The Lil Rel Howery-starring comedy Rel will not get a second season at Fox. The network has canceled the comedy series from Jerrod Carmichael, Mike Scully and 20th Century Fox TV, after one season.
Of the other two Fox freshman comedy series, Last Man Standing is fully expected to be renewed while The Cool Kids is heavily on the bubble.
There was a hint at Rel’s fate when Fox last fall opted not to give a back order to the series. (The network ended up trimming the original order from 13 to 12 episodes.)Rel did not take advantage of its post-Family Guy time slot on Sunday. Its first season averaged a modest 0.8 adults 18-49 rating and 2.1 million viewers in Live+7.
The Rel family suffered a tragic loss in January when co-creator/executive producer Kevin Barnett died suddenly while vacationing in Mexico, a little over a week after the season one finale had aired.
Written/executive produced by Josh Rabinowitz & Barnett and Howery, Rel was inspired by Howery’s life. It centered on Lil Rel, a prideful, self-made success who lives by the code to “always believe in yourself and great things will come,” finds that attitude put to the test when he learns his wife is having an affair with his own barber. He tries to rebuild his life post-divorce as a long-distance single father on the West Side of Chicago on a quest for love, respect, and a new barber.
Jess “Hilarious” Moore and Jordan L. Jones also co-starred in the series. Scully served as showrunner and executive produced alongside Carmichael.
Source: Deadline
