(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?
Very upset The Chew has been cancelled – I love that show – I have gotten many recipes from that show! Losing The Chew, to add an extra hour to GMA is the dumbest thing this TV channel has done since the new owners took over, I am not happy!
very disappointed.. show was fun and informative – great lunch time companion. will not be watching yet another news show.. ugh!
I would have kept it. I loved the cast (even the outcasts). They were always fun to watch. Do we really need more news? I’m depressed enough after watching the news we already have. BRING BACK MY CHEW!
I just loved the show The Chew!! Enjoyed the recipes and guests on the show. They were fun and made me laugh all the time. Being a foodie, this show put a smile on my face every time I watched it. I recorded every show and always cooked so many of their recipes. The co/hosts were smart, interesting, and made cooking a blast. Too many daytime shows now are redundant talk shows that are negative, boring, and talk about the morons in politics. It’s depressing. We need more shows that are positive and engaging. ABC needs a major format during… Read more »
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE bring the CHEW back!!! The dynamic of Carla, Michael, and Clinton is amazing… their warm, happy go lucky spirits are such an awesome change to the hum drum cooking segments that are out there. Their recipes and tips for cooking are so helpful for the average cooking mom and wife!!! My cooking has improved and my knowledge of creating an amazing meal has increased so much that my husband looks forward to what creation we’ll be trying next! I look forward to that hour EVERYDAY not just for cooking tips but for an uplifting start to my… Read more »
The Chew should not have been cancelled–GMA is an unhinged choice —
The Chew is a great institution should have been left alone–it is a clean helpful fun happy experience that has left a void in the chaos of our daily lives–
Sue R
It should not have been cancelled.If any show should be it’s The View!
I agree,but they keep this crap on
So glad it is leaving. Was a very annoying show. Most of the time very loud. Chef did not know how to tune it down.
Please please please bring back “The Chew”. It is so informative and entertaining. I look forward to Clint, Michael, and Carla every day. They present great cooking tips and recipes in a format that keeps you wanting more.
Do not need another hour of GMA
Never watched the chew as it took place of my favotite soap
Instead of another hour of news how about bringing back all my children please
Would love all my children back also or one life to live
Why do what everyone else is doing? When I would be off from work, my 1PM -2PM was watching this show, because I didn’t want to watch another News program, or court room TV show. It was different and highly entertaining, and having tested out some recipes from The Chew cookbook, the food is pretty delicious as well. I am sad to see this show canceled, and hope that another network will imitate this same concept for a show.
I loved The Chew I will not watch the replacement. Clinton, Carla and Michael were great. Get rid of Kelly and Ryan. I have had enough of her.
One hour of GMA is more than enough & I don’t even watch that! Too much gabbing & gossip. Waste of time.
No , I don’t think it should be canceled, it is a great show to learn new recipes they all have great personalities, very entertaining and a very relaxing show , no drama no yelling ,just a good show
No!!!!! It was a wonderful, funny, informative show! Loved the cohosts especially the current ones and we do Not need another hour of news. We have more than enough and i will nitvwatch and tune to anither channel
No, I can only handle so much political arguing and gossip! I loved the chew. I learned many new recipes and loved Clinton, Carla and Michael! I don’t want to watch a third hour of GMA. Should have taken The View off the air!! Can’t stand watching that show!
Amen! Sham on ABC for cancelling one of the most informative and entertaining shows on daytime TV. Talk shows are just more blah blah blah!