TNT Cancels Saving Grace, Too Expensive For Fox TV Studios
August 14th, 2009 | 12 Comments | Email | Share | TweetTNT has canceled Saving Grace. The acclaimed drama will come to an end with a nine-episode final season scheduled to air next summer. Originally, the network had ordered a 15-episode third season, with nine to run this summer and six in the winter. TNT now has ordered three more episodes, which will be added to the six earmarked for winter, and the nine episodes will run next summer. Saving Grace has been a ratings success for TNT, pulling in an average of more than 3.5 million viewers this past summer and ranks first in its time period for the adults and the women 25-54 demographics.
TNT offered Saving Grace producer Fox TV Studios a full fourth-season pickup, but the studio declined to accept it for financial reasons. Faced with the possibility for an abrupt end to the show, known for its woven story lines, TNT decided to order the extra episodes that would tie up all the loose ends. The network also opted give the show a proper sendoff in the summer, when cable series do much better.
Created by Nancy Miller, Saving Grace stars Hunter as Grace Hanadarko, a high-spirited detective who holds nothing back, on the job or in her personal life. The role has earned Hunter two Emmy nominations.
Kenneth Johnson, Leon Rippy, Yaani King and Laura San Giacomo co-star on the show, which Miller is exec producing with Gary A. Randall and Artie Mandelberg.
What a great show, with great ratings. But Hollywood shows us again, its all about the money. This is the same reason SciFi canceled Farscape. Fox just keeps rolling through destroying good television.
When I saw this run on HLN I literally… literally lost my breath and stared at the TV as if an alien was emerging from the boob tube! I mean, you have got be kidding me! This is the most honest, truly emotional, gut wrenching, hard hitting TV show on today (okay, for me it is) and I am totally flabbergasted at the cancellation of such a great show. It’s going to be like watching 10 bazillion things going on in each episode to tie up the loose ends, and I hope with all my heart that Nancy Miller and her writing staff can pull it off without making the show absolutely ridiculous. What would be the greatest thing is if another network picks this show up. Hell, if I had the money, I’d pick it up. This just sucks, FOX – thanks for continuing to make 2009 one of the worst years in a very, very long time for me – you’re right up there with the freaking IRS!!! BAH!
My heart is breaking to hear this news! Loosing Saving Grace is like losing family. How can a show that brings in great ratings be considered “Too Expensive” compared to so much of the other pith that is aired on T.V.???
I can’t believe Fox could be this short sighted. I am very dissapointed.
Like my “Grace Girls” commenting above, I am once again absolutely floored by network egghead’s total disregard for what the viewing public wants! Look back to the history of television! Ask all of us who faithfully tuned in to CHEERS! or MASH? Thankfully networks listened then. Do Fox studio advertiser’s not pay enough for commercials? I, too am heartbroken to think that Grace & her very real cast of characters won’t be here much longer.
THIS REALLY SUCKS!!!!! I have all but given up on TV. I thought fox was the last redeemer on freedom and good features. Maybe the producers need to make this a movie series, I’d pay for the big screen. Movie rentals is all that’s left, so fox watch your revenues TANK.
Maybe CBS, ABC or NBC will pick it up, that will show them, I live for Grace.
I cannot beleive fox cancelled saving grace.all I can say is Fox Network this is a true Dis-Grace. You should be embracing you Grace.
Are you kidding me? Saving Grace with Holly Hunter is so different than anything else on T.V.! I can’t believe Fox is cancelling it! There are not a lot of good shows on TV, Saving Grace is the EXCEPTION! This is a VERY BAD decision…. Bring her BACK to her loyal fans!
I just want to say that this is the one show that I felt was worth my time to tune in every week to watch. Ever. And I have tuned in faithfully for 3 seasons and have been anticipating the fourth. Any network out there with any good sense will surely pick this series up. Grace fans will be heartbroken if not. What a pity that Fox couldn’t afford such a magnificent portrayal of “real” characters facing real problems that a lot of people can relate to. By the grace of God, I hope this isn’t the end!!
I am shocked like the rest of the viewing public…Saving Grace is the best show out there!! I will stop watching FOX produced shows and TNT for that matter!!
I had stopped watching regular programming for many years until TNT came up with The Closer and then Saving Grace. It figures that they will cancel one of the two programs I watch. It simply doesn’t pay, folks, to get involved with TV programming anymore. Do yourselves a favor – take up yoga, or school or social events. Leave TV shows where they belong – in the trash.
I have been waiting so long for the new season of Saving
Grace. I was so disappointed to hear that they are cancelling the show.. How could you. I love Grace and ive never missed a single episode. And what about Earl? How am i gonna make it. Maybe another channel will see what tnt will lose and pick it up. Never really watched tnt until Saving Grace and i think it will be a long time before i watch it again. A Very long time. I love this show. And i will miss all the actors. They are truly one of a kind. Im still in disbelief. Thanks tnt.
We are in recession. I’m as bummed as all of you are. It’s been a fantastic series. And more, it’s handled religion intelligently. I’ve been happy that Earl is an equal opportunity angel and able to handle other than Christian people.
Economics need to be payed attention to. Too bad show biz execs are generally just number crunchers and not artists in their own right. Probably too much to ask.
Fortunately there’s other intelligent programing: NCIS, Bones, and a few others.
Frankly, I was a little concerned this past summer that the writing team was running out of gas. A couple of the scripts seemed a little – well – silly, in places. The use of other angels beside Earl seemed just for the “giggles.”
I doubt a letter writing campaign to Fox would do any good. If they tie everything in a nice neat package, some entity such as HBO is unlikely to pick it up, I would think – unless there is something there to follow with.