It’s a dance many a TV fan has been through over the years. A favorite show is struck down too young, then fans and the creators keep hope alive for a while that the show might somehow continue on another network. TNT recently dropped the axe on their acclaimed but underwatched Men of a Certain Age, and the usual grasping at straws began. Creators Ray Romano and Mike Royce set about trying to find a new home for the show. Unfortunately, those efforts came to naught, and now the show is truly, officially dead.
Royce and Romano posted a very gracious letter online to express their appreciation to the fans of the show. Here’s the full text of the letter, entitled “Hold Your Head Up”:
There are two things that stand out in the letter for me. The first is his point that a show about three 50 year olds making it to television is a rarity in the first place. That’s very true, and one of the things that made Men of a Certain Age stand out. It was nice to see a show focusing outside the 18-34 demographic, and one that let three veteran actors dig into material that was usually reserved for indie movies or Oscar-bait dramas. It may not have lasted long, but the fact that it made it to air at all is something to be thankful for if you were a fan.
Second, I love the “miniseries by accident” line. Despite the cancellation, Men of a Certain Age had the good fortune to end with a satisfying amount of closure, and that is a happy fate denied many a show before it. How many shows we love have left us stuck on an eternal cliffhanger? At least our time with Joe, Terry, and Owen wrapped up nicely.