The news on Thursday wasn't what I had expected. ABC announced that it had canceled Single Parents after two seasons.
The series was about single parents helping raise each other and their children. If you're a fan of New Girl and Friends, this show might be the one to watch. The recently canceled series was my favorite comedy out of the ABC network, with The Conners. The series wasn't just well-written; the characters were so grounded and well-connected. The chemistry of this ensemble cast is so irresistible no matter who you pair one another within an episode.
But if I had to choose one pair I'd enjoyed through this series, it was Taran Killam and Leighton Meester's Will Copper and Angie D'Amato. While the two are best friends, they come to terms in the second season that they have feelings for one another. It was in the season finale (that's now a series finale) that Angie learned Will's feelings for her. And you can't tell me we can't get the third season after that moment?
Yes, I'm very much upset and sad about the news. I looked forward to seeing where Will and Angie would go after that cliffhanger. With what's going on with COVID-19, the network would want to keep a good chunk of their shows (they picked up 13 shows for renewal). While a few of the shows that got picked up over, Single Parents had about the same Live+3 Days DVR rating, but Single Parents had a higher DVR in the L+7 rating.
But the thing that has stuck in my mind since the announcement that ABC is renewing shows that build a strategy to bring people together, create cultural moments, and make content that entertains and inspires across generations and demographics. Single Parents fits that model that the network's plan for the new season. The series has a substantial diversity that appeals to many people who are single and raising kids.
While ABC made a wrong decision, they could have placed the series on their streaming service, whether it's Hulu or Disney+. This would have been more like what NBC did with A.P. Bio. The series ran for two seasons until it was canceled, and then NBC picked it up and placed it on their streaming service, Peacock Streaming Service. Hulu fits the show best because of its humorous content. I would plead with ABC to reconsider saving the show.
After hearing about it from many people, this show spoke to me over a year ago. I watched the entire first season and fell in love with it after the second episode. The characters just spoke out; the humor was so funny, and I got all the jokes. The show has a lot of heart, with moments that made me want to grab a tissue or another glass of wine. Back in April, my grandmother and I watched the first season and caught up in the second season. She loved it. It's a different family show without taking the meaning of family out of it.
I'm just hoping there's a miracle for another show, like The Mind Project, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, One Day at a Time, and The Last Man Standing, that got saved from other networks and streaming services. A show like Single Parents shouldn't be left out; it deserves to be on, as it has five to seven seasons ahead of it.
The hashtag #SaveSingleParents trended yesterday as fans voiced their opinions and even signed a petition. Could this help? I hope so; we've seen shows get picked up before because of fans speaking out. We can get Single Parents to be the next one. Come on, ABC, don't be like Netflix or make the same mistake with Last Man Standing.
