(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?
Unfortunately I only recently discovered the Chew and am just sick that it’s been cancelled. I don’t normally watch daytime TV but after finding the Chew, I would turn the TV only solely to watch it. I have never watched GMA and will not watch it now. So ABC has lost at least one daytime viewer completely. It would be cool is another network picked it up.
I think a BIG mistake was made when ABC cancelled The Chew. It was a great show, intellectual without being stuffy, just fun. I learned a lot. I know I will not be watching GMA, just another “fluff show” and will find another station. I will really miss his show!
ABC should not have canceled The Chew. It’s just wrong, I’m in my 70’s and just looked forward to this show every day. SHAME ON YOU ABC
Are you kidding me? THREE hours of the same stuff? Two hours of GMA is enough for one morning. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Chew!! ABC made a HUGE mistake! Do they really think people are going to watch THREE hours of the same show? PLEASE!! Do NOT CANCEL THIS SHOW!!!
I can not believe ABC is really keeping their decision to cancel The Chew. With all the phony plastic TV shows (Bachelor, Bachelorette) and now The Proposal ~ Along with an over dose of depressing news, news, news!!
THE CHEW was my daily highlight & mood lifter… distraction with happy real people, showing us funny ways to decorate and ‘tweek’ an ole standard recipe or learn a new one! Shame on YOU executives for taking away a HAPPY & INFORMATIVE show for more repetitive stuff!
Well some people can’t believe ABC cancelled AMC in order for The Chew to take its place. Forgive me but I ain’t sad that The Chew has been cancelled.
I watch The Chew ever single day and I’m not happy about them being cancelled. I am hoping another network picks this show up. I’m so irritated.
Watching it now and crying because I will miss this show to no end. I will not watch ABC in this time slot. I would love to see another network pick this up. I will miss you, Carla, Muchael and Clinton. You have educated and entertained me. Thank you.
I watched this show everyday and loved it. When I had to be out I dvrd it. Good ideas were great and the three people left were perfect. I’m crushed to see it leave.
I can help with the rating on ABC…….stop talking politics!
I am very sad about the cancellation of The Chew. I do not need to see another hour of GMA. I will no longer be watching any new talk show ABC may bring on. I’ve truly enjoyed The Chew and all of the people who have been on it. I will be watching the Food Network and other food programs. I’m hoping that some NETWORK will pick up this wonderful show and it’s cast soon. ABC you have made a very bad mistake by cancelling THE CHEW.
I’m a big fan of the chew. I watched it regularly. Truly disappointed . I will not watch a 3rd hour of GMA.
I will seriously miss The Chew. I like all of the hosts and the fun. It will free up some time because I have never liked GMA. Would rather watch old mystery reruns. I cannot understand the motivation. It makes me sad.
I love this show!!! Will not watch GMA
Watching last episode of Chew. Will miss you. Do not like Ryan Kelly or GMA.
WTH is going on…….I am so upset that The Chew has been cancelled. I will not watch another hour of GMA…Getting tired of all the BS on Donald Trump and his cronies. I very much enjoyed watching The Chew….I loved the crafts and recipes….Going to miss the show and its hosts very much!!
I am so disappointed by ABC cancelling The Chew that I will not watch a third hour of GMA. The time it is on now is so filled with ads until you barely get to enjoy what is going on. Then the break every 25 minutes for local broadcasting until it is annoying to watch and we certainly don’t need another hour of Michael Strahan. You have turned me off from watching ABC at all.