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The big bloodbath of network TV cancellations took place back in May, but a number of shows have gotten the axe in the weeks since. Now, one more series has been cancelled. Freeform's Famous in Love has been cancelled after two seasons. Bella Thorne will not return as Paige Townsen for a third season. In this case, ratings were not the only reason behind the cancellation.
Famous in Love ended its second season back on May 30, so that Season 2 finale will now double as a series finale. THR reports that Freeform originally intended to green-light a third season of Famous in Love, but the cost of the series proved problematic. Warner Horizon Scripted Television, which produces the show, balked at the price tag for a third season and asked streaming partner Hulu to pay for more of the production costs. Hulu has the streaming video on demand rights to Famous in Love, so Warner Horizon Scripted Television may have felt optimistic about getting more money from the streamer.
Hulu elected not to shell out more money for a third season, which is likely tied to Famous in Love's disappointing viewership in same-day calculations. Season 2 averaged a mere 254,000 viewers total, which is down from the already-low 330,000 viewers in Season 1. Admittedly, basic cable networks like Freeform don't demand the same kind of ratings as any of the broadcast networks or even other cable networks like AMC, but those numbers just weren't enough to save Famous in Love from cancellation when combined with the high cost. Compare them to the record-breaking ratings from Freeform's new hit Cloak and Dagger, and it's not difficult to understand why Famous in Love didn't get a reprieve after Hulu turned down the higher price tag.
While fans may be devastated that Famous in Love is coming to a premature end, rumor has it that not everybody at the show will be disappointed by the news that the show will be no more. Star Bella Thorne reportedly did not get along with showrunner I. Marlene King, who is a Freeform veteran after executive producing and running the hit Pretty Little Liars. According to sources, Thorne wanted to leave the show and was unwilling to work on Freeform-organized events, such as cast live-tweets during the second season. Her behavior has evidently been described as "diva-like."
That said, Bella Thorne posted a reaction to the cancellation on Twitter, and it doesn't point toward her being relieved that her show got the axe. Take a look:
If this is how I find out our show is canceled..I’m going to be so upset. Very hurtful freeform. I woulda liked a phone call maybe. https://t.co/B6Q5BX8hkt
— BITCHIMBELLATHORNE (@bellathorne) June 26, 2018Okay, so the tweet technically only states that Bella Thorne would have liked a heads up that her show was cancelled and doesn't make the point that she's upset that it was cancelled, but she's clearly not happy. Can we really blame her? Nobody wants to learn life-changing news when scrolling through social media.
In case you're in the mood to rewatch (or watch) Famous in Love now that it's been cancelled, you can find both seasons streaming in full on Hulu. For some other viewing options, check out our summer TV premiere schedule.
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