Renewals and Cancellations: 'The Equalizer,' 'North of North,' 'The Studio,' and the Best Show You're Not Watching

It’s been nine months since the last episode aired, but the best show you’re not watching has finally been picked up for a fifth season. No, it’s not For All Mankind, which should have a fifth season arriving soon (inexplicably, a release date still hasn’t been announced, even though it began filming last July). And no, it’s not Pachinko, which has yet to be renewed for a third season (though it definitely should be!). It’s not Tokyo Vice, either, which was upsettingly canceled after two seasons. Nor is it Bookie, which was a bad show and deserved to be canceled after two seasons and we should never speak of it again. Nor is it Colin from Accounts, which was renewed for a third season, and everyone should be watching it.

It’s Trying, the show I’ve been trying to get our audience to watch for years. It’s the sweetest, loveliest, most heartwarming series on television. It’s like Ted Lasso, but for parenting. Every episode is somehow moving. I cannot recommend it enough. It’s that rare show that genuinely makes you want to be a better person and a better parent.

In that same category of shows with Trying, Lasso, and Shrinking is the delightful coming-of-age comedy Acapulco, which Apple TV+ announced this week would be renewed for a fourth and final season. It’s also a terrific series, though it leans a little more toward the “family comedy” side of things. I haven’t actually written about it because I ended up bingeing the entire series after the third season aired. It’s very sweet.

Apple TV+ has also renewed Seth Rogen’s The Studio for a second season and didn’t even make us wait for it (it’s still airing its first season). It’s buzzy, beloved by critics and the industry, and funny as hell. Melanie Fischer, who is a studio assistant, wrote about how it tracks with her own experiences last week. It’s terrific.

Speaking of delightful series, Netflix has ordered a second season of the winning Canadian romcom series North of North, which aired just last month and gained a lot of love (and viewers) based on word of mouth alone. It’s a real crowd-pleaser, and with its success and that of Nobody Wants This, hopefully Netflix is beginning to see the value in comedies again.

Last week, CBS pulled the plug on Queen Latifah’s Equalizer after five seasons. The show was popular, but when you’re CBS, you have a lot of popular procedurals, and the network basically gets to pick and choose. My guess is that The Equalizer lost out less because of ratings and more because of expense. It’s a tough break for Queen Latifah.

Speaking of procedurals, NBC has picked up its Chicago trio for an additional season: Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med. They’re employing some cost-cutting measures (the series regulars will not appear in every episode), and, unusually, the cast is being asked to become residents of Illinois, lest they be cut from even more episodes.

Finally, as much television as I do watch, some shows still slip under the radar. That is the case for Geek Girl, a YA series on Netflix starring Emily Carey that I’d never even heard of. Eleven months after its first season dropped, it’s finally being renewed for a second season. I’ll have to look into it.