On Monday night, ABC aired what was promoted as the season finale of the dramatic series What About Brian. But as fans of the show know, the March 26th episode only marked the 19th episode of the season. If the series was given an order for 22 episodes and there are lots of storylines unresolved, where are the rest?
What About Brian debuted on ABC on April 16, 2006 with the first of five initial episodes. The series follows the story of Brian Davis (7th Heaven alumni Barry Watson) as a “third wheel” in a group of close-knit friends and couples. The series also stars Sarah Lancaster, Rosanna Arquette, Matthew Davis, Rick Gomez, Amanda Detmer, Jason George, Amanda Foreman, Tiffani Thiessen, and Jessica Szohr.
Following the initial season’s ratings, it seemed fairly certain that the series would not return for another. ABC surprised many by renewing the series with an initial order of 13 episodes for a second season for Fall 2007. When the show returned on October 9th, ABC seemed encouraged by its early second season performance. On November 10th, ABC increased the 13 episode order to a full 22.
So, with the March 26th episode only marking the 19th episode, some are wondering if this means that there are three episodes that haven’t been aired? In short, no. Shortly after ABC gave the additional episode order in November, the ratings dropped by about 20%. A network rep has confirmed to us that the episode order was trimmed back, though this was not officially announced. Losing three episodes likely made it difficult for the producers to end the season as they would have liked.
ABC has already announced that 11 of its series have been renewed for next year. What About Brian wasn’t one of them. With the drop in viewership and its shortened season, it’s unlikely that ABC has enough faith in the show to give it another chance.
We’ll probably know Brian’s fate by mid-May when the network announces its full Fall schedule. Until then, Brian viewers can take sollace in knowing that they’ve seen all of the episodes that were produced. Fans of other ABC shows like Big Day haven’t been as lucky. Stay tuned! 
OMG I LOVE WHAT ABOUT BRIAN ITS A TV SHOW THAT MY HUSBAND AND I LOOKED FORWARD TO WATCHING, IT HAD TIMES WHERE WE COULD RELATE, PLEASE BRING IT BACK AT LEAST TO FINISH THE ENDING WE LAST SAW WE ARE LEFT IN AWW FOR WHAT WERE TO HAPPEN NEXT
I can’t believe this show is not coming back. There are so many awful shows we’re left through suffer with like Super Nanny and Biggest Loser. What About Brian really had me hooked and enjoying TV again!
what about brian brought me back to night time television, I mean I just stopped watching soaps all together ! , I got into what about brain after watching two espisodes, after that I was hooked , good cast, good storie lines, I can not believe you have decided to take it off the air. I say give it another chance and see this time what the ratings will be !
A planned bonus episode for the second season was to consist entirely of scenes where the male characters cold-cocked each other in the jaw for no apparent reason, then acted like nothing just happened. In one scene, Adam asks Brian if the Weather Channel’s ‘Local On The 8’s’ segment is about to show, whereupon Brian punches his lights out, then says “yes, I think in a minute it will”.
I agree with everybody else. What about Brian was the best show I have ever seen!!!! I can’t believe you would take it off the air!! especially when you’ve had tons of people write to you about wanting you to put it back on the air. And you mean to tell me there wasn’t enough ratings??? PLEASE give it a 3rd season!!
What about Brian was a great show that I looked forward to watching each week. Why is that all the great shows get cancelled. The way that the last episode ended left you waiting for more……Put the great shows back on the air and maybe you might get a solid audience
I am from Scotland and enjoyed the show very much! Picture the nightmare scenario: I go on holiday for 2 weeks and have no idea that I would miss the last 2 shows, or I would have recorded it! Pleeeeease could someone let me know how it ended?
I’m fricking sick of ABC leaving shows unfinished. First it was invasion and now “What About Brian”. I mean whats the point of watching a show when you never get to see it wrapped up. No more ABC shows for me.
Brian was an amazing realistic show. The cast was great and the stories were familiar and believable. Please bring Brian back. In this day and age programming is going down the drain. We need more shows like this and a little less over the top reality that is not even real. C’mon season 3. Its never to late.
Oh, and I just wanted to add one last thing: This show was poorly advertised and the time slot could have been better. You can’t expect ratings to change if you don’t do anything differently. I’m just disappointed with the selection of shows these days that I don’t understand the need to cancel a good show and replace it with a bad show. Does anyone?
These days, with the power of the DVR, I don’t feel the need to sit in front of the tv when a show I like is aired; I simply DVR it and watch it later. But with What About Brian, it was different. I never wanted to do anything else when the show is on. My girlfriend makes fun of me for saying the same things over and over again about the show – I tell her that the actors are so good that it feels like they’re not acting, as if they are real people. You don’t find that… Read more »
Bring it back. Tiffani was just amazing in last five episodes of show. Plz carry on with season 3 and give her chance again.
I’m from New Zealand too and always looked forward to Friday nights to watch What about Brian. The story moved at a good pace, nothing ever dragged on – there was always something happening! I absolutely loved it! Sux that we don’t get to find out what happens. They could at least make the last 3 episodes to tidy up the lose ends!
Im from New Zealand, my husband and i look forward to watching what about brian, this was the only show we have ever watched together, just watched the last episode, i can’t believe they axed it, this would have to be the best show since Friends, I am signing the petition! I want it back.
Bring back what abour Brian! I need to know what happens to the characters! great show!