# NBC cancels My Name is Earl **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 22, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331 "2009-05-22T20:20:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/1 "2009-05-22T20:20:41Z")
I watched this show when it premiered, found it very funny, but got tired of it last season and stopped watching. Still, I thought it was doing pretty well in the ratings. [Apparently not.](http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/farewell-to-our-favorite-and-notsofavorite-tv-series--351) ---
**Author:** ![loafish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d07c76/32.png) [@loafish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loafish)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/2 "2009-05-22T20:25:07Z")
This makes me sad. Crabman was one of my favorite TV characters. Actually, I kinda loved the whole cast. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/3 "2009-05-22T20:28:19Z")
They got on my nerves and became caricatures after a while, but I didn’t think the show was in danger of cancellation. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/4 "2009-05-22T20:31:47Z")
I hope karma bites some NBC executive hard in the ass. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/5 "2009-05-22T20:32:21Z")
NBC is canceling a lot of shows to make room for five nights of Jay Leno. Last I heard, both Fox and ABC were interested in picking up the show, so there’s a chance it will be back by midseason. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/6 "2009-05-22T21:06:18Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Last I heard, both Fox and ABC were interested in picking up the show, so there’s a chance it will be back by midseason. Here hoping–I really like the show a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/7 "2009-05-22T21:15:08Z")
Not really surprising. I mean, how long could Earl’s list have been? I’m surprised the writers came up with new stories for as long as they did. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/8 "2009-05-22T21:17:28Z")
From the article: > [@](#): > > NBC decided to dump the show in favor of hanging onto Amy Poehler’s questionable new program, “Parks and Recreation” … which should really be a “Saturday Night Live” sketch, not a sitcom. Blah. What a mistake. Isn’t “Parks” tanking in the ratings? I’m a Poehler fan, but that show isn’t my cup of tea. I’ll miss “Earl”, but at least it will free up a lot of talent for a lot of other shows. Hope it gets put to good use. ---
**Author:** ![2ply](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/b2d939/32.png) [@2ply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2ply)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/9 "2009-05-22T21:23:35Z")
_Parks and Recreation_ and _Earl_ do about the same in the ratings, but NBC owns _P&R_ so the network collects the money from syndication and DVD sales that Fox gets from _Earl_. It’s the same reason they canceled _Scrubs_. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/10 "2009-05-22T21:32:30Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > NBC is canceling a lot of shows to make room for five nights of Jay Leno. And that’s what’s going to bite them in the arse. Who wants to watch 5 nights of lame jokes and poking fun of idiots on the street? ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/11 "2009-05-22T21:32:56Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > From the article: > Blah. What a mistake. Isn’t “Parks” tanking in the ratings? I’m a Poehler fan, but that show isn’t my cup of tea. > > I’ll miss “Earl”, but at least it will free up a lot of talent for a lot of other shows. Hope it gets put to good use. I don’t think it’s a lot to do with “Parks” so much as the guys responsible for it (think: The Office) have a hell of a lot of capital over at NBC. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/12 "2009-05-22T21:34:21Z")
Parks and Recreation is The Office with Amy Poehler. I watched the whole first season of The Office on hulu because everybody kept telling me how great it was. I hated it. I tried to like it…I really did. See: watched entire first season. I’ve seen 3 eps of Parks and Rec and aside from one or two laughs, I’m not liking it either. I’ve never seen a single episode of Earl, and it’s on my list of shows to get on DVD. Do I need to even bother? ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/13 "2009-05-22T21:42:06Z")
That’s irritating, it was one of the few shows I still keep up with. I don’t like Parks and Recreation and The Office is hit or miss with me. 30 Rock and Earl were the only reason I watched the 2 shows in between. I may cut back to just 30 Rock. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/14 "2009-05-22T21:49:04Z")
