Starz’s Boss was officially cancelled on the 20th of November, but for anyone familiar with how the television system works in the US, the writing had been on the wall for quite some time. Why was it cancelled you might ask? Was it that bad? Was Kelsey Grammer just playing Frasier Crane again?
The long and short of it is that viewership figures in the States are what shows live and die by and Boss was no exception. It wasn’t all that bad either; in fact it was rather good, with Grammer giving a career best performance. But that means nothing when people aren’t watching. Grammer won the 2012 Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Series over such fan favourites as Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire) whose shows garner the viewership numbers to match the critical acclaim. Not even this win could convince people to tune in and the consistently low numbers led to the inevitable cancellation.
While rumours of a two-hour long TV-film circulate to wrap up the series (which was left unresolved), the likelihood of that ever happening are slim. The same idea was floated around for Deadwood (again another example of how critical adoration means very little) at the time, when it cancelled just as the main character arcs were starting to come full circle, but nothing ever came of it. As infuriating as it is, it is understandable for Starz to cancel the show if it is not making them a profit or getting the channel the exposure it so ravenously desires. The channel wants to be up there with the HBO’s, the AMC’s and the Showtime’s of this world, but in reality cancelling a show like Boss will do little to close the gap. Maybe their other original programming like Magic City or upcoming shows like Frank Darabont’s Noir might step up and give the network some success as so far, the only true success the network has had is with the Spartacus franchise which has done decently critically and viewer-wise. Starz over-confidence with the show particularly didn’t help, with the show being renewed for a second season before the first had even aired. The ratings failure made people look silly.
Of course, there are other factors at play with the shows failure to attract an audience. Could the mere presence of Kelsey Grammer have people off from watching? It is possible given his long career focused primarily in comedy expecting something lighter than his scenery-chewing Tom Kane. Surely seeing Frasier Crane as a devious, vulgar-mouthed politician turned some people off which is a shame given how revelatory Grammer’s performance is and the rest of the talented case (Martin Donovan in particular is great).
But what is certain is that outside the show’s small and dedicated fan base, no one else really cared to invest in the Starz channel. Instead of Grammer’s Golden Globe win intriguing people to get the Starz channel, it turned them off even more. Which is a damn shame as Grammer delivers here big time. Grammer at his best along with the skilled writing and intriguing central storyline of greed, lust, power and pretty much every other cliché that is rampant in film/television is explored uniquely here, even Connie Nielsen’s Meredith, a potential dud character of a loyal wife could have been a bore, instead she is even more dangerous than Kane. Sadly, we’ll never know how that relationship would finish or any concrete resolution to the many loose ends Boss left open for its third season.
Starz got so much right with Boss, but expecting it to compete with the HBO’s and AMC’s of the world was always going to be difficult, especially for a political drama up against Boardwalk Empire’s gangster underworld, The Walking Dead’s blood-splattered adventure and even Showtime’s terrorist drama Homeland, which was the breakout star of last season’s premieres. We can cross our fingers and hope that a TV film will wrap out the twisted saga of Mayor Tom Kane and company, but given how Starz have dumped the show it remains very unlikely that one of television’s most criminally unseen shows will remain without a conclusion.
What do you think of the decision to dump Boss? Share your thoughts below.
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70 Comments
It is a shame, as a brit I constantly have to wonder about the IQ of the us audience. This was an outstanding show, right up they’re with the best, and no one watched it. A true loss.
I cant believe it! Love the show, everyone was amazing in it. The writing was excellent. Very exciting show! I have to agree with Dave cakewalk. Well said sir.
I am a US citizen and I agree with you. Look at the fools who re-elected obama…………….
I heard it was canceled because it too closely mirrored the real politics in Chicago.
It was cancelled probably because Grammer is a libertarian.
