Abby’s Cancelled at NBC After 1 Season
It’s last call at Abby’s: NBC has cancelled the outdoor bar comedy after just one season.
The first-ever sitcom shot before a live, outdoor audience, Abby’s boasted a solid behind-the-scenes pedigree. Good Place creator Mike Schur served as an executive producer, while the pilot was directed by How I Met Your Mother vet Pamela Fryman.
On camera, Natalie Morales (The Grinder) played the title character, a former Marine sergeant who ran an illegal bar out of her San Diego, Calif. home. Rounding out the ensemble were Neil Flynn (Scrubs, The Middle), Nelson Franklin (New Girl), Jessica Chaffin (Search Party) and relative newcomers Leonard Ouzts and Kimia Behpoornia. (TVLine readers gave the series premiere an average grade of “C+.”)
Averaging just over a 0.4 demo rating, Abby’s came in dead last among all NBC sitcoms this season, and 19th among all scripted series, outranking only the previously cancelled Midnight, Texas.
The comedy was one of three midseason shows to get axed at NBC on Thursday, along with freshman dramas The Village and The Enemy Within. They join A.P. Bio, which the network cancelled earlier this month after two seasons.
The season finale of Abby’s — which now serves as its series finale — airs Thursday, June 13 at 9:30/8:30c. Our Renewal Scorecard has been updated to reflect the show’s demise.
Not surprised. I wanted to like it, because of the cast and the EP, and I watched every episode, but it never got there for me.
Felt exactly the same, Neil Flynn was wasted in this.
Completely agree. I wanted to like it because of Mike Schur’s involvement and Neil Flynn, but it just never really connected for me.
Neil Flynn looked like he walked off of “The Middle” set and onto “Abbey’s”, flannel shirt and all. The outside audience took me completely out of the show.
Exactly what I have said about Neil Flynn, about the flannel shirts. The time slot was bad , so I never saw the show. I read last year that Neil Flynn reportedly took home some or all of Mike Heck’s flannel shirts. The pilot was filmed starting three days after the last episode of The Middle was shot last March. Obviously the flannel shirts did not bring any luck.
You only see the outside audience at the very beginning of the show when they are announcing its filmed in front of a live outdoor audience. How did that take you out of the show?
There were audience shots when coming back from commercial in at least two of the episodes.
There were always audience shots, yes. Last night there were several.
no sh** it was terrible
This actually was starting to grow on me as its ensemble started to “click.” Seems like MOST midesason shows are doomed lately though. I enjoyed seeing Flynn break out of his stoic typecasting mold.
Agree. The writing and the chemistry between the characters steadily improved. It should have been given a second chance.
I agree it was cancelled way to early….
I wanted so badly to like this show- the premise sounded questionable, and the trailer looked bad, but Mike Schur, Pamela Fryman, Natalie Morales, Neil Flynn, Nelson Franklin- love, love, love, love, love. Sadly, I could barely get through three episodes- few jokes ever landed, and the cast chemistry just wasn’t there.
Agree. I tried because I love the actors in it, but I just didn’t laugh or care. I love the actors, they all deserve better material
It should have started in the fall, but not surprised.
Why would it have mattered? It got held to midseason because they likely weren’t as confident in it as other shows and as the comments here attest they were right in thinking that.
What is the point of even having TV shows premiere mid-season, they all seem to get cancelled anyway, such a shame.
Still very bitter about Deception and Whiskey Cavalier.
I came to say I really wanted to like this show. But just couldn’t get into it. I see I’m not the only one.
The problem with Abby’s was, well, Abby. She was the least likeable character, by a wide margin, on the show. She came off as very mean and very selfish. It was hard to get into a show about a person I didn’t like.
I totally agree with that, Patrick.
I liked the experimental aspect of the live outside audience, but never really warmed to the show. I’d rather watch my collection of LIVE Undateable shows, which NBC goofed by cancelling a few years ago. In this case, I think they got it right.
Yes! Undatable actually got better when they started doing live episodes! I was hoping Abby’s would have that same type of energy, eventhough it wasn’t a live show.
now I just remembered how much I miss undateable. I wish they didn’t cancel that one
I tried watching it and just didn’t find it funny.
Never heard of it
Since TVLine viewers would give footage of someone raking leaves an A, things were not looking good for this show after that C+ grade.
I’m bummed to say it didn’t entertain me. I liked the cast, creator and plot line and watched every episode hoping it would get better.
I like it than AP BIO and the fans are petitioning for AP BIO. They need to get on twitter for Abby’s also.
The Village was an amazing show. Why keep stupid shows on, and cancel a heartwarming, beautiful
Show like thus. Really stupid move
Bring it back! It grew on me!
NBC cancels more sitcoms nowadays.
I did like it sometimes but for me it was just a show that was on. I really like all the actors and team behind it, just the story wasn’t that great.
not surprised… she’s a bully and there is nothing funny about being a bully.
I was looking forward to this until I saw it. Really like the cast, but the writing was terrible. And the over-effusive laugh track killed it for me.
Then they can un-cancel Santa Clarita Diet and have her back on that show!
Neil Flynn was the only reason I attempted to watch this show. Now, I wait for his next
Dumped.
This show sucked. A good cast with crappy writing. Jokes were horrible.
Americans are crazy. They like lousy shows. This was a good one though.
Really liked the show. The cast was just starting to really click well together and it was pretty funny. Wife and I anticipated the next episode every week. Wish the show would have been given a better chance. As some have said, it probably would have done much better released in the fall.
I agree with Bigdadrd! I enjoyed the show and thought the cast clicked. I would have liked to see another season…