_sigh_ Earl was the only network show we watched. It reminded me of a grownup version of **The Adventures of Pete and Pete** - not fearing to wander into absurdity. In the last season they got back to their roots, after the terrible detour to prison and coma. I hope they get picked up. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/15 "2009-05-22T21:50:06Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > And that’s what’s going to bite them in the arse. > > Who wants to watch 5 nights of lame jokes and poking fun of idiots on the street? No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/16 "2009-05-22T22:32:57Z")
> [@Hockey\_Monkey](#): > > I’ve never seen a single episode of Earl, and it’s on my list of shows to get on DVD. Do I need to even bother? Buying or renting? I think it’d be fun to own, but mostly if you had someone to talk about it with, the recurring characters and jokes and stuff. A couple seasons back, _Earl_ went meta and some of the characters (mostly Joy) started posting in the Earl thread at Television Without Pity. I don’t remember what started it. I think maybe one of the writers picked up on a TWOP comment, and then there was a line in an episode referring to the website (something about a Murphy bed). TWOPers started talking about it and pretty soon there was Joy, joining in. It was a hoot. Does anyone remember? I’m too lazy to look for it, but Joy’s posting was in character and very funny. It made me like the show even more, the interaction with fans. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/17 "2009-05-22T22:49:18Z")
> [@Hockey\_Monkey](#): > > PI watched the whole first season of The Office on hulu because everybody kept telling me how great it was. I hated it. I tried to like it…I really did. See: watched entire first season. You might want to consider trying again if all you watched was the first season. The Office didn’t really “click” for me until the second season, and now it’s one of my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/18 "2009-05-22T23:00:52Z")
In looking at the other high-profile shows that were also cancelled, I was surprised to see _Samantha Who?_ and _Without a Trace_. I’ve never seen either, but always was under the impression that they were quite successful and popular for their respective networks, too. Guess not. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/19 "2009-05-22T23:26:16Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Does anyone remember? I’m too lazy to look for it, but Joy’s posting was in character and very funny. It made me like the show even more, the interaction with fans. It was the season two episode, ‘Kept a Guy Locked In a Truck’. In the episode, the guy who’d been locked in the truck posted to TWOP with the username ‘whojackie’. A few days before that episode aired, that post was made for real - [link](http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?showtopic=3129222&st=2625&p=6862727&#entry6862727). He’d also made other posts before that which tied into the then upcoming episode quite nicely. Joy’s post: > [@](#): > > Wide Wide World of Web, > > I am sorry to inform you that Josh is dead. We have been trying to plan a funeral for him but didn’t know who to invite. My name is Joy Darville/Hickey/Turner. I kidnapped Josh a while back but lets keep that between us. You’re cool right? Anyway, these names started poppin up and we found all this stuff on his computer so if you wanna come to a funeral we’re having for him, goddamn typing is a pain the ass, anyway, if you want to come to a funeral it’s gonna be next Saturday afternoon at three o’clock at that funeral home down by “Chubby’s U Rent Tools”. I don’t know the address but it’s the only funeral home in Camden and it’s owned by that guy with the mustache that looks like he didn’t wipe his face after drinking some chocolate milk. Just ask around. You’ll find it. If anyone messes with you tell 'em you know Joy and they’ll let you alone. > > By the way, I’m keeping this damn computer. Earl don’t want it and the kids may need it for school or to look at porn when they turn fourteen. > > If any of you geeks knows how to get this thing to play Ms. Pac Man or let me watch videos of them hanging Saddam gimmie a shout on Dead Josh’s email: [whojackie@gmail.com](mailto:whojackie@gmail.com) > > Gotta go. Earl wants to see the fish again. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331/20 "2009-05-22T23:51:52Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > In looking at the other high-profile shows that were also cancelled, I was surprised to see _Samantha Who?_ and _Without a Trace_. I’ve never seen either, but always was under the impression that they were quite successful and popular for their respective networks, too. > > Guess not. _Without a Trace_ WAS quite successful and popular: [http://tvlistings.zap2it.com/ratings/season.html](http://tvlistings.zap2it.com/ratings/season.html) WaT was 16th in the ratings last season. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-cancels-my-name-is-earl/497331.md?page=2)