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.
I adore the full cast from Derwin(sooo cute) to Melanie, to Tasha Mack to Kelly Pitts and OMG, Malik and I were meant to be together with his fine a@@! I hate that this show was cancelled and it needs to be picked up by someone asap. It is bad enough that Living Single and Girlfriends were cancelled only to name a few of the awesome black sitcoms that we record or look forward to see. Why does it seem like Melrose Place and BH90210 are here to stay when the life that we can really relate to and live… Read more »
I’m pissed the **** off. why can’t minorities have shows anymore. Has TV gone back to bigotry. Television needs more shows for minorities. I hope that Bet takes the show so we can have something good.
Okay, I’m officially not a CW fan anymore. I just read in the responses Chris Rock and The Game are axed! What!!! Is TV not for minorities anymore. I only watch a few shows on television and there’s only a few for us to choose from. It was so relaxing to watch both of these shows. In these days we need some laughter! I feared when the shows were moved to Friday nights that would happen. Most teens are at high school activities on Fridays! Duh! Of course the ratings would drop for that main reason!
The game is a very interesting show. It is one of my favorite shows that exists.I still fail to understand why it got canceled, since it holds many people’s interest. PLEASE! think deep in thought before canceling this show because many people will be upset, including me.
I CAN NOT BELIEVE THE GAME IS CANCELLED. WHEN I FOUND THAT OUT I WAS PISSED FOR DAYS.. I CRIED WATCHING THE SERIES FINALE NOT ONLY BCUZ THE EPISODE TOUCHED ME BUT FOR THE FACT DAT DAT WAS THE LAST EPISODE.. WATCHING MELANIE AND DERWIN WAS LIKE WACTHING SOMEBODY ACT OUT MY LIFE FOR ME.. I COULD RELATE TO EVERYTHING THEY WERE GOING THRU N I FOR 1 AM VERY..HIGHLY UPSET DAT DIS SHOW IS CANCELLED.. I USE TO CLEAR OUT MY FRIDAY NIGHTS JUSS TO WATCH DIS SHOW.. WHILE THE SHOW WAS ON I USE 2 TURN MY PHONE… Read more »
I have spent the entire weekend watching season 2& 3, courtesy of You Tube. This is the best show on TV. The story line is real and the reactions are on point. This is a great lost. I am happy for Derwin & Mel that they finally made it. Hopefully, a network will recognize the value.
Honestly I LOVE The Game im actuallly watching it right now, I watch it everyday. I stay home first to watch the show and do whatever i planned on doing later. I truly hope that they continue with the show. It’s bad enough they cut Girlfriends.
I am very unhappy with the way the show has ended… I am unhappy dat it ended in the 1st place…we got stupid shows like “Everybody Hates Chris” whoch 2wat I believe is still up n runnin n everybody I no doesn’t even no wat dat show is about..
its so unfair we lost girlfriends n now the gane
I am very unhappy. This has been one of the best shows in a long time. I sure hope they get another deal. CW is crazy to get rid of this show. I know people that will stay home on friday night to watch this show and than leave for nightly things. I pray we get more seasons to come this is an AWSOME show.
I love that show and I watch it everytime I see it on TV. The last episode was great but there are still more episodes for rest of the cast members. I hope and pray that CBS or BET picks up the show
I’m very disappointed with CW, The Game was by far the best show they had to offer. I will NEVER watch this network again.
I think the show was the best thing that every happened to CW. Please put the show back on. I’m begging on bended kneew
THIS SHOW IS GREAT AND INTERESTING. ITS LIKE THE REALEST SHOW THAT THE CW HAS AIRED INCLUDING THE SO CALLED REALITY SHOWS. I THINK TO KEEP THE SHOW AND EXTEND THE FOOTAGE IS A GREAT IDEAL. THE EPISODES ALWAYS SEEM TO GO OFF TO FAST. I JUST THINK IT WAS ON AT A BAD TIME WITH PEOPLE USUALLY GOING OUT ON THE WEEKENDS. BESIDES WE NEEDED AT LEAST ONE MORE SEASON TO EXPOSE THAT JANAY’S BABY ISNT REALLY DERWINS. LOL, GOSSSSH I HAD SO MANY PLANS FOR THIS SHOW…. : (
I hate the fact that CW cancelled this show. I love this show, I have all my favorite episodes saved on the DVR. They kept Top Model but got rid of the Game, that was stupid. Hopefully the show get picked up by another network because it has a strong fanbase.
I agree, please bring the game back that was a good show. I am not watching none of the cw new hour dramas, because they suck.