NBC had a busy day, ordering three pilots to series, renewing a slew of its programs like Young Rock and Grand Crew, and canceling three shows including Kenan Thompson‘s comedy Kenan and the heist drama The Endgame. Kenan ends its run after just two seasons on the network while The Endgame couldn’t make it past its inaugural outing.
Kenan was the SNL star’s return to the sitcom genre, this time without his partner in crime Kel Mitchell. The show featured Thompson as a widowed dad who’s doing his best to balance life as a morning show host in Atlanta and as a father with two daughters. Throughout the series, he constantly receives advice from those around him about how to move on and live his life, including from his father-in-law Rick (Don Johnson), brother Gary (Chris Redd), and his co-workers. The show also featured Kimrie Lewis, Dani Lane, Dannah Lane, and Taylor Louderman among others.
The Endgame scratched a very different itch meanwhile, starring Morena Baccarin as a criminal mastermind of unparalleled levels. It centered on Baccarin‘s Elena Federova who, after being detained for her schemes as an international arms dealer and general crime lord, still manages to orchestrate a number of high profile and highly coordinated bank heists while still imprisoned. Meanwhile, Val Turner (Ryan Michelle Bathe), a socially outcast FBI agent with relentless grit and determination, is dedicated to cracking down on her plans. Kamal Angelo Bolden, Costa Ronin, Noah Bean, Jordan Johnson-Hinds, and Mark D. Espinoza also starred in the drama.
Universal Television produced Kenan in association with Broadway Video. Thompson headed the list of executive producers which also included his SNL boss Lorne Michaels along with Ken Whittingham, Andrew Singer, and series creators David Caspe and Jackie Clarke. Thompson was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy in 2021 for his role in the series.
The Endgame, meanwhile, also hailed from Universal Television with Chuck and Scorpion executive producer Nick Wootton as the writer alongside Quantico‘s Jake Coburn. Justin Lin and Julie Plec also worked on the series. All four executive produced through their respective banners with Emily Cummins joining through Plec‘s My So-Called Company and Andrew Schneider through Lin‘s Perfect Storm Entertainment.
As NBC sunsets the pair of shows along with Ted Danson‘s comedy Mr. Mayor, it makes way for a new era of older television shows on the network. Both the Quantum Leap and Night Court reboots were ordered to series for the 2022-23 season, as was George Lopez‘s return to broadcast television Lopez vs. Lopez.
via Collider