Mayim Bialik Comedy Series Call Me Kat Has Been Canceled At Fox
The hits just don't stop coming for television. Fox has canceled Mayim Bialik's sitcom "Call Me Kat" after three seasons, according to TVLine. The cancellation came less than 24 hours after the show's last original episode aired, harshening the blow.
A rep from Fox told the outlet in a statement:
"We are very proud of 'Call Me Kat.' But, unfortunately, the audience response to it was not as strong as we had hoped. We are thankful for our partnership with Warner Bros. Television, That's Wonderful Productions, Sad Clown Productions, BBC Studios, Mayim Bialik, Jim Parsons and the entire cast and crew for their work and dedication to 'Call Me Kat.'"
The series premiered in January 2021, and was inspired by-slash-loosely based on the established British comedy "Miranda." Miranda Hart, who starred in the original series, was one of the show's executive producers alongside actor Jim Parsons, whom Bialik used to be married to on "The Big Bang Theory."
In the multi-camera comedy series, Bialik's Kat uses her life savings to open a cat café in Louisville, Kentucky after leaving her somewhat cushy and stable life as a math professor in the wake of her father's death. Her mother doesn't approve of the decision, and thus, a sitcom was born. Cheyenne Jackson, Kyla Pratt, Julian Gant, and the late Leslie Jordan made up the show's supporting cast.
The losses of Call Me Kat
During season 3, the beloved Jordan died in a car accident following a sudden cardiac dysfunction, which naturally left a gaping hole in the cast and the overall world of "Call Me Kat." But the show ended up paying a very beautiful homage to the comedian's memory. Back in January, an episode revealed that Jordan's character, Phil, ended up marrying his boyfriend, Jalen. The pair also moved to Tahiti after connecting with the island during a romantic trip—so he gets to live on.
Despite solid ratings—and ranking third on the network, according to TVLine — it seems those behind the show were potentially bracing for impact following the season finale. Jackson posted somewhat of a farewell to the show on Instagram ahead of the finale:
"Whatever the future brings, these past three years of making 50+ episodes of 'Call Me Kat' are something I'll never forget, and I will cherish the memories I've made and the friendships I've gained. Thank you to the most incredible producers, the fantastic crew, thank you to our talented writers, our hair and [makeup], wardrobe, catering, post production, and to every single person who helped tell these sometimes silly, sometimes poignant stories. We're not curing cancer here, we're just trying to bring some joy and we want to thank you for being along for the ride. Hopefully we'll see you for season 4, and if not, happy trails to you."
Ultimately, it seems not even the high-rated sitcoms that make up the viewing diet for large swaths of the country aren't even safe now from the "cost-cutting" measures studios are ruthlessly employing in the name of their bottom line. At this point, nothing is safe—and that's a sad realization for art, no matter the genre or medium.