‘Coach’ revival series canceled by NBC after pilot filmed

Is “Coach” calling it a day? It was not too long ago that NBC hatched the idea of giving a revival series a 13-episode order, but Deadline reports today that they are now changing course. Series star Craig T. Nelson will still be paid for 13 episodes regardless, but the network decided to cut bait after early reports came in on the pilot episode.

The report says that the show will be shopped elsewhere, but how much of a market really is there? While “Coach” was popular when it was first on, we really did not hear too many out there clamoring for a new version. The only two possible suitors we could think of offhand would be Netflix, given that they’ve already ordered “Fuller House,” and then also the show’s original network in ABC. They have found some success (relatively speaking) with “Last Man Standing” on Friday night with Tim Allen, so why not put another old-school sitcom out there?

We feel like the biggest problem “Coach” faces for the most part is that network comedies just are not doing too well right now, and NBC for whatever reason has been very hesitant to push further ones down the pipeline. They only have two comedies on their fall schedule, and both are set for Friday nights. They did understandably cancel some plans for a new series starring Bill Cosby after his scandal started to ignite, but many of their other comedy casualties we feel have been the result of bad planning.

We’ll let you know if there is a new home for “Coach” out there, but we’re not going to get too optimistic just yet.

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