If they would have had a app for iPhone etc., then perhaps the convenience would have driven more viewers. I’m stuck with this garbage network in a package deal and this was the only worthwhile show on this slow backwards network. So, now there is an app but it sucks as much as the network, but hey, at least Starz is consistent. You must hook into wifi to use the app (lame) and it constantly goes to voice only and no picture or a complete unilateral shut down of the app. Numerous people need to be terminated. Boss was dead before it stared just because it was on Starz. What a sad sad network… RIP Boss! You will be sorely missed. Maybe Netflix will pick up this wonderful show and keep it going like Arrested Development!
Dave, I agree, as an RoI man I also wonder at the Qi levels. It’s “Profit” (and others) all over again
R.
Screw you Dave cakewalk!
Really enjoyed the first season. And yes, Kelsey has ALWAYS had serious dramatic chops. The show was about politics and let’s face it –after The West Wing there’s no appetite among Americans for politi-drama. The Tail-End-of-the-baby boomers/Gen-Xers-Going-To-College audiences that supported the WW are pretty much too old or unconcerned to latch onto another such show. I remember Mr Sterling (a West Wing take off with Josh Brolin) that also failed after less than a full season.
But the show also showed it’s depseration. Having sex scenes EVERY episode, nudity for the sake of. Starz is establishing itself as mid-core porn and it’s not a good look for them. If they want the success of HBO/Showtime/AMC they will have to make their programming smarter. I for one think Kelsey held up his end of the bargain, but the cards just didn’t fall right. It happens.
However, we also have to blame the cable networks for this sour climate as well. I had hoped that cable would be the adult (read INTELLIGENT, not sexual) alternative for TV programming. For a while they were. But now they are trying to play by the same rules as the broadcast nets and you can’t do that with quality fare. The same goofs who drool for American Idol, the Voice and football simply won’t watch anything that involves brain cells –no matter how much gratuitous sex and nudity you throw on top of it.
BTW, you should also include FX (Sons of Anarchy, Justified, American Horror Story) in the list of cable nets doing great work. I hope STARZ stays on it’s current course. Kelsey probably wasn’t the right horse to back in this race, but they’ll get other chances. Let’s hope the audiences are smart enough to follow them this time.
I think I’m going to cancel starz. What a travesty this is to cancel perhaps the best written, best acted show on television. Starz is a second rate channel. We should all boycott it from here on out.
I agree with you Frank. Boss was the only reason why I kept the starz channel. I had my dvr set to record it when the season returned. This is really a let down. Granted the first season was better than the second, however, I loved the show overall. I will miss this program.
We are going to really miss this program. We search and search for well written, gripping, and compelling programming in this house and avoid all reality even if it means shutting the television off for an evening or two. This was such a great show and Grammer was the embodiment of the Kane persona. What a loss.
AMC cancelled The Killing, too. Another favorite around here. We are down to just a few favorites and none of them are on network channels. Damn it….
This was such a good show and storyline. Grammar gave such a great performance each week. I loved him as Frasier and seeing him as Kane blew me away… such an awesome range. Starz made a huge mistake. They could have done more to advertise and get more viewers. I think I will be cancelling my Starz channels there just isn’t much there to tune into.
Boss was a great show. Maybe starz hould have done more to try and keep the show going. I will certainly miss this show. It was the only reason I chose to watch starz.
Boss was the best show we’ve watched and followed. The cast and the writing were brilliant. What a terrible shame.
I LOVED this show! It is a mistake for Starz to cancel.
Over the years, the time I am able to devote to specific TV shows has dwindled. So, when I get hooked on something, it has got to be compelling. Boss on Starz and Luther on BBC America are two great shows of our time that have sucked me in and are in the same class as The Wire, The Sopranos, and Six Feet Under. The writing is intelligent, the storylines are captivating, the characters are complex, and the acting is superb. If you are going to spend an hour watching rays coming from a box, then it has to be worth the investment of time. I could not wait to see Boss each week and am sad that it could not draw the audience to sustain itself. A 2-hour movie would do the trick to bring closure to the story though because either Kane’s disease, his wife, or karma was going to do him in soon anyway. So, what do you say Starz, 2 hours for old times sake?
