Why The Big Show Show was canceled
In late August, The Big Show Show was canceled along with another Netflix comedy, Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love (aka The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia), also coming to an end after one season.
Notably, both of these series are what’s known in the industry as multi-camera (or multi-cam) sitcoms, comedies filmed in front of live studio audiences on fixed sets with a number of cameras. Famous examples include Friends, Seinfeld and, more recently, The Big Bang Theory and Mom.
Though Netflix has produced a number of multi-cams over the years, including The Ranch (which ended in January), Alexa and Katie (canceled in June), and One Day at a Time, it now only has one major one left, Mr. Iglesias.
The reason why the streamer has moved away from these kinds of comedies may be due to the way Netflix orders its series. Whereas traditional multi-cams on network television film pilots, one-off episodes that allow networks to see the chemistry between the cast, before they order full series, Netflix generally orders series all at once without making a pilot first.
This means that the whole first season of these shows is essentially a pilot, allowing Netflix to see if they want to continue with the series. And, in the case of The Big Show Show, clearly they did not want to keep going.
This surely was not helped by the coronavirus pandemic. What makes multi-cams work is two things—the chemistry between its cast members and the reaction to their performances in the room with the audience. If Netflix already had doubts about the future of the show, the prospect of not being able to film with a studio audience probably tipped the scales against the series continuing.
The Big Show Show also did not seem to get the ratings that can guarantee that a Netflix series will continue. Though the series managed a respectable 13 days in the Netflix top 10 chart in the U.S. However, per ratings aggregator FlixPatrol, its viewing figures were not enough for it to break the top 100 most-watched shows on the streaming service this year.
The series, however, did manage to film a Christmas special before it was canceled, so fans have one more episode to enjoy. However, as it was made before the show knew its fate, it is not going to give fans the closure that many will hope for, and is not expected to tie up the loose ends left by the season finale.
The Big Show Show is one of over a dozen series to be canceled after one season this year on Netflix. Other shows which ended after their debut seasons include Away, canceled in October, The October Faction and I Am Not Okay With This.
The Big Show Show is streaming now on Netflix.
