(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 should have never been canceled. It was one of the best shows on daytime tv. If abc needed to make room for a new show they should have got rid of the view.
I am so upset that The Chew has been cancelled! First reason is because my mom and I used to watch this show together. Since she passed in 2015, when I watch its like I’m still watching with her. Second reason is the content of the show taught all us “Chew Viewers” how to be better cooks, and the proper techniques. They were so real. You could see that they actually cared about each other and about the show. And last is that when I had cancer last year, and I couldn’t look at without being nauseous, I could watch… Read more »
I loved The Chew. Carla Hall Michael Symon, and Clinton Kelly were like having friends come into my home to visit for an hour and teach me short cuts and proper ways to cook. I want it back. My son and I have had fun trying their recipes and watching to see if Clinton will burn his mouth once again. We miss them and we want them back. Please ! bring them back!
I am extremely upset about loosing this fantastic show. The Chew has helped so many home cooks feel comfortable in the kitchen. This show was informativ as well as entertaining. The Hosts, Carla, Clinton, and Michael are special people that gave us, the loyal viewers, the benefit of their knowledge. They were like part of the family, or more appropriate, they allowed us to be part of their family. Their is a connection, a loyalty, that we, The Chew fans-viewers have toward Carla, Clinton, and Michael. I will not be watching the new show or anything else on ABC. I… Read more »
I am so disappointed that The Chew is cancelled. Nothing to watch in that time slot now! That’s all we need is another news show with Michael S. . He’s all over the T.V. . Enough is enough. It was so fun to see the new personalities on the The Chew. Ugh!
Just found out about the Chew being cancelled……what a shock! By far the best cooking show on TV. I guess they were having too much fun. Looked forward to this show every day. Please bring them back. 2 hours of GMA is more than enough!!
I have been watching all the replays since they were cancelled and their last replay aired today, just as sad as the the first time it aired. Clinton, Carla and Michael were the perfect team. It was the best hour on TV!! I WILL NOT be watching GMA, I’m just not a fan.
Loved this show even with just the three.If any show should be cancelled it’s the view!Woopie and the rest need to go.Bring back the chew!!
I really enjoyed this show. It is a breath of fresh air and fun.
No, they should NOT have cancelled the Chew. It was the only show of its kind and it will be missed greatly by the fans. We don’t need another hour of GMA!
The Chew was a very fun and unique show. There really isn’t another show like it, and the 3 of them have such a great rapport between each other.
We don’t need another talk show. There are way tooooo many of them on the air. I will not be watching another news/talk show.
I am not a big tv show watcher but The Chew was one of the shows that I really enjoyed. I looked for it everyday. Charismatic, fun, educational and personal. This should not happen. We do not need more of The Today Show, it is long enough already. BAD CHOICE!
I do not watch Good Morning America and certainly won’t be watching a third hour! However I do watch The Chew each and every day…..I will miss it.
We loved The Chew. It was a great lunch time show. We will not watch another News program as the networks are flooded with them now.
I LOVED the Chew. Michael is top of the line, so you know you are gonna get some great recipes, Carla had her own touch of culinary arts and always hit it out of the park. I think what I loved the most was the combination of cooking, talk show, audience interaction, and great hosts. I think it is sad that they are leaving. I too, do NOT want another hour GMA, in fact, I won’t even watch it. People have things to do. I catch up on news in the a.m., and look for something fun after that.