This just in: HBO has renewed Laura Dern’s Golden Globe-nominated comedy Enlightened for a second season, the network confirmed today.
At the same time, the news was not so happy for fans of Hung, Bored to Death, and How to Make It in America, as the network announced it will not order any additional episodes of those recently concluded series.
Enlightened’s Laura Dern on Season 2 Hopes: ‘It’s Your Moral Duty as an American to Watch’
While Enlightened‘s Dec. 12 Season 1 finale averaged a mere 0.1 rating among adults 18-49, and 263,000 total viewers, it found a foothold with critics and picked up Globe nominations for Best Comedy Series and Lead Actress in a Comedy last week, an honor Dern told TVLine made HBO “very, very happy.” The actress, who also serves as executive producer and co-creator on the series, said last week that she was “hopeful” about a renewal, and that she had “never felt [HBO] waver and imply that they wouldn’t be interested in [a second season], even though they haven’t given a formal announcement.”
Enlightened Season (Series?) Finale: 5 Reasons HBO Needs to Renew This Laura Dern Vehicle
“I remember I discovered Breaking Bad as the second season began,” Dern said, adding that it prompted her to rent Season 1 and get caught up. “After that, I became a committed, obsessed advocate because I love that show. And it’s fun to get to discover these very unique and creative forms of stories, so I feel excited to be part of that unfolding, and thankful for HBO’s support of it.”
Hopefully Hung will get renewed for a season 4. Any news on that?
Hung got over 10x as many viewers as Enlightened. Unless Dmitry decides to end it, I doubt it’s in any trouble.
Have you seen enlightened? How can you say that it compares to Hung? It is so much better and it presents a very positive message about how to change corporate America! Watch the series, you may be surprised. Vote for season 2 NOW!!
Hung Bored to Death and How to Make it in America are all reportedly canceled.
Looks like Hung was canceled
Ohhhh. . . .
Did you read the article or at least the title?
I asked this, before the article was updated. Look at my time stamp. Fool.
Just watched the whole season of Enlightened on a New Years Eve marathon and I loved, loved , loved it. I also discovered Breaking Bad in Season 3 and it has been my favorite show on TV. Add Enlightened to that list.
It’s so unfair that both Hung AND Bored To Death have been canceled. These shows, along
with Enlightened had made it great to be a subscriber to HBO. Now I don’t know what to
think. Maybe I’ll have to go out and get a social life again and give up my wonderful new
TV discoveries. Why did you do this to us, HBO? You ruined a wonderful thing. Those shows were magic!!!
Very disappointed that Hung is not returning. Just found.. out as I was catching up on last episode.
YES! HBO is the best network in the world! For a long time TV nerds have been dreaming of a place where the only prerequisite for renewal was quality. And now we have it. HUZZAH!
Tell that to Deadwood and Carnivale.
Tell that to Bored to Death and Hung. Deadwood wasn’t canceled, David Milch didn’t want to make it anymore and stopped to make the classic (lmfao) “John from Cincinnati”.
A: That thing about David Milch is completely untrue.
B: I wrote the above post when this story was just “HBO renews Enlightened.” I take back what I said 100%.
Yeah, give up the thought of ‘David Milch didn’t want to make it any more’. Not even a fraction of truth in that.
I agree about Deadwood and Carnivale. Though not much of a western buff, I did enjoy Deadwood. I am so disappointed that HBO left Carnivale hanging like they did. It was a great series and could have gone at least one more season to finish out the story line. Wish they would finish it out for those of us that loved the show.
Ever hear of The Comeback?
Yay!!
Enlightened has been a really good show. Glad HBO is sticking with it even though it struggles getting.g crowded to tune in. Maybe the critical acclaim and award seasons will help it.
I gave the show 3 episodes. It was awful. How this show can be called a “comedy” is beyond me. It’s not funny, it’s depressing! Sad to see it renewed for another season. Especially sad because I love Laura Dern and she deserves better.
Three episodes was all that I could tolerate. No amount of critical acclaim and ridiculous award nominations will make me want to go back to this nightmarish series.
I totally agree-enlightenment is a sleeper. You have to stay with it. I did and I’m a big fan. Walks the line between parody of the main character’s new found spirituality and a genuine pathos and affection for her character. Likewise, the viewer is alternately embarassed and charmed by her blundering path between self delusion and reactivity and genuine growth. it always gives us just enough hope that maybe ,just maybe Amy will really change for the better.smart,sad, funny and sometimes surprisingly insightful. I’m glad it was renewed.
Wow! Nicely written! I can think of how I want to describe things and have the hardest time putting it in to words like you just did. Awesome!
No way! I loved Bored to Death!
NO! Not Hung and Bored To Death! Why, why, why?
Ugh.
