'Ben and Kate' Canceled Along With Other Series Due to Low Ratings
Fox has recently announced its decision to cancel its new show: "Ben and Kate" after ABC canceled "Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23." The station is pulling the shows due to lower ratings and will instead work on overhauling its comedy lineup.
"Raising Hope" will replace "Ben and Kate" on Fox's Tuesday nights, which should delight some fans. "Hope" has been a popular series since it started and will now feature two episodes on Tuesday nights. Fox will still air the remaining episodes of "Ben and Kate" but when the show ends, it's completely over.
According to Entertainment Weekly, "Ben and Kate" only averaged 3.1 million viewers in its first season, compared with "Mindy Project," which brings in 3.8. "Raising Hope" on the other hand has seen success with an average 4.5 million viewers. "New Girl" remains Fox's most popular show, though, with 6 million viewers.
Those numbers are still lower than NBC's newest shows, "Go On" and "New Normal," which both bring in over 5 million viewers.
ABC announced its decision to cancel "Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23" after it failed to hold an audience. There was a great deal of controversy over the title of the show from the very beginning, but James Van Der Beek and Krysten Ritter helped carry the show as far as they could.
"Sad to say ABC has pulled #Apt23 and will not be airing the 8 remaining episodes any time soon. Translation: we've basically been canceled," Van Der Beek posted on his Twitter account. He has been one of the highlights of the series, playing an exaggerated version of himself.
"I know most of you watched us on your own time & platform and that the competitive network scheduling game is irrelevant to you, but network TV is a business dictated by Nielson ratings. And while that's an antiquated business model, it's the only one they've got. Thanks to all who tuned in. We had a blast making it. Can't imagine a more fun work environment with better people," he added.
"Apt. 23" will be replaced with back-to-back new episodes of the more popular "Happy Endings," which, in its third season, still sees an average of 4.5 million viewers.