"The Queen Latifah Show' Officially Cancelled, Second Season Did Not Win The 'Ratings and Costs' Game
"The Queen Latifah Show" has been cancelled. It was given a second season back in August even with its reportedly lackluster ratings during the first season, but unfortunately the ratings for the second season still did not pick up.
According to Hollywood Reporter, "The Queen Latifah Show," which is currently in its second season, will cease production at the end of 2014, even though the remaining episodes will air in March 2015. The reasons cited for the axe were ratings and costs. Allegedly, Sony Pictures Television believes that the show is getting costly to produce, especially since it is not producing good ratings.
TMZ reports that the staff behind the show were notified of the unfortunate decision Friday morning, Nov 21. The talk show host, Queen Latifah, or Dana Elaine Owens in real life, is reportedly optimistic about the decision. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 44-year old-actress wrote a heartfelt letter to her staff and posted it on her Facebook on the same day. In her letter, she praised the staff for their dedication and sacrifice. 'Your dedication and sacrifice was crucial to the entire team, and in the face of intense challenges, you displayed 'True Grit!'" the letter read.
Sony Pictures Television also released an official statement expressing their gratitude to the host and the staff. "We want to thank Dana, the producers and the entire staff of 'The Queen Latifah Show' for creating a program that we are all very proud of," the statement read. Advertisers and partners of the show were also lauded and thanked for their support.
Back in August, while rumours about the show not having a second season had been rampant, a Sony spokesperson spoke up and slammed the issue. The spokesperson claimed that every element of the show would be elevated during the second season so that Queen Latifah could have a broader platform to show to the public what she can do and demonstrate her wide-ranging talents. According to Hollywood Reporter, despite the axing, this promise of a better season indeed happened. In the current November sweeps period, the show has reportedly exhibited some life. Ratings have been up 9% for the most recent week until Nov. 16, compared with the same week last year.