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THR, Variety

Series Creator Cancels His Own Show

Nov 18, 2015  •  Post A Comment

A drama series is going off the air, and the decision to pull the plug was apparently made by the show’s creator. Kurt Sutter is taking out ads in a number of industry trade magazines to officially announce the end of his FX period piece “The Bastard Executioner” following its first season.

In a story running under the headline “Kurt Sutter Cancels ‘The Bastard Executioner’ Via Hollywood Reporter Ad,” The Hollywood Reporter quotes Sutter saying: “I don’t want to write something that nobody’s f—ing watching.”

Sutter’s ad, which reportedly runs in the Nov. 27 issue of The Hollywood Reporter, lauds the cast and crew of the show about sword-wielding Medieval knights, but adds: “The audience has spoken and unfortunately the word is, ‘meh.’ So with due respect, we bring our mythology to an epic and fiery close.”

The show’s tenth and, apparently, final episode aired Tuesday night.

Sutter, whose previous effort was the well-received and long-running FX biker drama “Sons of Anarchy,” also reportedly is running the ad in the Nov. 24 edition of Variety, which published an online story headlined “‘The Bastard Executioner’ Canceled by FX After One Season.”

The Variety story notes: “The sword-and-sackcloth drama about the struggles of warrior knights in 12th century Wales proved to be ‘an acquired taste,’ by Sutter’s admission. And ‘Bastard’ was produced on much more than a Medieval budget. ‘We did not hold back from showing the brutality of living in 1325 Wales,’ he told Variety.”

By our math, 1325 would make it 14th century Wales, if it matters.

Sutter is also quoted by Variety saying: “The numbers just didn’t sustain the cost of the show, quite frankly. It’s all math at the end of the day. We couldn’t establish that core audience that allows you to figure out your advertising paradigm and whether or not the show is affordable.”

bastard executioner

One Comment

  1. In other words, the ratings weren’t there. Now, wasn’t that easy?

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