The McCarthys Pulled by CBS, Unofficially Canceled

Image via CBS

Let’s be honest—The McCarthys was dead on arrival. The CBS sitcom about a stereotypical Southie family starring “that one gay son” debuted to lame ratings and reviews, and never rallied henceforth.

Now CBS is finally pulling The McCarthys from its TV lineup, not officially canceling the show, but definitely unofficially saying, “No more, thanks.”

Wait, what? CBS is actually going to humanely put a show out of its misery? Shock and awe! But actually, the decision reportedly has less to do with the lackluster quality of the show itself, and more to do with ratings, and not even the ratings for The McCarthys at that.

CBS’s move to nix The McCarthys has more to do with ratings for Elementary, which airs after The McCarthys on Thursday nights, according to Deadline.

As the lead-in to the modern-day Sherlock Holmes show, The McCarthys proved to be far less effective than—wait for it—reruns of The Big Bang Theory. Thus, effective immediately, gay Ronny and New Kid Joey McIntyre are out, and nerds Leonard and Sheldon are back in. Man, is that show popular…

No one should be surprised by the axing. In an age when shows like Modern Family are broadening TV’s depiction of nuclear families, The McCarthys stuck with stereotypes. The show had heart, but it feels more at home in the ’90s.

It might be slightly premature since the cancelation is unofficial, but nevertheless, let’s go ahead and pour one out for Ronny and company. Yours was an honorable death. Now, on to the next.