(ABC/Raymond Liu)
Bad news for Dex and her friends. ABC renewed the Stumptown TV series for a second season back in May but now, due to production delays, those plans have been cancelled.
Stumptown stars Cobie Smulders, Jake Johnson, Tantoo Cardinal, Cole Sibus, Adrian Martinez, Camryn Manheim, and Michael Ealy. In the TV show, Dex Parios (Smulders) is a strong, assertive, and sharp-witted military veteran who lives in Portland, Oregon. She has a complicated love life, gambling debt, and a brother with Down syndrome, Ansel (Sibus), to care for. With only herself to rely on, she solves other people’s messes with a blind eye toward her own. Her military intelligence skills make Dex a great private investigator, but her unapologetic style puts her in the firing line of hardcore criminals and the police aren’t her biggest fans either. Other characters include Grey McConnell (Johnson), a bar owner and Dex’s friend; casino owner Sue Lynn Blackbird (Cardinal); Dex’s friend Tookie (Martinez), a taco food cart owner; and Lieutenant Cosgrove (Manheim) Detective Miles Hoffman (Ealy) of the Portland Police Bureau.
The first season of Stumptown averaged a meager 0.49 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 2.84 million viewers in the live+same day ratings. Of the network’s 20 scripted series that aired during the regular 2019-20 season, Stumptown was the lowest-rated show in the demo to be renewed, ranking 17th of 20 programs. The series did perform well in streaming and delayed viewing.
Deadline reports that production delays and other factors have made it impossible for the series to be ready for a fall launch on ABC.
The series’ production plans, like many shows’, have been negatively impacted by the current pandemic. In addition, extra time was needed to work on season two scripts. Stumptown was due to take a change in direction in year two following a showrunner change at the end of the first season. The show was reportedly also an expensive one to produce and having to take COVID-19 precautions would lead to significant budget increases.
As a result, the new season wouldn’t have been ready to air until April 2021, at the end of the traditional broadcast season. ABC has now decided to rescind the renewal order and the cast and crew were told of the decision to cancel earlier today.
All hope may not be lost, however. ABC Signature, which produces the series, is hoping to shop the series elsewhere and find it a new home. Considering that Stumptown does well in delayed viewing, a streaming service would seem to be the show’s best bet.
What do you think? Did you like the Stumptown TV series? Were you looking forward to watching season two? Would you follow the series to another channel or service?
I would watch it if it is picked up by another network, because it’s a great show. However, I don’t stream.
OK ABC make it a summer show I would still watch it, but don’t cancel it please
I love Cobie Smulders, and would love if it went to a streaming service. They could be a lot freer in the storylines, and we could have a season two!!
I have a feeling that Cobie Smulders star is not shining as bright as it should for inexplicable reasons because she is talented and not afraid of trying different things.
I agree with this comment. Cobie Smulders is very nuanced in her varying performances! Love her as Dex Parios and very disappointed that ABC fails to take advantage of a new show with great promise if given the time and promotion that it deserves!
Shows like this have a major place. **** the network
loved the show but do not like the idea of going to a strea
ming service
Why would they cancel Stumptown at this point? We are at the cusp of what would be the beginning of the new TV season. The show isn’t ready. Neither are most shows on most networks. (I think Fox is the only ones ready with New programming most nights but especially on Sunday and Wednesday.) Why can’t ABC air Stumptown this year as a summer series if it won’t be ready until April? Base a third season on those ratings. If it truly can’t continue there – I’d follow it to Netflix or Hulu. Shows like Lucifer found new life and… Read more »
This stinks
Why is this show so expensive to make? Smulders doesn’t earn top dollar in Hollywood, and who else on the show is even well known?
Isn’t it similar in style, and action to every other crime drama?
I enjoyed Stumptown. Hope it finds a new home.
I am a fan of Stumptown because it is a show filled with quirky, well-rounded characters who are infinitely human. If the show can’t find a new home, I will be sad to not cringe one more time as Dex does some self-destructive behavior or cheer as she surprises herself fighting for the underdog and standing up for what is right. The supporting cast is equally as wonderful. I would definitely follow the show to another channel or service.
I am deeply depressed with decision to cancel Stumptown. I was involved in the storyline and looked forward to the conclusion of the story. What can we do to get a reprieve? I need Stumptown! Why do networks give up on series that are entertaining? I know networks are only interested in making money , but can’t we have something good to look forward to watching that’s not reality or news!
No! I’ve been waiting for season 2 forever. This can’t be true! All the garbage they put 0n network TV is ridiculous. Stumptown is the only show I watch every week. Cobie Smulders is fantastic as are many of the other characters. What can we do? I will never watch anything ABC Network produces again. They always cancel good shows in favor of all the reality shows that are mostly disgusting and not entertaining! What hope do we have for a reprieve or another network to pick up the show? Reboots and reality shows are not entertainment!
This show is so good. I have waiting for it to come back as well. A show that feels like real life characters!!
It would be very sad to lose this program!!’
I like the series,but I was actually surprised when it was renewed for a 2nd season. It ended the 1st season with her mom at the door who had disappeared years ago and I really wanted to see who was cast as her mom and learning that whole story. TV stations just don’t want to speed money to make shows anymore, so they fill the air ways with reality shows/game shows/ and news shows because they are cheap to make even though they are not getting that good of ratings anymore either.
Save Stumptown! If ABC needs more money, cancel “Dancing With the Washed Up Hasbeens” and all the “American Idol” autotuned/lipsync ripoff garbage and take the money from those wastes of time.
Hell, even if the Cheetoplague forced them to turn every show into animated cartoons, it would still be far more entertaining as long as there was a creative process involved. The virus of “reality” TV has harmed the USA far more than COVID 19 has.
Think a Devil is exaggerating? I have two words for you…..
“Celebrity Apprentice”.