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 love the game i mean it helps me with li
you is wrong for letting that show go off the air ….. cause it is hell funny and we need a show like that on tv.
Please keep this sitcom active. It’s so funny and there is so many issues that are so easy to relate to.
I love the game and think that its a great show. In fact, it is the only show that i watch. I really hope that they can bring the game back.
please leave it on can get enough of it. love the game
bet please pick up the game. i love this show. i just started watching it on bet. i cant get enough
I love the game I hope bet can continue with more seasons i hate tv but the actors on this sit com have great chemistry cant get enough i watch it with my teenage kids love love love this show bet help! Im an addict and I agree with the last comment I hate Janae
I love this show! It is like a black soap opera! Why are they always trying to cancel our shows. It is a great combonation of drama and comedy. It keeps you on your toes and wanting more. Plus, it would not be right if you ended it with season 3. there is so much more going on. Like is Derwin really the father of Janae’s baby? Is Jason and Kelly really over? What about Rick Fox and Tasha?? I mean come on don’t leave us fans in the wind. I am praying that BET and CBS work something out!
I just discovered The Game this summer on BET. I loved it so much that I watched the entire 3 season on you tube over the weekend. Since then I have watched everytime BET has a marathon. I am just praying that BET picks the show up for more than just season 4 because after season 4 I know I am going to want more. I CAN’T GET ENOUGH. I loved the season finally when Dervin & Mel got married. I even loved Jason leaving the court room w/ Stacey. I only beg that when season 4 comes about the… Read more »
I just recently started watching The Game because I have had to get up throughout the night with my infant son. I record it and then watch it when he wakes up during the night. I fell in love with the show right away. I use to watch Tia Mowry on Sister Sister and loved her then, just as much as I do now. I hope that they find a way to save the show on BET.
PLEASE PLEASE bring The Game back. I was completely heart broken when I found out that the show was cancelled. Words can’t express how much I love this show. So please please bring it back.
I am sad that the game was cancelled it was nice to see goodlooking young blacks on tv going thru the changes in life we twenty somethings go thru in our relationships. The cw did the show a real injustice with poor marketing and constantly switching time slots.
DO NOT CANCEL THE GAME PLEASE BRING IT BACK I CAN RELATE TO THIS SHOW SOOOO MUCH PLEASE DO NOT CANCEL IT PLEASE
I’m one of the show’s biggest fans. But let’s face the facts. The reason The Game is cancelled is because of low ratings. That’s a travesty because this was a well written show with outstanding actors. Yes, the network changed the dates three times, but if we REALLY liked the show, we would have watched it regardless! If we want our shows to stay on, we HAVE to be committed to not only watching (and buying advertising products) but tell friends, neighbors, anybody to increase viewership. I watched it on Mondays, Sundays and Fridays. And if any of the actors… Read more »
This was a very strategic plan of the CW to kill these” Black ” shows off air. It was aired on a Friday night , a time when everyone is out or doesnt’ have time to watch. So, of course it was not going to thrive. It sad because I love this show.