This is a mistake to cancel Boss. It was a great story of what goes on behind the scene in City and State politics.
The only reason I watched Starz was Boss, now i will not. Starz should sell the show to hbo, showtime,someone, it was great writing and acting and really showed how the political process works. Two hours closure movie will help but selling it to another network would be the answer.
I agree with you Lyn. Sell it to another channel. But that 2 hour wrap up would sure be nice.
My first thought is that there should be a U.S. voter eligibility test.
The Reality show crowd rules! Statistics bear out that we are becoming a dumber nation.
This was a brilliant show. The acting was superb. The character exploration was wonderful. Starz I am disappointed in you. People pay a premium for your network. You should not fall to the pressure that non cable networks cave into. This show deserves to go on !
Well! There goes signing up for STARZ!
This is a huge mistake. This show was outstanding. I was often left speechless at Kelsey Grammer’s performance. Was so looking forward to the absolute mess that was about to come. Starz, wrong move.
I thoroughly enjoyed “Boss,” and Kelsey’s exceptionally-convincing performance. As the series is cancelled, I see no need to continue viewing Starz. – Hey, HBO…make an offer to buy the series and let’s continue with more “Boss.” – To Kelsey: WOW! I was impressed from beginning to end. You ARE a skilled actor, and I hope to see more dramatic performances.
The best comment on this article. STRAZ as a network is done. Yeah, they still have Magic City. but they will be cancled in a year or two. HBO has the backing at the patients for a show to mature. They should buy Boss from STRAZ.
The cancellation is a big mistake. I loved the show! No reason for me to keep my STARZ subscription.
They canceled one of the best shows on air. They should of advertised it more! Lousy management in my opinion.
THis is a true travesty, BOSS was the best show on here in the states and the whole cast was fantastic. This was the one show that I tuned in for on a regular basis – shame on STARZ.
I didnt become aware until the second season, thought it was one of the best series on cable. i even went back to watch season one to catchup.. whoever made this decsion needs to be fired. i dont even like Kelsey Grammar as a comedian but though the played this role masterfully. Starz without Boss needs to be cancelled…..
My husband and I are very upset that Boss has been cancelled. We couldn’t believe it. Boss is one of the best shows on cable and we looked forward to the twists and turns of the plot. Kelsey Grammar was fantastic and so was the writing and the rest of the cast. It was intriguing and fascinating to see what happened each week and it never disappointed us. Please Please reconsider or please sell it to another channel. This is a huge injustice given the state of tv viewing today.
It’s no point of having Starz now! They finally got it right but ended it.. Sick!
Surely STARZ could have done a better job promoting Boss. If they couldn’t sell it then there is something wrong with those in charge of marketing! Look at Shameless … Talk about a difficult sell. Starting out there wasn’t a character on that show that was likeable. It took time to win an audience for that show, but they did it. Shame on you STARZ for not sticking with Boss.
Very disappointed to hear this show has been cancelled. I agree with the majority of comments posted here; it’s hard to find well written, gripping shows anymore.
I don’t live in the US so I cannot contribute to the ratings but judging by the shows imdb rating of 8.1 that should count for something right??
Guess I can cancel STARZ now!
Very dissappointed that the best show on TV has been cancelled. It’s script writing was highly polished and the ability to weave behind the scenes evidence into the story was very professional. It was a show where it was very difficult to predict the storyline, which unfortunately is very common across many TV series.
The actors were all excellent enough to make me believe that thier way of life, so much different to mine, is beleivable.
Unfortunately bean counters hold more power than people who beleive in culture.
