It’s official — CBS is not picking up a third season of Superior Donuts, its multi-camera workplace comedy starring Jermaine Fowler and Judd Hirsch.
After a decent ratings start last spring, goosed by a plum lead-in from The Big Bang Theory, Superior Donuts was renewed for a second season with some casting changes, including the addition of Diane Guerrero, and got a full-season Season 2 pickup last fall.
CBS had been looking to make changes on Monday where the network was once the dominant force with hit comedies and CSI: Miami at 10 PM. CBS’ fortunes on the night have declined over the past couple of years, hitting a low point this season. Superior Donuts was the lowest rated of the three returning CBS series on Monday which were in a renewal contention, averaging a 1.1 adults 18-49 rating (most recent)
While the cast of the sitcom has been well received, the show didn’t quite gel together. Still, it was the only comedy series with a diverse lead on the network, something that is no longer the case as CBS just gave series orders for next season to multi-camera comedies Welcome to the Neighborhood starring Cedric the Entertainer and untitled Damon Wayans Jr. project.
Written/executive produced by Bob Daily, Neil Goldman and Garrett Donovan based on the play by Tracy Letts, Superior Donuts follows the relationships among the gruff owner (Hirsch) of a small donut shop he opened in 1969, his young and enterprising new employee/aspiring artist (Fowler) and their colorful loyal patrons in a quickly gentrifying Chicago neighborhood. Katey Sagal, David Koechner, Maz Jobriani and Rell Battle also star.
Bob Daily, Neil Goldman, Garrett Donovan, Mark Teitelbaum, John R. Montgomery, Michael Rotenberg, Josh Lieberman, Fowler and Betsy Thomas are the executive producers; CBS TV Studios is the studio.
Superior Donuts originally was piloted in January 2016 and retooled for the next development cycle with Hirsch replacing Brian d’Arcy James.
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