HBO Cancels 'Hello Ladies' and 'Family Tree'

Credit: HBO

To those who say it's rare for HBO doesn't cancel shows in their first season in this day and age, the network has offered a pair of rebuttals.

HBO has canceled freshman comedies Family Tree and Hello Ladies.

Family Tree, from writer-director Christopher Guest, starred Bridesmaids and Girls alum Chris O’Dowd as a young man researching the lineage of his quirky family. The show never really got off to a great start, although some of the cost was offset by the fact that the series was a co-production with the BBC and NBCUniversal International. However, this wasn't enough to save the show, which failed to find an audience.

Meanwhile, Hello Ladies was intended to be a launching pad for creator and star Stephen Merchant. The series centered on a British expat's seemingly fruitless search for love in Los Angeles. Its episode run came to an end in November. However, while the show ultimately didn't work out, HBO has said the show will conclude with a “wrap-up” special, though they're uncertain when, exactly, it will air.

Of course, it's not all bad news: Getting On, a comedy-drama set in a rundown hospital, is reportedly close to earning a second season, thanks to solid reviews and decent ratings. Based on a BBC series, the show was developed for HBO by Big Love alums Mark Olsen and Will Sheffer. The network's push towards honing their original comedy lineup has been evident in recent months, with a prime launch for the third season of Girls, and an even more substantial premiere for the new series Looking, which centers on a group of gay men living in San Francisco. Though HBO has mostly been known for its dramas, it's great to see the network really begin shoring up its comedy lineup. Hell, they needed to, particularly now that Eastbound & Down is gone.

Via: Variety