Fox’s music drama Star has been canceled after three seasons. Its producing studio, former Fox sibling 20th Century Fox TV, is already shopping it to other platforms. Star’s cancellation is not unexpected. As we noted in our story yesterday on Fox’s decision to pick up four new drama series, with a fifth pending, the move did not bode well for the network’s bubble dramas Star, Lethal Weapon and The Passage. All of them were canceled today. Created by Lee Daniels and Tom Donaghy, Star followed three talented singers – running from their pasts and desperate for a new start – with ambitions of stardom, as they navigate the cutthroat music business. The series spent most of its run paired with Fox’s hip-hop family drama Empire. Family soap pilot Filthy Rich, whose series pickup at Fox is pending, is being eyed as a companion for Empire. Related Story Network TV Series Cancellations For 2018-19 Season: Photo Gallery Star, which premiered onDecember 14, 2016 with Empire as its lead-in, starred Queen Latifah, Jude Demorest, Ryan Destiny, Brittany O’Grady, Amiyah Scott and Quincy Brown. Scott became the third openly transgender person to play a major trans character in a scripted television drama series. Star existed in the same musical universe as Empire and the two shows crossed over in the second season. The series also included a star-studded roster of guest stars including Lenny Kravitz, Naomi Campbell, Tyrese Gibson, Gladys Knight, Missy Elliott, Big Boi and Paris Jackson, who made her acting debut on the series. That said, Star raked in solid numbers but hit a ratings low last November. The musical drama is expensive to produce, and its international sales have been challenging, which made the renewal decisions a bit more complex. Daniels and Donaghy executive produce alongside Pamela Oas Williams. Karin Gist serves as showrunner and executive producer. Network TV Series Cancellations For 2018-19 Season: Photo Gallery<doc-sep>Fox has canceled both the drama series “The Passage” and the comedy “The Cool Kids.” Both shows aired for just one season. The multi-camera comedy “The Cool Kids” hailed from executive producer Charlie Day and starred David Alan Grier, Leslie Jordan, Vicki Lawrence and Martin Mull as four friends who live in a retirement community. These self-proclaimed “cool kids” are determined to make the third act of their lives the craziest one yet. The series was part of a Friday night comedy block on Fox anchored by “Last Man Standing.” In addition to Day, Patrick Walsh and Nick Frenkel executive produce the series. “The Cool Kids” was produced by 20th Century Fox Television, in association with FX Productions and 3 Arts Entertainment. Based on Justin Cronin’s trilogy of novels, the first season of “The Passage” centered on Amy (Saniyya Sidney), a young girl who was chosen by the scientists behind the mysterious Project Noah to be injected with a virus that was meant to cure all disease but was instead turning humans into vampire-like creatures known as virals. The 10-episode first season told a linear story of Brad Wolgast (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) kidnapping Amy from foster care to deliver her to Project Noah, only to bond with her and end up fighting to save her from the organization’s clutches. The season finale jumped forward in time 100 years, when the world was overrun by virals. Adapted for television by Elizabeth Heldens, the first season of “The Passage” also starred Jamie McShane, Caroline Chikezie, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Brianne Howey, McKinley Belcher III, Henry Ian Cusick and Vincent Piazza. It was executive produced by Heldens, Matt Reeves, Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker, Adam Kassan and Jason Ensler. The series had a long path to the screen. It was originally picked up to pilot off-cycle at the network in 2017 and eyed for a fall 2018 launch. According to sources, the original pilot came in below expectations at the network, with Fox wishing to reshoot significant portions. Complicating matters was the fact that Marcos Siega, the pilot’s director, was not readily available to direct the reshoots due to other commitments. Jason Ensler then came on board to direct the reshoots, which took place in last March in Atlanta. On Thursday, Fox ordered six new shows to series for the 2019-2020 season. That brings the networks total new series orders to eight, including the two straight-to-series orders for the animated comedies “Duncanville” and “Bless the Harts.” Fox previously renewed the shows “Empire,” “9-1-1,” “The Resident,” “Family Guy,” “Last Man Standing,” “Bob’s Burgers,” and “The Simpsons.” Comedy “Rel” and drama “The Gifted” have already been canceled.