In news that will spur a thousand monkey financial advisers to begin hammering furiously at a thousand monkey computers, NBC has pulled Animal Practice from its lineup—or had it euthanized, or sent it to a nice farm, or dumped it on a nearby yard sale in a box marked "FREE TO GOOD HOME," should you prefer such animal-related humor, in which case you may be among the few lamenting the show's death. The series will be replaced with the network's other sitcom devoted to nurturing lower forms of life, Whitney, beginning Nov. 14.
It's a decision that's seemed inevitable pretty much since the moment the series had a sight gag involving its monkey-doctor drive by on a little monkey ambulance, but which only became pressing once Animal Practice delivered its most dismal numbers yet with its last airing, scoring a pathetic 1.0 rating in the 18 to 49 demo. There are still three more episodes to air—and NBC hasn't officially canceled it—but Animal Practice is essentially dead. And no, this announcement has nothing to do with Whitney's formerly scheduled Friday night partner Community, but that show still seems likely to return to Thursdays eventually (either as a 30 Rock or Up All Night replacement), and this at least frees Crystal the Monkey up to return to her Annie's Boobs duties—a guarantee of continued employment the monkey is no doubt currently rubbing in Tyler Labine's face.