‘Malibu Country’ joins ‘Revenge’ as show without a showrunner

What is it about showrunners departing ABC series these days? We’re still reeling from the shocking news that “Revenge” creator Mike Kelley is stepping down after two seasons in what is described as being a “mutual decision,” and now we’re hearing that “Malibu Country” is in pretty much of the same position.

Sources have confirmed that writer / producer Nastaran Dibai, who has served as the showrunner ever since creator Kevin Abbott ended up leaving in October, has left the show, which means that the future of Reba McEntire and company is even more in question. While this show was hardly a smash hit on Friday nights, it did perform better in the Friday-night time slot than either “Happy Endings” or “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23” did earlier this year. Plus, ABC may think that they could build up a family block over time with this show, “Last Man Standing,” and “Shark Tank” in a time that was once themed all around “TGIF.”

Strange as it may seem, the exit of the “Malibu Country” showrunner may be good news for the future of the series. After all, what would the point be of the show actually going through this switch if it was just getting canceled outright? This does at least show that ABC is looking at the series as a season 2 contender, though no firm decision will probably come until close to the ABC upfront presentations in May.

What do you think about this news, and do you see stories breaking about a showrunner swap to ultimately be a good thing? Be sure to share your thoughts below, and you can also check out some ratings news when it comes to the ABC Friday-night lineup over at the link here.

Photo: ABC