'Today we mourn': A Red Wedding of TV cancellations hit several American shows.

by Thinus Ferreira

There's blood in the TV water after a string of overnight TV show cancellations in America that saw multiple series seen in South Africa getting the cancellation axe.

Most cancelled TV shows are from the small CW network owned jointly by Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount that faces a future of very likely being sold off to Nexstar in the United States. 

Another factor playing a role in the cancellations is that the studios making shows for CW used to earn multi-million-dollar revenue from licensing and selling that content internationally, to for instance Netflix, which is no longer happening since these Hollywood studios like CBS Studios are keeping the shows "in-house" and channelling them to their own video streaming services to help drive subscribers growth to their own new services.

The supernatural institution of the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted is no longer accepting applications with Legacies, seen on M-Net (DStv 101), which has been cancelled after 4 seasons. 

Set in the same universe as The Originals (which lasted 5 seasons) and The Vampire Diaries (which ran for 8 seasons), it brings an end to a 13-year run of The Vampire Diaries world.

Executive producer Julie Plec on Twitter, referring to the shocking and infamous bloodbath killing scene in Game of Thrones, only said: "It's the Red Wedding at WBTV/CW today. Much more to say, but not today. Loads of gratitude coming from fans and cast and crew in future tweets. But today, we mourn".

With Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow, also seen on M-Net, were also cancelled earlier this month, the cancellation bear on Thursday also bit and killed off the reboot of Dynasty (seen on Netflix SA) after 5 seasons, Charmed seen on M-Net (after 4 seasons), Roswell, New Mexico seen on M-Net (after 4 seasons), the reboot of 4400 and Naomi (after its first season).

The Endgame from NBC that just started on M-Net in April has also been cancelled after its first season, as well as In the Dark seen on M-Net (after 4 seasons), and Magnum P.I. (seen on M-Net) after 4 seasons. 

United States of Al and B Positive also both seen on M-Net were both cancelled after their second seasons, with series Good Sam and How We Roll also getting cancelled after their first seasons.

Coronavirus: CBS Studios in America reduces the episode orders of new seasons of several scripted drama series due to Covid-19 production challenges.

by Thinus Ferreira

CBS Studios in the United States has decided to reduce the number of episodes of new seasons of several scripted series because of production challenges given the Covid-19 global pandemic.

Producers and production companies need more time to craft and film episodes given new precautionary measures, including on-set, as well as remote working and social distancing regulations. 

Production costs have also increased because of Covid-19, meaning that fewer episodes can realistically be produced within the same budget constraints.

The upcoming new seasons of NCIS (seen on M-Net, DStv 101 and Universal TV, DStv 117), Blue Bloods (seen on M-Net City, DStv 115), Bull (seen on M-Net, DStv 101), The Neighborhood (seen on 1Magic, DStv 103), SEAL Team (seen on M-Net City, DStv 115) and Magnum P.I (seen on M-Net, DStv 101), that were all renewed for 22 episodes, will now all be reduced to either 16 or 18 episodes for their latest seasons.

The modified number of episodes per CBS Studios show for their new seasons are: Blue Bloods (16), Bull (16), Magnum P.I. (16), The Neighborhood (18), NCIS (16), NCIS: Los Angeles (18), NCIS: New Orleans (16), and SEAL Team (16).

As more American studios ramp up production on new seasons, more of them might very well announce truncated and scaled back episode orders for their latest seasons.