Not Bored to Death! Noooooo!
I love Hung and How to make in america. The latter one is so fresh and has such great characters. Thomas Jane just got nominated for a golden globe for his role and then the show is canceled???!!!
I enjoyed this season of “Hung”, but the only definite mistake I see here is the cancellation of “How to Make It In America”. Such a great cast and untraditional storytelling. It was sort of like Entourage if Entourage had been a good show.
Ugh. Hung actually got really good this season. That’s sad.
So glad that “Hung” was canceled. First season was good and had promise. Past two seasons have been awful. They should have just concentrated on Ray and eliminated the ex and kids storyline. I stopped watching b/c they were just awful and their storylines so contrived.
Totally shocked about Bored to Death. Also surprised and disappointed about Hung.
HOW TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA! How much could it possibly cost to produce their 8-episode seasons?!
If they canceling Hung due to low ratings, then I blame HBO. They moved the premiere dates from it’s original airing from June to October. It got well over 2 million more viewers when it ran from June to September. If they had left it, instead of moving it to October to December, were it goes just over 1 million viewers or under, it would have done much better, as it wasn’t competing with all of the Fall shows that air in September/October. Leaving it it the Summer run was the best thing for it. They destroyed the show by moving it.
Yea! HBO has themselves to blame for Hung’s ratings, it was doing great in the summer.
Jarrod, That comment makes absolutely too much sense. Don’t forget to mention that “Hung” got much better numbers than “Enlightened” regardless. Think about how interesting next season could have been with Tanya and Ray being the primary suspects in Lenore’s shooting? Its finale did something that should have given the show life. I’d take Jane Adams and Rebecca Creskoff 1000x over that Laura Dern half hour nap. Leaving an ending like that? Complete bu11s4it. Feel bad for “Hung”‘s Dmitry Lipkin and “Bored to Death”‘s Jonathan Ames. They should take their respective talents to F/X or Starz. HBO really made stupid decisions here.
I have to agree completely. They could have at least signed the show up for a finale season if they didn’t want it. It’s like they moved the air dates on purpose in hopes it would get canceled.
booo i really wanted to see another season of How to Make it in America
Disapppointed that BTD and HTMIIA are gone…
No more Bored to Death……this is a disgrace! The show was just getting REALLY good! I am soooo bummed!!
Right there with you. Been a huge BTD fan since the beginning, and the show just kept getting better and funnier. It took on a different tone each season, I thought, a little crazier, faster, funnier. Was really looking forward to season 4…
I loved Bored to Death.
I’m so bummed about Bored to Death. That was one of my favorite shows. Damn you, HBO!
So the most boring, least interesting of the four shows mentioned got renewed? Hhhmmmmm…….. So we’re never gonna know if Lenore was killed by Sandee? We’re never going to see Jonathan reveal the big secret he learned to Rose? Geez, if it wasn’t for “GoT” it would be a good time to cancel HBO.
No, Enlightened really was the best of the 4 shows despite the ratings. But with How to Make It In America only having 8-episode seasons, it seems really unnecessary to have canceled it.
Um…watched all four and that comment is simply not true. Luke Wilson is per usual awful and Laura Dern was playing a completely unlikeable character on a boring self righteous show that barely had as many viewers as Bored to Death. Hung, which had better numbers even though HBO seemed determined to kill it by not airing it when it was making decent numbers over the summer, was actually a show that any hard working adult could just sit back enjoy and relate to without being preached at and “Bored to Death” was a good writer making a good television show with an excellent cast – oh and it made you laugh which “Enlightened” failed to do its entire run even though it was billed a comedy. “Enlightened” couldn’t even get a laugh for its Jason Mantzoukas character which is next to impossible with the actor, for that alone it was a major failure. Diane Ladd was the only redeemable part of the whole show.
Agreed, Enlightened is awful.
WRONG! ENLIGHTENED is a BRILLIANT show! LOVE it! 5 more seasons of Enlightened HBO!!!
Enlightened is the worst show on the network!! Plus I felt like How to Make it in America was the new Entourage… Terrible decision
Cancelled show #1 guy having mindblowing sex…with his SISTER
Cancelled show#2 mddleaged male prostitute having lots of sex being managed by a creepy female pimp also having lots of sex
Cancelled show #3 Luis Guzman having gangsta sex (ewww)
Show#4 show about finding oneself not about sex at all written by a genius named Mike White….renewed! There’s a lesson here.
Could you tell me of all the 4 statements above, which was the unfunniest one?
Why would they cancel Bored To Death???? It was such a great show! C’mon HBO, I thought you were different. Bring it back!!!!!
I am going to miss Ray & Tanya. Well there’s always GoT & TB.
Now can they bring back The Comeback?
