Baskets is coming to an end at FX.
The now Disney-owned basic cable network on Wednesday announced that the current fourth season of the Zach Galifianakis-led comedy will be its last. The Aug. 22 season-four finale will now double as a series finale.
“Over four seasons, Baskets has taken its place among the great FX comedies as an endearing and hilarious look at the dreams and ambition of Chip Baskets and his extended, loving family,” said FX Entertainment president Eric Schrier in a statement. “This show has been a joy for everyone at FX and we are grateful to Jonathan Krisel, Zach Galifianakis, Louie Anderson, Martha Kelly and the rest of the cast and crew for giving us the gem that is Baskets.”
Never a ratings breakout, the niche comedy averaged a mere 407,000 same-day viewers in season three. That said, what Baskets lacks in total viewers it makes up for in critical buzz, with Galifianakis and co-star Louie Anderson earning Emmy nominations for their respective roles as a sad clown and his mother. (Anderson took home the supporting actor Emmy in 2016.)
Still, Baskets was owned and produced in-house by FX Productions and was a key part of FX’s scripted lineup at a time when the cabler is eyeing an uptick in originals now that it is under the Disney umbrella. The news arrives as FX is in the midst of the final season of Noah Hawley’s Marvel drama Legion and as sibling FXX wrapped fellow critical darling You’re the Worst earlier this year.
With the decision to end
Baskets, FX’s comedy roster now includes
Atlanta, Better Things, the upcoming
Breeders, Mr Inbetween, the untitled
Lil Dicky show,
What We Do in the Shadows and FXX’s
Archer and
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
The move to wrap Baskets will likely be a topic of discussion when FX brass meet the press Aug. 6 at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour.
