While many TV remakes in recent years were quick to prove themselves not worth the effort, some fared far better, such as the latest iteration of The Odd Couple, which is currently in the middle of its third season on CBS. But the show's cast, which includes Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon, got some bad news today from the network, which has decided not to move forward in ordering a full 22-episode season for The Odd Couple. There's no reason to head to the TV graveyard just yet, but this isn't the most positive sign.
The seventh episode of The Odd Couple just aired last night, which means fans will get to watch six more episodes from Season 3 before the sitcom hits its hiatus, which has the potential to be permanent. To be clear, CBS hasn't slammed the axe of cancellation down on the well-cast comedy, and the network retains the option to renew for Season 4 at any point, according to Deadline. There are no doubt several reasons why CBS decided to keep The Odd Couple to its shortened 13-episode season, and apparently none of them are so bad that the show needs to end, nor so flimsy that enough confidence remained to bring another nine episodes into it.
The Odd Couple is in something of a rare spot in this situation, since its previous seasons were also only 13 episodes each, so CBS not wanting a full 22 episodes isn't out of the ordinary. However, the network promoted The Odd Couple from midseason replacement to its fall premiere status this season, since the ratings from Season 2 were so strong, regularly hitting above 7 and 8 million viewers. Those ratings haven't been nearly as strong in Season 3, however, and only the recent Garry Marshall tribute episode was watched by more than 5 million people on the night. Maybe CBS will considering ordering Season 4 for a mid-year premiere in 2018, though that does seem extreme.
Let's all just sit around and meditate on what it all means for a second, shall we?
Perhaps strangely, The Odd Couple has been the most successful TV show for Matthew Perry in his post-Friends career, so that would be a big blow if CBS decides not to move forward with Season 4. (He is also an executive producer and was part of the development process.) But I'm sure he'd find some other headline-worthy project not long after, as would his TV-friendly co-stars Thomas Lennon, Yvette Nicole Brown, Wendell Pierce and Lindsay Sloane. It's a waiting game for now, though.
The Odd Couple currently airs Monday nights on CBS, though it'll be taking next week off and returning on December 12. To see what you'll be able to watch when Odd Couple isn't around next year, head to our midseason premiere schedule.
