously announced that Samantha reruns would begin airing on Friday, June 5th. Now that the show’s been cancelled, it’s presumed that the unaired episodes will run on Friday nights as well.
Image courtesy ABC.
I agree with all the posts above. I never watched Dancing, and fell in love with this show because it was strong enough on it’s own. The only thing I wished was that it was 1 hour long instead of 1/2 hour. The fact that it hit right around the same time as the writer’s strike, that Christina Applegate was diagnosed with breast cancer, and never had a chance to recover from all that really shouldn’t be taken out on the show. Someone said it already, but I believe they’re right when they said they believed the show not having… Read more »
What a mistake! This comedy is snappy, smart, and very entertaining. I agree that trying to find its latest time slot is like a treasure hunt. ABC keeps hiding their best show. No wonder cable is finding more and more converts. I am sorry that this quality show is being sacrificed for mindless, boring, copy-cat programing. Such a waste of excellent talent – from the writing and production to the acting. On the plus side, I am grateful to ABC that someone (thank you!) saw the potential in this show and gave us the episodes we do have.
Bring back Samantha Who and put it in a stable time slot. People were just starting to find it when you decided to take it off the air. ABC doesn’t know a good thing when they have it.
Please, I really enjoyed the humor of this show, I like the other milon viewers have been searching for it when it disapered. Probably why ratings droped off no one knows when it is on. Another thing if you do cancel please sum up the story line and give us a conclusion. ABC is the worst about starting a show and bam it is gone after I invested hours into it and I am left not knowing what happened,
ABC you guys need a clue! I can’t believe you are going to cancel a really good show!!! I am so disppointed that this show wasn’t given a chance – I think you should reconsider and cancel some other shows on ABC that aren’t so great – like some reality tv series or something.
I watch Samantha Who in the UK and love love this show – one of the funniest new comedies in a long while and i’m very disappointed to hear that the show has been cancelled meaning no Season 3!! We’re still watiing for the episodes beyond ep 13 in series 2 to be shown in the UK and its very fustrating!
ABC please reconsider!
This was one of the few great shows left on television. I am disgusted that ABC has canceled it. I love Christina Applegate and the rest of the cast was fantastic too.
It’s a shame that television is clogged and wasted with such tasteless reality shows with no real talent. When a real great show comes along with a real storyline, acting, and great talent, it has to be pushed aside. It’s sad.
Please bring back this great show. If not, I won’t be watching ABC anymore.
One of my favorites!!!!! Please bring back and get rid of Wipe Out.
Very surprising news! Loved the story line, funny dialogue and the cast. They did have great chemistry. Christina Applegate was perfect as Samantha.
I agree that it might have had a better chance if it hadn’t been moved around so much. Iam very disappointed in ABC.
Really? You are canceling one of the best sitcoms on TV now? Seriously, you really need to give the show a chance. I find it hilarious. Christina is a fabulous actress and can always make me laugh.
PLEASE CHANGE YOUR MIND.
This is my favorite comedy show on television. I CANT BELIEVE ITS CANCELED!!
ABC needs to bring it back. It has such a great cast! this really saddens me. and makes me consider boycotting abc shows.
this show was awesome!! my kids and i watch season 1 all the time. i am very disappointed in ABC right now. you decide to keep other dumb shows that are not worthy to be aired but you axe samantha who and in the motherhood. i am only going to watch abc now on thurs for greys, betty and the practice and that is it!! BRING BACK SAMANTHA WHO!!!!!!!!!
This is one of the best sitcoms in years. Great cast, great chemistry, you should definitely reconsider this move.
maybe if you didnt keep moving it around it may have gottne the rating!! It is such a funny show!!
ABC are you out of your collective minds by canceling Samantha Who?. Do you always have to cater to the lowest common denominator? You never give a show a chance to develop naturally. Had you had a better lead-in instead of the lame Mother show you probably would not have lost your audience. The Dick Van Dyk e Show, Mash to mention a couple of shows that did not have a great viewership at first became classics. Samantha Who was a perfect vehicle for Christina Applegate and the cast had real chemistry. I always thought of the suits who make… Read more »