I loved this show, Kelsey could not have done a better job. He was excellent. I looked forward to friday nights, the rest of the cast were on point as well. I’m really sad that Starz didn’t promote this like they did spartacus, which isn’t even that good anymore now that their lead character passed away…too much blood and gore and not enough storyline. I am from Chicago and Boss was totally believable. This is a loss for viewers and the Starz network
If the show were to cancelled, it should not have been at such a critical point. At have the decency and the respect of the audience to at least give them (us) a fair look at the ending. I will not be watching another series from STARZ. This not the first for them. Really stupid moves. Just really stupid. Sometimes profits are or should be secondary. You make enough money I would really think. NEVER AGAIN!!!
i live in australia and share the grief of those good american viewers lamenting the cancellation of “boss”.there was no press notification of the program’s demise. it just vanished from our screen leaving one hell of a hole. damn!
This is one of the worst let downs since the canceling of the Wire. Let me be clear, two extremely good and powerful shows are were on TV. One was Boss, the other being Scandal. I never, ever missed an episode of Boss. Ever. It was one of the most thought provoking, genius story telling I’ve eer seen. These characters forced you to look outside the box.
You knew these characters were disgusting, heartless, full of lust, and greed, yet, you loved them and begged for more. On top of that, they we’re extremly smart, talented, driven, and politcal beast. Why would Starz do this? You have just lost a customer. I mean, I never turn my TV to Starz except to watch boss. Now, with it not coming back, there is no need for me to keep this channel. I am ready to start a full blown campaign to bring Boss back. Number one, this show didn’t have a good marketing plan. I know plenty of people who never knew the show existed until I told them. I always said the same thing, just watch one episode. That’s all it took and they were hooked. Number two, its cable TV. They are not bound by the same rating system as regular network television. This is paid for cable TV. The show could remain if they really wanted it. Forget Spartacus and whatever other show they have lined up, it’s all about boss. I am so upset right now. This is so unfair
Loved this show,I’m canceling STARZ tomorrow
Nobody watched because not many people subscribe to Starz as. Matter of fact I know of no one personally who does. I watched Season 1 on Netflix and was planning to buy Season 2 on DVD. There was no way I was adding Starz to my already astronomical cable bill.
People give the AMC shows a shot because its basic cable and show time hooks people by offering a free month when their new shows premiere for the season and HBO was ahead of everybody when it came to tv series on cable.
Starz shot themselves in the foot by canceling Boss. You have to have more than one or two good shows to get people to subscribe to your station.
Heck, I’m even thinking of canceling HBO because all I really watch/like on it now is Game of Thrones. True Blood hasn’t been must see since season 1, Boardwalk is a disappointment, etc. etc
Wake up Starz you need to earn subscribers.
Boss was the main reason I kept STARZ. The show is really too good to be canned. Maybe HBO or some other network will pick it up…goodbye Starz.
I can’t believe Boss is being cancelled. It is the best series I have seen in a long time, intelligently written and acted. Kelsey Grammer’s protrayal of Tom Kane is superb and mesmerizing as well as all the other actors. Recently, I DVR’d Season 1 and Season 2 and re-watched the series and enjoyed it again.
Why shoud I invest my time in watching another series on Starz only to have the show canceled at a critical point. I guess Starz should pick up the likes of Honey Boo Boo.. maybe then their ratings will increase. It time to cancel my subscription!!
I loved the show and am sad it was cancelled. Kelsey Grammar was outstanding and the show was so clever. I guess Honey Boo Boo and the Jersey Shore have rotted people’s minds.
Cancelling Boss was incomprehensible. It’s not like it took a lot of money to make it. For example, they kept Damages on the air, while the quality was dropping since season 2. And not this show ? I wonder what Starz was thinking about. Are they counting on Olga Kurylenko’s butt or another brainless Spartacus-like show to become the new HBO or AMC ? Boss was the only reason why I watched and talked about that channel to the people I know. In my eyes, without Boss, Starz lost any credibility. My only hope now is that another network pick up the show. Is there any way to help making it happen ?
