June 23, 2023
Paramount+ has canceled four series and plans to remove them from the streaming service due to financial considerations as the platform adds Showtime content.
The shows, as originally reported by several industry trade publications, are “Star Trek: Prodigy,” “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies,” “Queen of the Universe” and “The Game.” The series are expected to be removed from the platform the last week of June, with more series expected to be removed in the coming weeks. According to the reports, Paramount Global would receive a tax write-off of an as-yet-undisclosed amount.
“Prodigy,” an animated co-production between CBS Studios and Nickelodeon aimed at younger fans, premiered in October 2021 and presented 20 in its first season, which concluded in December 2022. Renewal for a second season was announced in November 2021, a decision the streaming service is now reversing. Post-production on the second season is nearly complete, so CBS Studios will shop the series to other outlets for a new home for the second season.
“Pink Ladies,” a song-laden prequel to the 1978 musical Grease, concluded a 10-episode first season June 1.
“The Game,” a comedy set in the world of professional football, originally ran for three seasons from 2007-09 as a spinoff of “Girlfriends,” then moved to BET for six seasons from 2011-15. The Paramount+ revival of the show lasted two seasons and 20 episodes from November 2021 to February 2023. Oddly, the original nine seasons of the show will reportedly remain on Paramount+ while CBS Studios shops the license to the revival.
“Queen of the Universe” is an unscripted drag singing competition series that lasted two seasons. The final four episodes of season two were released June 22, and the show will be removed from the platform June 30.
“In the unified Paramount+ with Showtime plan, the Showtime portfolio of edgy, critically acclaimed programming will complement the broad and popular Paramount+ library in a seamless offering that appeals to everyone, enables more discovery between the brands and builds overall viewership,” a Paramount+ spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter. “As we prepare to combine Paramount+ and Showtime later this month in the U.S., we are refining our content offering to deliver the best streaming experience for subscribers. This is consistent with our content strategy since launch and across our business, which ensures we make smart, efficient choices, informed by audience data and insights. We are removing select programming as we look to optimize Showtime’s robust slate of premium originals.”
Paramount+ joins Disney+ and Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max as streamers to remove underperforming content for financial reasons.