<doc-sep>Cause One Productions Inc. and Cause One Manitoba Inc. It's been a brutal day in the television business. Ahead of next week's Upfronts presentations in which they will announce their 2019-2020 television schedules, the networks have been canceling under-performing shows, while giving others renewal notices. In the past 24 hours, fourteen series have been canceled, and thirteen series have been renewed. >> Check out the gallery above for the complete list of cancelations and renewals. CBS has made some dramatic cuts to its schedule, canceling four comedies. "Murphy Brown," "Fam," "Happy Together" and "Life in Pieces" will not be returning on CBS for the 2019-2020 season. Fox canceled musical drama "Star," cop drama "Lethal Weapon," their retirement home comedy, "The Cool Kids," and the apocalyptic vampire series, "The Passage." ABC has canceled their legal dramas, "For the People" and "The Fix," and family comedies, "Speechless," "The Kids Are Alright," and "Splitting Up Together." NBC has canceled their diverse family comedy, "I Feel Bad." DON'T MISS OUT: 20 TV shows you should be watching now Somewhat unexpectedly, Fox has canceled "Star," a musical drama about three pop divas struggling to achieve stardom. The series was a spinoff of Fox's popular drama, "Empire." That series received a renewal for the 2019-2020 season, despite being embroiled in a controversy surrounding Jussie Smollett and allegations he faked a hate crime in Chicago. "Star" is currently being shopped to other networks and outlets. After three tumultuous seasons, Fox has canceled "Lethal Weapon," the cop drama based on the movie series of the same name. The show faced a casting crisis in the second season when co-star Clayne Crawford was fired for abusive on-set behavior. Sean William Scott was hired to replace him, but co-star Damon Wayans announced he was still going to leave after the third season. The news about Fox's "The Cool Kids" broke on co-star Vicki Lawrence's Instagram account, where she wrote, "One last new episode of Cool Kids tonight. End of season 1, end of @thecoolkidsfox We have been cancelled. I've had a good #cry I'll probably have another. I will miss #myboys." "The Cool Kids" starred Martin Mull, David Allen Grier, Leslie Jordan and Vicki Lawrence as mischievous retirement home occupants and aired on Fox for one season. "The Passage" was based on a novel trilogy by Justin Cronin, a former Rice University professor. The series starred Saniyya Sidney as a young girl who might have the cure for humanity and Mark-Paul Gosselaar as the man determined to protect her. The series debuted to strong numbers, but fell off in the ratings in later episodes. ENTERTAINMENT PREVIEW: Get the best headlines on music, movies, TV and more delivered to your mailbox. Sign up at HoustonChronicle.com CBS' reboot of the Candice Bergen series "Murphy Brown" took direct aim at the Trump Administration, but it seems audiences weren't interested in real-life politics in their comedy and the ratings were some of the lowest at the network. The series is canceled after one season. "Fam," the Nina Dobrev and Tone Bell family comedy was introduced on CBS quietly in the midseason and never gained much traction with viewers. It only aired for one season. The Damon Wayans Jr. vehicle "Happy Together" was loosely based on pop star Harry Styles' life. It is canceled at CBS after one season. The ensemble family comedy "Life in Pieces" was CBS' answer to "Modern Family." The comedy featured an all-star cast, including Dianne Wiest, James Brolin, Betsy Brandt, and Colin Hanks. CBS is canceling the comedy after four seasons. "The Fix," a legal drama created by Marcia Clark about a Los Angeles D.A. who is haunted by the famous actor she was unable to prosecute for murder, has been canceled after one season on ABC. It starred Robin Tunney and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. "Speechless" ends after three seasons. The family comedy which starred Mimi Driver as the mother of a son with cerebral palsy was ABC's lowest-rated series, though it was celebrated by critics for its