Jim Carrey's new Showtime series Kidding may be well loved by critics and audiences, but his executive produced series I'm Dying Up Here has continued to struggle since it started back in 2017. The death knell has finally sounded for the dramedy series following Season 2, as Showtime has decided to use the shepherd's crook to yank this series from its lineup. That means I'm Dying Up Here has been canceled, and the series' Season 2 finale will serve as its series finale.
The cancellation is not a complete surprise, as I'm Dying Up Here's viewership numbers weren't looking so great at the end of Season 1. Showtime decided to give it a shot anyway and renewed the series for Season 2 not long after it green-lit Jim Carrey's Kidding. Deadline reported the cancellation wasn't a sure thing from the start, as I'm Dying Up Here's viewership started out at 168,000 live viewers and even ticked up in its second episode to 232,000. Unfortunately, the viewership spike was short lived, and the now series finale only pulled in 162,000 viewers-- with the penultimate episode before it tallying a season-low of 145,000.
I'm Dying Up Here told the story of the Los Angeles stand-up comedy scene of the early 1970s. The characters consisted of a young group of comedians and a comedy club owner named Goldie, who mentored them and pushed them to work towards greater success. Critics weren't too kind to the series when it premiered, with typical complaints accusing the series of being uninspired, unremarkable, and unfunny. Executive producer Jim Carrey hasn't referenced the cancellation on his social media, nor did star Melissa Leo or a bulk of the cast. Actor Michael Angarano was one of the few to publicly reference the cancellation and thanked fans for watching:
While the knowledge of I'm Dying Up Here's cancellation wasn't publicly known, the cast's lack of chatter on social media or pleas for renewal appear to indicate this was not unexpected. Showtime is still airing Jim Carrey's other series Kidding, and while viewership numbers haven't been phenomenal for that, the show has reportedly been pulling in subscribers to the premium service. That makes the chances of Kidding Season 2 likely, which means Carrey isn't ending his relationship with Showtime anytime soon. As for the show's cast and what place they may have on Showtime is unclear, although Erik Griffin's tweet "#freeagent," appears to mean many are free to find their next gig in Hollywood.
I'm Dying Up Here Seasons 1 and 2 are available to watch on Showtime's on-demand and streaming service. The cancellation comes at a time where most shows are just starting out for the season, so disappointed fans can probably find a new show to drown their sorrows in over at our fall premiere guide.
