To very little surprise, the CW has cancelled one of its few remaining sitcoms, The Game. Is this the end for the series or could it still return?
Created by Mara Brock Akil, The Game began as a spin-off of Akil’s long-running comedy, Girlfriends. The series centers around a first year medical student (Tia Mowry) who chooses to follow her pro-football boyfriend (Pooch Hall) to San Diego. Others in the cast include Brittany Daniel, Coby Bell, Hosea Chanchez and Wendy Raquel Robinson.
The first sitcom to debut on the CW network, The Game averaged 2.3 million viewers in season one. For season two, the ratings dropped to 2.07 million and a .96 rating in the 18-49 demographic. This season, it’s fallen to an average of 1.68 million viewers and a tiny 0.7 rating in the demo, in part because it was given a Friday night timeslot.
The CW is essentially getting out of the sitcom business and has cancelled The Game after 64 episodes. There had been talks about changing the show’s format to an hour-long dramady, to make it more compatible with the network’s other programming. That was seen as a long-shot at best and actually would have created its own set of challenges for syndication.
Though The Game only has 64 episodes, BET recently signed a syndication deal to air the first two seasons and season three will be added this Fall. To increase the show’s number of episodes, there have been discussions between the cable channel and CBS (the show’s studio) about co-funding original episodes. The deal would likely come with some cost-cutting measures.
There’s been no further word on the potential deal with BET so, as of right now, “The Wedding Episode” is the series’ last.
If The Game isn’t rescued from cancellation, are you satisfied with the way the sitcom ended — with Melanie and Derwin finally getting married?
Image courtesy CW.
What the hell CW? I agree with Mayra. The game was a very good show and you cancelled it. You didn’t finish it with any type of closing for Melanie, Derwin and the Baby, can Tasha finally find a man and what about Jason, Kelly and the character of Stacy Dash???????? That sucks. You just lost another viewer and you will probably loose a lot more African American viewers. This is the same thing that Fox did. They got famous with black comedy and then dropped all of the shows that were gered more to African Americans. You suck!!!
First they cancelled my show, Girlfriends, then when i finally got hooked on The Game, they cancelled that too!! What a bunch of BULL!! It looks a little too suspicious that all the african american shows got the boot….and I ain’t even black! What’s up with that CW??!!! BET, PLEASE pick the show up!! I am NEVER watching CW again!!
I love this show so much, this was the only show that i can relate to also that teaches me things and i think that CW is making a huge mistake on canceling the show. Everybody loves this show. The amount of veiws went down because of CW moving it to 9:30/8:30 c on a Friday people are busy but Im always there to watch it. I hope that Bet or CBS picks up that show and start Season4. There are to many questions left unanswered and I think CBS cut too many of my favorite shows( Martin, Eve, Girlfiends,… Read more »
i think that the game should keep on going love the show and if they would cancels it i would be so sad that what i watch day i am in love with that show i watch season 1-3 and i hope it would stay on cwtv or put season four on bet or something but do not cancels it
I don’t understand why CW would want to cancel the show. I love this show and I hope that CW descides to change the format of the show to a dramady. First they took away Martin, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, In the House, One on One, Girlfriends, Sister to Sister, Eve, All in One, Moesha, the Parkers, and etc. Doesnt anybody see whats wrong with this picture? I hope BET or CBS pick up this show and create a new spin it. Im glad that Derwin and Melanie got married but there still more episodes about Jason and Kelly’s divorce,… Read more »
Man….I love this show and this would really suck if they dont bring it back. I love the writing on it as well. Maybe tha ratings were down because Friday night isn’t really a good time slot with people going out on those nights. I feel like we just were left hanging….where is the baby goin to live…how is Melanie taking it and is it still affecting her and derwins relationship….Is Kelly and Taska Mack going to be friends or will they really throw down…Is Rick and Tasha Mack back together…Is Poochie going to be a huge recording artist….Is Jason… Read more »
Im happy they got married but theres still so much drama left unsolved. They caint jus let our minds wonder i wanna know how they show is suppose ta end so they caint jus cancel it like that.
I wasn’t going to comment because of so many other people sharing the same exact thoughts I am having….but I had to. I got my hopes up high thinking the CW wasn’t going to do the Game the way they did Girlfriends..I was really hoping with all the fuss going around it would bring back the show but it didn’t. So with that being said as disappointed we all are they are not going to bring the show back. If they were they would have done it before they put out there fall line-up. As for Bet, I think if… Read more »
i seen a couple of episodes of The Game on BET and thought the show was awsome so i watched just about every episode on youtube only to find out it may be cancelled. i really hope that isnt the last of it, theres so many unanswered questions, PLEASE COME BACK!
bring the game back. this was the best sitcom on tv and it had to be cancelled. we are left hanging in trying to figure out if derwin is really the father of janay’s baby, so come on cw and bring back the game, “the best show on tv!”
I am really hurt that this show was cancelled.. I was really hoping to see how Melanie took to the new baby.. Rick Fox is back in the picture too… hey maybe Tasha Mack would have gotten married or something.. Stacy Dash and Jason WOW, However, I will really miss this show.. How do we get it back does anyone know??
Oh, Derwin and Melanie… this was some good stuff….!!!!!!
I really want the game to come back on. It is a really good show. I glad Melanie and Derwin finally got married, I hope it last. As far as Jason stay with Stacey. Can’t wait until the show comes back on!!! Keep the show on for an half hour.
They really need to come up with a way to bring the show back. Hire a better, more funny set of writers instead of the one’s the let the rating slip in season 2. BRING BACK ‘THE GAME’
BRING IT BACK! BRING IT BACK! BRING IT BACK! Everyone is talking about the wedding. Forget that! What about Tasha getting knocked the hell out! I have to see if her and Kelly will be friends again after Tasha hooked Jason up with Stacey Dash. Will he really leave her hanging after that courtroom scene??? Come on CW….. you are really leaving us hanging. One hour would be GREAT!! My kids love the show. Come on…………………..
can we ever keep the good stuff on TV, this is one of the best TV sitcoms in a long time that does not out right exploit our culture. Just like girlfriends, the game portrayed another side of our culture that is seriously lacking on TV. seems like we only keep shows that show how silly or hood we can be like real chance of love….
since this network likes to cancel all my favorite shows, I will cancel this network.
they would rather show reruns than make the game an hour show.