Showtime has announced that acclaimed dramedy SMILF has been cancelled after two seasons.
“After weighing a variety of factors, Showtime has decided that SMILF will not move forward for a third season,” the network said in a statement Friday. “The remainder of the second season will continue to air as scheduled on Showtime through its series finale on March 31. We remain extremely proud of the two seasons of SMILF, and thank Frankie Shaw for her singular voice and unique creation, as well as the dozens of writers, producers, actors, directors and crew members both in Los Angeles and on location in Boston, who contributed to this exceptional series.”
The news comes months after The Hollywood Reporter first reported about misconduct claims against showrunner/star Frankie Shaw, including two mishandled sex scenes (one of which caused an actress to quit the series) and segregating writers by race. In January, lawmakers in the show’s filming state of Massachusetts wrote a letter urging the state government to suspend the show’s tax incentives as a result of said accusations.
In addition to the series being cancelled, ABC Studios has suspended its contract with Shaw while they review their options. Reportedly, she and Showtime were making preparations for a third season when the Hollywood Reporter expose was published.
Averaging 4.4 million viewers across platforms when it was renewed in November 2017, the first season of SMILF also generated significant buzz in the form of two Golden Globe nominations. Season two was met with improved reviews from season one even in the wake of the controversy, but with the possibility of no tax incentives, an on-going investigation, a publicly tarnished brand, and lower season two ratings, Showtime decided that it was time to cut bait.
Based on Shaw’s short film of the same name, SMILF followed 20-something Bridgette (Shaw) as she attempted to raise her young son while dealing with her prickly mother and reconciling her failed basketball dreams and past sexual trauma with her present reality.
The series finale of SMILF is set to air Sunday, March 31st at 10:30 on Showtime.
