(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?
I thoroughly enjiyed the seven years learning new cooking ideas, interaction between all three. Missed Daphne, but the three Muskateers kept me watching. There is such trash on the networks now it would have been nice to keep a family forward show.
They should have NOT cancelled The Chew. It was a very positive show and had a lot of teachable moments. The show was not political and the hosts and guests were very enjoyable. I have been cooking for many years and still learned something from them daily. The holiday shows always had a lot of great recipes and our holiday dinners always had a least one of their recipes.
I think abc should take off Who wants to be a millionaire show and the one show after that. This would free up the hour between the chew and general hospital.
Huge mistake cancelling The Chew! They were nominated for an Emmy this year…..nice way to reward them, ABC.
Why didn’t they advertise the show? I never saw commercials for it. That might have helped bring in more viewers.
Loved the chew. I will not watch gma
Loved the chew. Never missed it. You should of cancelled the view.
The Chew should not have been cancelled!!!!!! ABC has made a huge mistake and have lost thousands of viewers. What were you thinking! A wonderful show with wonderful people. We’re not happy !
The Chew was refreshing for us non Chefs; they taught us cooking techniques and extremely easy recipes that could be considered haute cuisine. And, there was Clinton’s decorating techniques that we could never think of. All the hosts talked to us and we all felt like family and friends. The Chew and its’ crew will truly be missed. I wish the entire cast and crew well in their new endeavors, but hope The Chew concept will be airing soon on another network. I, also, feel that ABC has made a very poor decision and has lost a lot of viewers.… Read more »
Huge mistake
The Chew should never have been cancelled!! It was a great show. Very informative, entertaining. The best show on in the afternoon. The best co-hosts!!!! They were real, down to earth people who taught me things, and made me smile and laugh. ABC executives to not listen or want to hear what the viewers really want. There are already too many new shows and talk shows on now. The Chew was so unique and a really great show that made you feel good and did not talk about anything negative. Such an uplifting, feel good group of people, like Michael… Read more »
Please bring back The Chew!
No to GMA3
I will certainly miss the CHEW, NOTHING good on tv during the day NOW!!!!!! I wish another network would continue the show! Most postiove people on TV
I will not watch a third hour of GMA. Didn’t watch the first two, anyway. The Chew was a unique show – entertaining, informative and tons of fun. Like so many other fans, I planned my “lunch hour” with Clinton, Carla and Michael. Will miss their cheerful energy & laughter.
They should NOT have cancelled the chew. It was a great show and a positive show compared to other shows like the view. I absolutely loved watching it and learned something too. I don’t get why ABC doesn’t seem to understand it’s viewers and what we want to watch. No one wants a third hour of GMA. Also the View has veered off course from what it originally was about and has become so political and very negative that I can’t even stand to watch it and honestly it should have been cancelled when the creator Barbara walters left the… Read more »
They should have not cancelled the chew..It was a very positive show and had a LOT of teachable moments. The show was not political and the hosts and guests were very enjoyable