Is Underground season 3 renewal looking more unlikely?
According to a report from Deadline, the show’s studio in Sony Pictures TV has struggled in its efforts to secure some sort of long-term home for the historical drama in the wake of its season 2 finale on WGN America. Hulu and BET were among the networks pitched the series, and despite the show having a strong social following, the overall cost of everything from the cast to the costumes is potentially holding the series back from getting additional episodes. BET was the network that did come closer to picking the show up. A firm decision is set for the coming week per the network, and from there the long-term future may be solidified.
What’s a little odd about this entire situation is that the show’s future is dancing around in the air even though WGN America has not actually canceled the show themselves just yet! Unfortunately, conventional wisdom suggests that this is something that will be coming up before the end of the line. With the network coming under new leadership, expectations are that it will cut what’s left of the remaining original programming from its roster. While this may get them more attention in the short-term, it’s also costly and the long-term impact may not seem worthwhile to people who want to make money in the present. There are obvious reasons to pick up syndicated shows and just run them into the ground — you pay the fees to air them, put on commercials, and then that’s it! It’s incredibly low-maintenance that way.
If this is the end for Underground, here’s to celebrating a show that did take bold risks and deliver great story for two seasons. Its end would just be the direct result of a slight movement away from original content that is going on within the peak TV era. WGN America is not the only network cutting bait from original programming at the moment. A&E is moving over strictly to unscripted, and MTV’s own roster is wearing thin with the end of Teen Wolf. Even some broadcast networks are cutting down on their scripted entries this summer in order to focus on other fare.
If more news on Underground becomes clear, it will be shared over at this link. For now, just feel free to share your thoughts on the subject of the show below! (Photo: WGN America.)