We've seen networks and streaming services cancel a couple of shows at the same before, but The CW just did a major purge as it announced seven (yes, seven!) cancelations in a single day.
Our condolences to viewers of Roswell, New Mexico, In the Dark, Legacies, Charmed, 4400, Naomi and Dynasty — all seven of these shows have been axed by The CW. This many cancelations at once gives even Netflix’s notorious reputation for canceling shows without mercy a run for its money.
Curiously, both Roswell, New Mexico and In the Dark still have completed seasons yet to air. Both shows will begin their fourth (and now final) season on June 6. The former is a reimagining of Roswell, a teen show that debuted in 1999, and is based on the Roswell High novel series by Melinda Metz. Meanwhile, In the Dark is an original crime drama that follows a blind woman as she attempts to unravel the mystery of her friend's murder.
Based on the fantasy drama series of the same name, Charmed is another reboot that just received the axe from The CW. This version of the show is currently airing its fourth season right now, but after this concludes on June 10 the show will finish for good. The original Charmed ran from 1998 to 2006 and earned a dedicated fanbase over 178 episodes. The reboot premiered in 2018 and was surprisingly well-received but appears to have now run out of magic.
Four and out seems to be a recurring theme at The CW as Legacies is another canceled show that is finished after a quartet of seasons. Legacies was a spinoff from fellow The CW show The Originals, which was itself a spinoff from The Vampire Diaries. It followed a 17-year-old girl with supernatural powers attending a show for gifted youngsters — sounds familiar!
Of course, not every CW show gets multiple seasons to find its audience. Both 4400 and Naomi have been canceled after just a single season. 4400 was an unsuccessful reboot of a 2004 mystery series, whereas Naomi was a superhero drama created by Ava DuVernay that struggled to stand out among the dozens of beloved comic book adaptations already out there.
Finally, we have Dynasty, the longest-running show on this list with five seasons under its belt. This was another reboot, this time of a 1980s soap opera of the same name, and followed two wealthy families as they feud over their fortunes. It was sort of like Succession, but without the laser-sharp writing and award-winning cast. Still, the series managed five seasons on the air, so clearly somebody was watching.
This many cancelations at once is atypical for any network, but The CW may have a reason for the bloodbath. It's rumored the network is currently up for sale. Presumably, CW executives want to cut loose any shows that aren’t performing or are deemed as reaching a natural conclusion ahead of a deal being agreed.
These seven shows don’t even tell the full story of The CW’s current cancelation tear either. The youth-centric network also canceled comic book series Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow earlier this year, bringing its total number of canceled shows in 2022 so far to nine. Make that an even 10, if you include the confirmation that Riverdale will be ending with its seventh season.
If you're looking for something good to stream, check out our roundup of 11 new shows and movies to watch this weekend on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max and more.
