(ABC / Lorenzo Bevilaqua)
Today, ABC airs the final episode of their daytime series, The Chew. Last month, the network announced that the cooking-themed talk show had been cancelled after more than 1,400 episodes. Will you miss it? Was this the right decision?
Launching in September 2011, The Chew replaced the All My Children soap opera after its 41 years on the network. A talk show that incorporates cooking and lifestyle-related segments, the series was initially hosted by Mario Batali, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly, Daphne Oz, and Michael Symon. Oz departed the show after six seasons and Batali left following sexual misconduct allegations in December 2017.
ABC decided to cancel The Chew in order to expand their Good Morning America series to three hours. NBC’s Today show has had a third hour (with various titles) since October 2000. The current incarnation is Megyn Kelly Today.
While the third hour of Today typically followed the regular program’s two-hour broadcast, hour three of Good Morning America will air separately, in the afternoon. The new hour of GMA is expected to be taped and not presented live, as the regular program is. ABC is making this move as Today has been taking the lead in various demographics in the morning ratings race.
If ABC had wanted to expand GMA to three hours, couldn’t they have replaced either The View or Live with Kelley and Ryan? That was unlikely to happen since both perform better in the ratings than The Chew. In particular, The View has been growing its audience and has been seeing its best ratings since the 2014-15 season (a rarity in today’s landscape). Meanwhile, The Chew has been in last place, ranking 13th out of 13 daytime series.
While ABC may have high hopes for a third hour of GMA, they no doubt have an uphill battle ahead. Daytime audiences often don’t like change and some viewers still hold a grudge against The Chew for replacing All My Children. Time will tell if the new hour of GMA will fare any better than The Chew did.
What do you think? Do you think that ABC should have cancelled The Chew TV series? If not, what could they have done to boost the ratings? Will you check out a third hour of Good Morning America?
The Chew shouldn’t have been canceled. They have managed to combine three talented hosts that can cook, inspire and make us laugh each day. It is pure entertainment and has been an oasis from the news shows where bickering and biased reporting is the norm. We don’t need a third hour of GMA and The View is unwatchable to me. PLEASE bring back The Chew… an Emmy Award winning show for a reason!!
I really liked the chew, having just discovered it in the last year, but I have had just about enough of Michael Symon laugh, I just want to scream everytime I hear it but I’ll miss Carla and Clinton for sure
The Chew is the one bright spot in the day as far as TV programming. It is funny, inspirational, instructional, spontaneous, non-political, with genuine hosts who exhibit kindness and warm feelings to guests and audience. A person feels good after watching a segment of the Chew unlike the controversial View. We need more positive programming on TV. I am very sad to see this show cancelled. So glad I have recorded them. I’ll be referring to them to refresh my memory about cooking tips. Thank you,thank you Clinton, Michael and Carla for such quality entertainment. You are real folks!
When i heard The Chew had been cancelled I felt like some of my best friends had died. I couldn’t believe it and I continue to watch in horror! That may seem a little dramatic for people who have an exciting world of work to go to each day, but for those of this us that stay in the home there aren’t many shows worth really caring about. The Chew is one of those. If I knew I wasn’t going to be at home that day, I tried to record it. It is light, it is informative, and it is… Read more »
“The Chew” is one of my favorite shows. I feel that it should not have been cancelled and am very unhappy about the decision to do so. It was a highly informative and entertaining show.
There is no reason to take off the Chew. Clinton, Carla and Michael are the bright spot in my day, I often delayed having lunch until 1 pm so I could watch the show as I ate. It is one of only a few shows I will tape. I see no reason to expand GMA which I might add often has a short cooking segment. I do love the cast and presentation but would recommend ending the Multiple “teasers” about what is to come and make the interviews longer. There is no show like the Chew even on the food… Read more »
I love the Chew. It is the brightest spot in my day. There is so much horrible “news” on TV we need more shows like the Chew, not fewer. Please bring the show back. We do not need another hour of GMA, Today, the View, or any other of those types of shows. They are all copies of each other. The Chew is an original, and the hosts are fun, uplifting, and have given me so many wonderful recipes, ideas and techniques.
Agreed. Why do networks take off the good shows?
Agreed!!! They were the warm and fuzzy with some good tips and tricks filtered in. I will miss them!!
I love the chew! I stopped watching NBC because of their morning lineup. The Chew is refreshing and fun. You made a big mistake because now I will just turn the TV off
I feel like I’ve lost my 3 best friends. I like Jackie, have been cooking for 50 years but have learned more over the past 7 years than I did in the 43 before. The Chew has made me a more confidant and creative cook and I will miss the show deeply! And seriously, 3 hours of GMA, it’s good but I will never record it and learn anything like I have from the Chew. Maybe if Michael, Carla and Clinton had daily or at least regular segments I would.
I really hate that The Chew has been cancelled. It is one of few programs worth watching. We don’t need more news programs. We get enough BAD news as it is and they all just repeat the same thing over and over again. The Chew is informative, funny, and entertaining. We need more of this type of show. The powers that be really messed up on this one.
I guess in your infinite wisdom you thought it a good idea to cancel the Chew, however, do we really need another hour of news. I don’t think so. In watching the Chew it was an interlude during the day to not think of all thats going on in the world today. I know the powers that be in ABC will pay little attention our comments, but it would be nice if you would reconsider this cancellation. Sometimes ratings just don’t count!
This one of my favorite shows. Got great recipes. Whover canceled the show should be fired!
BRING BACK THE CHEW!
The Chew is the only show I have on series record. It is positive and uplifting. It certainly has expanded my cooking abilities. Michael, Clinton and Carla have be become like close friends. Please reconsider and continue The Chew. We don’t need another hour of “talking heads”.
I love The Chew. I record it every day. I love the cooking segments and I especially enjoy the hosts. It is one of the few positive, light-hearted programs on television today. I wish ABC would put The Chew back on the air with Clinton Kelly, Michael Simon and Carla Hall.
No! It is One of very few programs where you get have a good time. They were funny and informative. No politics or negative comments about anything. This was my stress free show.
The Chew is the ONLY tv show that I bother to record every day. I’ve been cooking for 50 years but have learned so many new techniques & recipes since The Chew started. There are so many shows on TV that do nothing to improves lives, so it puzzles me that ABC made such a poor decision. A third hour of GMA, which is also a show I enjoy, will do nothing that two hours couldn’t accomplish.