Renewals and Cancellations: 'Will Trent, 'Death and Other Details,' John Mulaney, and Matt Rife

By Dustin Rowles | TV | April 5, 2024 |

By Dustin Rowles | TV | April 5, 2024 |

Let’s begin with the one cancellation this week: Hulu has axed Death and Other Details, a mystery series starring Mandy Patinkin. I thought that was as sure a thing as there is in the streaming era! It’s Patinkin doing Sherlock on a cruise ship! That’s gold! And then I watched it. It was messy and poorly written. Patinkin could not save it. This is one where the cancellation is warranted.

There have also been a couple of quick pick-ups: ABC has renewed Grey’s Anatomy for a 21st season, as well as 9-1-1 for an eighth season (and second on ABC). 9-1-1 did gangbusters numbers for ABC with a three-episode storyline set on a cruise ship. The show is ridiculous but also infinitely watchable. As for Grey’s? As long as the ratings hold, why cancel that?

ABC has also already renewed Will Trent for a third season very soon into its second season. I gotta admit: I wasn’t a huge fan in the beginning, but it’s grown on me a lot. I’m kind of impressed with how high the stakes are for characters every week. The show also pairs well with The Rookie, also on ABC on Tuesday nights.

I did want to follow up on 3 Body Problem. Netflix has not made a decision yet, and based on the first full week of numbers, it’s a toss-up if they will renew. It scored 15 million views, which is better than a lot of shows that have been renewed, but it falls short of the streamer’s recent successes with One Piece, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and The Gentlemen, all of which hit between 19 and 20 million views in their first full weeks. If it weren’t reportedly $20 million an episode, I think it’s an easy renewal, but because of the expense, the streamer is going to have to see how it holds in the coming weeks before making a decision.

Meanwhile, for what it is worth, Jonathan Nolan is out there telling people that he hopes to produce a fifth and final season of Westworld, despite its cancellation by HBO. I’m not sure that HBO has similar hopes, but maybe the series gets a Netflix boost one day and some renewed interest in a final season.

Remember Matt Rife? That stand-up who, for inexplicable reasons, recently went full-on edgelord and generated a bunch of controversy over domestic violence jokes? Netflix loved it! They’re staying in bed with Rife, agreeing to produce more of his stand-up specials, and they’re giving him a show, a workplace comedy set in a gym. I cannot think of anything I’d want to watch less.

David Letterman is returning with one episode of his interview series, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, and he’s interviewing John Mulaney. I’m excited to watch, but also, doesn’t John Mulaney look like he hasn’t slept in weeks? This looks like a man taking care of a toddler and his girlfriend, who is recovering from cancer. Take it easy, John. Put your oxygen mask on first, and all that.