The “pre-upfronts cancellation spree” has become a staple of the TV industry in recent years, as networks clean weaker performers off their slates in advance of selling the hot new season to advertisers and journalists alike. Still, there’s bloodbaths, and then there’s bloodbaths, and Fox indulged in one of the latter today, abruptly canceling The Mick, Will Forte’s Last Man On Earth, and, in a move that left us legitimately gob-smacked when we heard about it, critical darling Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
The Mick managed to make it two seasons, largely on the charisma of star Kaitlin Olson; Last Man On Earth, meanwhile, told its surprisingly poignant story about grief and survival (and also relentless human absurdity) for four. But Brooklyn Nine-Nine is still in the process of wrapping up its fifth year on the air, which will now, apparently, be its last. Admittedly, the show’s ratings had dropped over the last few years, but it was still pumping out some great cop-based comedy, with one of the best comedic casts on TV.
This being TV in 2018, there are already rumors swirling that the big streaming services—possibly Hulu—might swoop in to act as a savior, but that’s an always uncertain prospect. In the meantime, we’ll be joining series co-star Marc Evan Jackson in quietly mourning Jake, Gina, Holt, Santiago, and the rest of the crew at the 99th.