ABC Boss Talks the End of ‘Castle’ and ‘Nashville’

Marisa Roffman
20 Comments
Nashville, Hayden Panettiere - 'What I Cannot Change'
Mark Levine/ABC
NASHVILLE - “What I Cannot Change” - A familiar face—Juliette Barnes—finally returns to Nashville after receiving treatment for postpartum depression and finds herself at a critical crossroads upon her homecoming. Layla, weeks away from launching her first album, courts country-music superstar Autumn Chase (played by Alicia Witt) in order to secure an opening slot on her tour. Rayna, while shepherding Layla, is motivated to take up a worthy cause. Elsewhere, Will decides to produce his own record, and Colt presents Luke with a difficult proposition, on “Nashville,” WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Mark Levine) HAYDEN PANETTIERE

ABC cut a number of shows to make room for the new series launching during the 2016-2017 season. But among the most unexpected were the cancellations of Nashville and Castle, bubble shows that had made moves (albeit controversial ones) to help guarantee their pickups.

“In terms of the behind-the-scenes thing that were happening on both Castle and Nashville, the studios in each case were looking for the best creative and financial ways to make room for a ninth season of Castle and a fifth season of Nashville,” new ABC Entertainment Group president Channing Dungey told reporters on a conference call. “They were definitely engaged in a bunch of conversations on a studio level on what would set them up the best for success should they get the order.”

RELATED: ABC’s 2016-2017 Fall Schedule

On a network level, “in terms of what we were discussing internally…it was the best fit for things on the schedule,” Dungey said. “Obviously looking at ratings, looking at our own finances, looking at some of the new development. A lot of those decisions did come down to the wire, which is the difficult thing about these jobs: you have to weigh and measure a bunch of different things. At the end of the day, it didn’t feel that—even though both Castle and Nashville were wonderful shows for us and good performers for a long time—the future for us did not really lie in those shows.”

Castle’s series finale aired Monday night, with (spoiler alert!) an added “happily ever after” scene serving as the closing moments of the show. Nashville, which airs its series finale on May 25, is being shopped by its studio for a potential new home.

CastleNashville (2012)



Conversation20 Comments

Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.

Comments are closed on this story.

  1. P

    PurpleCocktail

    I hope all of ABC's new shows tank like the Titanic! Castle had more life in it if they hadn't fired Stana and had better showrunners. Idiots!!!

    6

    1. G

      GoldGlasses

      If I could give a thumbs up I so would!!!
      👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

      4

  2. B

    BlueGrapes

    ABC made a bad choice when cancelling some of their most fan based shows.....Bad move on their part. With country music being so popular with today's generation there was nothing else like it on television....Too many shows that are not family friendly on television today and it's always one of a kind shows that are getting cancelled.

    4

    1. O

      OliveSailboat

      Linda...this is why I refuse to watch any new ABC series and I have done this since they cancelled Brothers and Sisters. Over the last 10 years, every time I liked a show, most of the time it was on ABC. I helped with writing letters to ABC...the works.....but one by one they kept canceling good shows....shows that had lots of life still in them. I hate ABC, and now I officially am DONE with ABC (except The Bachelor, cause if they cancel it, I won't be too sad.). ABC counts on people to watch new series when their favorite old ones are cancelled.....why bother? They just cancel them.

    2. C

      CyanTag

      Yes!!!

  3. O

    OliveGrapes

    The only thing they care about is money...in the case of NNashville, ABC could have made a lot of money on merchandise and touring...dumb move...

    4

    1. P

      PurplePizza

      ABC doesn't own Nashville.

    2. G

      GoldPopsicle

      it's a co-production between ABC Studios and Lionsgate

      1

    3. G

      GreenTurtle

      Everyone keep your fingers crossed that Lionsgate can find a new network for Nashville to air on!

      1

    4. C

      CyanTag

      Thank God

    5. C

      CyanTag

      I am
      I love Nashville

  4. B

    BlueCone

    Please find Nashville a new home AND better writers who know what the fans want, MORE MUSIC and music based content, yeah, you can throw in some drama and even a tearjerker or two, but we basically do not need another soapy idiocy where NO ONE is happy~!

    2

  5. O

    OrangeCandy

    Goodbye ABC.

    2

  6. G

    GoldBlowdryer

    Well I guess the fact that Channing Dungay's sister is on the show she has scheduled for 10 o'clock Monday night to replace Castle is mere coincidence! Bet it won't get cancelled!

    2

  7. G

    GreenTurtle

    I cannot believe that Nashville has been cancelled. The show was shown so much support by the city of Nashville and many country artists. It is the only show of its type on the air these days, and the show has many fans. I'm also very disappointed with the cancellation of Castle. ABC, these were very bad moves. I'm hoping that another network will pick up Nashville. I guess we all know why CBS is consistently the number one network -- they obviously care more about the fans!

    1

    1. O

      OliveSailboat

      True, CBS is better as far as caring about viewers as well as profits.

  8. R

    RedButton

    As usual Disney is only in just one thing, that almighty dollar. Channing Dungey should Should maybe consider the fans and grow some and stand up to the Mouse.

    1

  9. G

    GreenCupcake

    What future are you talking about? Aren't the loyal viewers more important?

    1

  10. G

    GoldAnchor

    I will sure miss Nashville. All the shows now GOTHIC, COMICS what a shame. I suppose some of us do not buy enough from the advertising!!! Big mistake we are the ones that can afford it. Wake up Corporate I do understand the bottom line and this sure is not it. Bad choice canceling these shows. Maybe some networks will pick these up that do understand................

  11. B

    BlueTooth

    LOL big Corporations are just like the government they think they know the people but they do not to bad we couldn't Vote on who runs the company! I would Vote Trump to run it all lol