Yes please! That, or make another awesome sitcom which Lisa Kudrow deserves by virtue of sheer talent. She is sorely missed.
She is in a sitcom – Web Therapy – on Showtime (or online too)
How to make it in America was canceled????? Wtf !!! That cant be !!!
I really wanted to like Enlightened because Laura Dern is a great actress and Mike White wrote many movies I love, but the show doesn’t work for me at all. It’s dreary, depressing and almost completely devoid of likable characters. I hate how the main character keeps trying to shove her environmentalist ideas down everyone’s throats, and funny actors like Sarah Burns, Michaela Watkins and Jason Mantzoukas are completely wasted in dull roles.
Bored to Death, on the other hand, was a genuinely funny show that rebounded from a disappointing second season with an excellent season 3, although Jonathan sleeping with his half-sister creeped me out. I was hoping they were going to reveal they weren’t really half-siblings if the show got renewed, but now it’s a moot point.
How to Make It in America was a decent show, which enjoyed much more that Entourage’s last three seasons, but I can’t really say I’ll miss it. I liked Hung a lot less, but Jane Adams and the occasional female nudity kept me watching it.
That is a bummer about How to Make it in America and Hung
With Entourage ending I would have thought they would keep the shows they have, I guess they have a few new shows slated then if they decided to cancel these shows.
Interesting that How to Make it in America is a show Mark Whalberg created and it did not last but Entourage did and supposedly everyone loves Boardwalk Empire
I’m not gonna stand for this. How to make it was just getting great… big deal it needed time to pick up. Entourage wasn’t AMAZING the first season either, but it ended up being one of the all time best shows.
Let’s bring it back guys, HBO will listen if there’s enough of us!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bring-Back-How-to-Make-It-in-America-HBO/340824672611447
How to make it in America was just becoming a Great show… Let’s get it back!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bring-Back-How-to-Make-It-in-America-HBO/340824672611447
I hope Thomas Jane comes back in another TV show that lasts longer.
How To Make It In America was a great show. Too bad it got cancelled. Hopefully they the Thomas Jane to be The Punisher again for the tv show that is being tossed around.
WOAH! Didn’t expect this. Wasn’t there a recent article about how HBO doesn’t cancel shows anymore?…
Wow, Hung… great, How to Make it… great, Bored to Death… boring, Enlightened… pretty much not watchable. Disappointing.
Thrilled about Enlightened! It is a great show and just as delightfully cringe worthy as the British version of The Office. Bummer about How to Make It In America. I thought it was really well written and acted. Bored to Death was appropriately titled. It sure
bored me to death!
Why would they cancel how to make it in America?! That show was able to at least take some type of place for entourage. It’s more realistic than entourage. Their hustle to create their brand and how new York fashion was extremely attention getting. The 18-25 who wish to be and entrepreneur or even a fashion head should push for this show to stay. Every time a see a preview for enlightened it looks boring.
Can’t believe that Hung and How to Make it in America got cancelled. HBO apparently doesn’t know what they are losing. I watched Enlightened once and was bored with it. Only reason I have HBO is for their tv shows. Looks like I may have to switch to Showime now.
Bored to Death really started to suck, so I can cope with the cancellation, but Hung?? Why???? That show finally hit its stride!
Showtime is slightly better, in my opinion than HBO.
Showtime has: Homeland, Shameless, Californication, Weeds, Nurse Jackie, Dexter, The Big C, and that show House of Lies looks pretty damn good.
Can Showtime pick up Bored to Death? I know, I know, but I *can* ask can’t I?
If HBO cancels Game of Thrones after season 2 I’m boycotting lol
It’s already renewed for S3.
Sad to see that BTD didn’t get renewed. A show that made me laugh from beginning to end. Watched one episode of enlightened. Too much angst for me.
Hung!!!! Omg this a better show then Enlightened. I love hung. Hbo cancels all the wrong shoes and keeps the lousy ones.
HBO you suck I saw boycott lol
I meant say
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOHH!
Bored to Death was one of the best and most underrated shows out there. it’s such a shame to see it go :(
nooo… come on how to make it in america was just awesome … why the hell did u cancel it!!!
Just cancelled HBO
Congrats! Just lame comments will not teach HBO a lesson. After all, they want to earn money. They better listen to their subscribers’ preference for shows and clarify reasons for their decisions. Guys, MAKE them listen by choosing a language they cannot ignore!
BRING BACK DEADWOOD!!!! JUST DO IT AND MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE!!!
The only show I’m not sad to see going is how to make it.
Also, what the heck, no more eastbound and down after this next season?
Btd was great! Hung was very interesting as well, Thomas jane or whatever his name is, is incredible.
Sorry for the choppy writing, I’m on an iPhone.
This is kinda sad. :(
I was getting into Hung..I actually liked it..