This show is awesome! What is Starz thinking? I am so sad as I really love love love this show. Any chance they will reconsider?
there is an online petition to sign, and it worked for family guy. if enough people want the show back, it will be picked up again. it’s all about $$$
I loved this show, Kelsey Grammer owned his role. I just don’t see how similar shows like “The Wire” had such a long run and this one didn’t. I like intellectual shows, and I’m just going to guess that the tragic plot line maybe turned away more audience members that feared depression.
Tom Kane…. Best boss ever. I’m a boss myself annd Tom gave me the edge I needed situationally when required. Travesty canceling boss. Best show ever made right there with the sopranos. T
Boss is definitely one of the best out there anywhere. Well written and very well executed. It is a real heart pounding suspenseful thriller, at the intellectual chess-game level too.
It was a bad move for Starz to cancel. When I’d be at party or out with a crew at lunch and mention the show everyone always seemed very interested because most folks enjoy following a really good series. Few people actually had heard of the show and were not yet subscribed to Starz, and most said they’d go try it out. I found that most folks do like Kelsey too, always a smart guy consensus, I’d tell them
“but this series is like, over the top.”
Boss was a great show with enlightened writing and acting.
It’s really a shame.
Is there someone we can write to at Starz to express our dismay?
I can’t believe it was cancelled I have been waiting to see when it was going to return excellent acting
I loved this show. I live in Illinois and the plot lines mirrored the putrid politics of Chicago and the state. It didn’t take a lot of imagination to see that there was a good possibility of their being a lot of truth to the story lines. I found this article because I was curious about the abrupt ending to a series that was so well written and acted, with some awards to boot. I was also curious about how the Democratic powers would feel about the portrayal of a very powerful Democratic mayor. Gut feeling was Mayor Emanuel was not a big fan of the show. The fact that Kelsey Grammer was a proud Republican and part of the production team adds to the intrigue.
Why would you take off the best sho on tv, why ? This sho was very exciting , interesting, I looked forward to Fridays to watch this show, please put it back on I’m a fan of Boss, all the actors were excellent, you need to take off some of these reality shows, and bad girls just to name a few the garbage you have on tv now is tasteless, disgusting, you took Boss off an excellent show, and left the garbage on!!!!!
My husband and I are extremely disappointed about Boss being cancelled. We were anxiously awaiting the return of the show and I was devastated to discover that it has been cancelled. There are not a lot of good shows to watch anymore and I hope that the STARZ network reconsiders their decision!
I was a big fan of Boss. I didn’t realize it had been cancelled until I saw an article today about various cancellations.
If you liked Boss, checkout out Netflix’s House of Cards. I kept hearing people talk about that show and I was skeptical until I watched the first couple of episodes and then proceeded to finish all 13 in just a few days.
They out Boss’d Boss.
With Netflix entering the exclusive content game, some quality web series coming of age – it’s difficult for someone like Starz to compete, especially if their shows aren’t bringing people to their channel. It may cost them some subscriptions, but the loss is probably less than the expense to produce Boss.
Boss was the only reason we subscribed to Starz. Starz’s movies was the only reason we subscribed to Netflix. Now we have neither. Somehow we’ll survive with Showtime and HBO.
Totally shocked to hear Boss has been cancelled. I don’t think Stars promoted this peogram enough. Grammer and the entire cast are amazing snd the writing was smart and edgy.
Great show! Wish Starz would re-consider bringing it back. I was so looking forward to season 3. I’s hard for me to believe Starz was losing any money from this show. Maybe it did not make as much as those on HBO, Showtime, etc but Boss has a devoted audience!! One of the main reasons why I kept Starz is becaude of Boss. I may have to reconsider that decision, now.
I’m in New Zealand, and thought the series was excellent. Script, plot, acting, excellent in every sense. It was well crafted, and the pace of the series was spot on. I look at some of the garbage tv coming out of the US. Flicking through the channels it is impossible to distinguish one crime based tv series from another.
It is a travesty that this series was canned, when every element was top notch from start to finish. Totally disappointed.
