Underground canceled officially; season 3 could still exist elsewhere

While the writing was on the wall for Underground for quite some time, the news is now official: WGN America is canceling the show after just two seasons on the air. It was a critical darling and had devoted fans on both social media and beyond; unfortunately, what did it in was a simple something known as network politics. WGN America is getting new ownership, and this said ownership is interested in getting rid of the network’s original programming in favor of easy money via syndication.

In a new statement confirming the news, Tribune Media company CEO Peter Kern had the following to say:

“Despite Underground being a terrific and important series, it no longer fits with our new direction, and we have reached the difficult decision not to renew it for a third season.  We are tremendously proud of this landmark series that captured the zeitgeist and made an impact on television in a way never before seen on the medium.  We thank the incomparable creators Misha Green and Joe Pokaski and the great John Legend, along with the talented creative team and cast who brought the unsung American heroes of the Underground Railroad to life.  We are grateful to the loyal fans of Underground and our partners at Sony Pictures Television. It is our hope that this remarkable show finds another home and continues its stories of courage, determination, and freedom.”

What is somewhat interesting about this statement, especially when it comes to comparing the show to some others that have been canceled, it’s that there seems to be a hope for Kern that the show lives on. This is not a sentiment we often tend to get from other network programming heads, who may not want the embarrassment of seeing a show do really well elsewhere when it could have easily performed well on their network and generated some good ratings there.

Unfortunately, at the moment it’s hard to know what the best future option for Underground could be. Recent reports suggested that BET and Hulu were among the suitors already looking at bringing the show on, but the budget for the costumes, the cast, and the filming locations was looking to be rather vast.

What’s your quick reaction to the cancellation of Underground? Share now in the comments below. (Photo: WGN America.)