While it’s looking less and less likely that the CW will renew The Game sitcom for a fourth year, series creator Mara Brock Akil is apparently interesting in changing the show in order to score a renewal. Is it a winning strategy?
The Game is a spin-off of the Girlfriends, the once successful sitcom that ended abruptly last season. Premiering in 2006, The Game revolves around Melanie Barnett (Tia Mowry), a first year medical student who gives up her school plans to follow her professional football playing boyfriend Derwin Davis (Pooch Hall). Others in the cast include Brittany Daniel, Coby Bell, Hosea Chanchez and Wendy Raquel Robinson.
In its first season, The Game averaged 2.3 million viewers each week. For season two, the ratings dropped to 2.07 million and a .96 rating in the 18-49 demographic. This season, CW execs have stranded the series in a little-watched Friday night timeslot. It’s fallen to an average of 1.68 million viewers and a tiny 0.7 rating in the demo.
Along with fellow sitcom Everybody Hates Chris, The Game hasn’t exactly been a ratings powerhouse. It looks very likely that Chris will be cancelled in May but will have 88 episodes, enough for a syndication run that’s scheduled to start on Nick at Nite this Fall. In contrast, The Game will only have 64 episodes.
A renewal for The Game would create a programming conundrum for the CW. With no other half-hour programs in development, they’d have an orphan half-hour in their timeslot to fill.
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The Hollywood Reporter says that one possible solution would be to turn The Game into an hour-long dramedy. The change wouldn’t be a big stretch since the sitcom doesn’t use a studio audience and already mixes comedy with drama. Akil is expected to pitch the idea to the network sometime this week.
The plan is considered a longshot at best considering The Game’s weak ratings and the fact that it doesn’t mesh well with the network’s upcoming slate of dramas. Switching time formats could also cause a problem in syndication, unless each of the hour episodes could be cut into two 30 minute installments.
If the CW network ultimately passes on renewing The Game, the show could still continue. In February, the BET cable channel signed a syndication deal to air the first three seasons. At the time, Barbara Zaneri, BET’s Executive VP of Acquisitions, told Variety, “This [show] is something I went after the minute I got to BET. Not only does it have really fresh African-American stars, but it has a great lineup of guest stars. People like Robin Givens and Vivica Fox — these are people who are regularly on our network.”
It’s been reported (and Mowry recently confirmed) that BET execs have discussed with CBS the possibility of funding a fourth year. The deal would likely entail some cost-cutting to make the deal affordable for the cable channel but it’s in CBS’ best interests to make it work.
Will the show get some “extra innings” or is The Game over? We’ll likely have to wait until May 21st to find out for sure.
Image courtesy CW.
I love the game. I work my plans around the show! its the best show I’ve seen in a long time. i pray to god that they bring it back with season 4. if i miss the show because i cant make it home i watch it online. i think they should work hard to get the show back.
i love this show. the drama and everything has me recording every episode. i definitely hope a fourth season comes out.
Me & My Boyfriend sit and watch this show everytime it comes on. He use to play football, so he enjoys it.
please don’t take off the game please bring it back on i love that show so much please dont cance it
I was actually looking forward to a fourth season, even though tv ratings wasn’t sky high doesn’t people didn’t watch it. Every friday my family and i eat dinner together while we watched “the game” and we really enjoyed it so do what you can to keep the show going please.
i love this show
I would miss the game if it didnt have a fourth season. i love the plot and it seems liek you never know what is about to happen next with any of the people or relationship on the show.
the game needs to come back we lose time with our life to slip through cancels and wb has to many airings of different show;s if they play new ones on bet everyone will watch it’s my favorite show and it was getting so good
I really enjoyed the show…The Game should be revived!!!! I think that it would have more african-american viewers on BET but I’ll watch on anything of them..ABC,CBS, PBS..it doesn’t matter just give us what we want. Hell NO They can’t Go!!!
Please come back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Game sitcom is the bomb!
I really would love this sitcom to continue because its my favorite show………..and now i have nothing to watch that thrills me………………….
I think that THE GAME shouldn’t be caneled thats a good black show and the only black show on TV that all people can relate to
I absolutely love this show. It has a wonderful cast, the scripts are well thought of too! Its a perfect comedy/drama all in one. I just can’t believe that the show is not on DVD yet and to top it all off, the CW wants to cancel the show! The Game is the best sitcom that is on tv right now. I’m not sure what I’d be watching if BET were not showing the older seasons. Hopefully, they will get the budget right for a fourth season b/c I will be watching the show faithfully.
I find it hard to believe a show with great comedy, good looking actors, and great story lines may possibly not be renewed. It is sad all the GOOD black sitcoms seem to get axed before it can catch on. There are some shows on the line-up that should have been gone. When will black shows be given a chance to survive like all the others. I am deeply concerned. The Game should be REVIVED…….
I absolutely love this show!!!! if they cancel it they are a bunch of fools. Ive been watchin all the reruns on BET everyday faithfully. Hopefully CW gets there act together and decides to keep the show. Oh yea whats ging on with the seasons on DVD is about to be on its 4th year and Season 1 hasnt came out on DVD yet. This is such a great show i hope it makes it!