Really liked the show…well written and was looking forward to the 3rd season. I’m going to miss Kitty, that’s for sure. Can’t figure out if she was planning on setting up Tom Kane or if she is really wanting to be loyal.
I’m considering cancelling Starz. They don’t have much to offer to begin with and considering for most, Starz is an upgrade to their already high cable bill.
Sad sad sad
Sad.
I’m from Spain and really love this tv series.
Already disappointed and hope another tv network will buy it and produce a third season …
This was one of the two best shows on TV. We are sick that it has been cancelled. The problem, it seems to me, is that it was not advertised enough by Showtime and people did not even know it existed.
A true travesty but not unexpected given the race to the bottom that plagues American television these days.
If the fools who cancelled this show could only recognize that Tom Kane has the potential to be this generation’s JR Ewing, maybe they could get somewhere.
They should just expand on the series in a way to draw in a more mainstream audience (where is Aaron Spelling when you need him? – he’d know what to do). Bring in another heavy hitter actor (Pacino would be great) to counter Kelsey Grammar and market the hell out of it.
Complete fools. Just look at Netflix making House of Cards and these clowns cancel BOSS. A disgrace
I’m from South Africa and really enjoyed the 2 seasons aired here, It’s a real shame , Kelsey was at his best, really disappointing… One of the very few series I look forward to seeing on tv nowadays
As an avid fan of ” Boss ” I watched every episode with the usual bummed out feeling that I had to wait another week to see the next one. The show was spot on, and very well casted and was by far the most realistic portrayal of both government and society today. When episode 10, Season 2 finished, I waited my usual week for the next episode. It never came. It simply never came. I had to call a few people and ask if I missed something. The final episode was not a season ending cliffhanger, it was simply an episode and we waited for the enxt one that would never be.
With all that said, and the true understanding of Starz having to live and die by ratings, a two hour wrap up movie would, pardon the expression, ” suck “. I would think Starz upper management could sell that show to the networks who appear to pull in the audiences. It’s a blockbuster series. I am sure that has already been pitched, but it is a shame such a show will not see it to it’s completion. To all those who poured their acting hearts and soul into that series, I tip my hat.
Tom Kane, say it ain’t so!
I am canceling my Stars now. I loved the Boss.
It’s hardly surprising that Starz cancelled Boss. At the end of the day the audience figures do dictate what’s made in America today. A lot of that is the fault of so-called “reality-tv” which is cheap to produce, quick to edit and easily spun off into syndication. I actually lay a lot of this blame on Cowell & Co. who basically killed off television series as we know them. Along comes High School Musical which gives us Glee and now even a TV show built up around America’s heartland music city ‘Nashville’ is nothing more than a pathetic attempt to lure the teenage fan club to more fake music and even more fake hair.
It’s very rare to find good television. I’ll admit most of what I watch are US-produced shows but they always have light-hearted storylines. Boss was an exceptional TV show. For the first time I couldn’t predict what was to come in an episode. Despite the gratuitous sex scenes which to be honest did have some purpose, the acting was sublime. Ezra Stone and Tom Kane will be sorely missed. I just hope that this isn’t the beginning of the end for clever TV shows. Already I notice AMC’s Mad Men taking a nose-dive in its writing as more fringe cast members are drawn upon to basically fill the gaps between the ad breaks. Homeland is being destroyed by the anti-Islam sentiment it seems hell-bent on portraying and even shows like Boardwalk Empire and the Good Wife are now flagging in their latter seasons. It’s easy to point to shows like the West Wing and say “that was awesome TV” but the truth is it was awesome writing coupled with awesome acting. OK you can debate whether Sorkin’s departure killed the show’s later seasons but The Newsroom I fear will now suffer what Boss has suffered – clever, well-written and well-acted shows being axed in favour of cheap, off-the-cuff packaged nonsense for the teenage generation. Let’s hope America doesn’t lose its talent in a talent-off, televised of course!