inclusiveness. The divorce comedy, "Splitting Up Together," has been canceled by ABC after two seasons. The series about a couple whose relationship is sparked alive by their divorce, starred Jenna Fischer and Oliver Hudson. "The Kids Are Alright," a comedy following a traditional Irish-Catholic family in the seventies, has been canceled by ABC after only one season. The series starred Michael Cudlitz and Mary McCormack and was erratic in its ratings. The news about "For the People" broke on co-star Ben Rappaport's Twitter account where he wrote in part, "Unfortunately, ABC has decided not to renew FOR THE PEOPLE for another season. We are heartbroken." "For the People" was produced by aired Shonda Rhimes' production company, Shondaland, and aired for two seasons on ABC. NBC canceled "I Feel Bad" after one season. The family comedy about a working mom who struggles to hold everything together starred Sarayu Blue, and was one of NBC's lowest-rated series. But it's not all bad news. On CBS, the Matt LeBlanc comedy "Man With a Plan" was renewed for a fourth season. NBC announced that their mystery drama, "Blindspot" would be returning for a fifth and final season. ABC has officially renewed three series from producer Shonda Rhimes: "Station 19," "How to Get Away With Murder" and "Grey's Anatomy." "Grey's Anatomy" was renewed for two additional seasons, and is ABC's highest-rated drama. ABC also announced the Nathan Fillion vehicle, "The Rookie" will be back in the fall. Family comedies "American Housewife," "Fresh Off the Boat," "Single Parents," and "Bless This Mess" have also been renewed. Popular long-running reality series, "Dancing with the Stars" and "The Bachelor" will also return next season. Late on Friday night, "The Goldbergs"' star, Wendy McLendon Covey tweeted that the ABC family comedy had been renewed, writing, "Buckle up schmoos! Just got word that @TheGoldbergsABC is coming back for SEASON 7! So thankful I get to keep working with my beautiful tv fam, insanely talented crew, and sexy-as-hell writers! #TheGoldbergs." Therese Odell writes about television at FoolishWatcher.com.<doc-sep>
The cancellation of musical drama Star was a “tough choice” for Fox but came as it wanted to give Empire the “send-off it deserves.” Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier told Deadline that the Star cancellation was tied in to the fact that it wanted to prioritize Empire as it moves into its sixth and final season. Speaking on Fox’s upfronts press call, Collier said, “We looked at our priorities and were trying to prioritize giving Empire the send-off it deserves. The move [of Empire] to 9pm, made it a challenge because Star was always the lead-out from Empire and obviously we don’t have the 10pm hour, so it was another tough choice in a year where we were prioritizing Empire and obviously some of the other shows that we’ve put on the schedule.” The first three seasons of Empire aired on Fox at Wednesday at 9pm before moving to 8pm to accommodate Star in the 9pm hour. Empire will now move to Tuesdays behind The Resident for its final season. Star was cancelled after three seasons, although former Fox sibling 20th Century Fox TV is shopping the show to other platforms. Star’s cancellation was not unexpected and comes after Fox picked up a raft of new dramas. Star raked in solid numbers but hit a ratings low last November. The musical drama is expensive to produce, and its international sales have been challenging, which made the renewal decisions a bit more complex. Star followed three talented singers – running from their pasts and desperate for a new start – with ambitions of stardom, as they navigate the cutthroat music business. The show premiered in December 2016, with Empire as its lead-in, and starred Queen Latifah, Jude Demorest, Ryan Destiny, Brittany O’Grady, Amiyah Scott and Quincy Brown. Scott became the third openly transgender person to play a major trans character in a scripted television drama series. Star existed in the same musical universe as Empire and the two shows crossed over in the second season. The series also included a star-studded roster of guest stars including Lenny Kravitz, Naomi Campbell, Tyrese Gibson, Gladys Knight, Missy Elliott, Big Boi and Paris Jackson, who made her acting debut on the series. Daniels and Donaghy executive produce alongside Pamela Oas Williams. Karin Gist serves as showrunner and executive producer.