ABC will say farewell to The Goldbergs this season.
The Disney-owned broadcast network’s longest-running scripted comedy series will conclude with its current 10th season, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. Sources say calls were made Thursday afternoon to inform the show’s stars and creatives.
The Goldbergs has been a stalwart for ABC for the past decade, remaining the network’s comedy constant for executive regimes covering Paul Lee, Channing Dungey, Karey Burke and Craig Erwich.
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The series, which has weathered the departures of star Jeff Garlin following multiple HR complaints, is produced by Sony Pictures Television. ABC’s lack of ownership on the sitcom, paired with declining linear ratings and pricey licensing fees for an aging series, made an 11th season increasingly unlikely.
The Goldbergs was created by Adam F. Goldberg and was considered a passion project for the nerdy writer. The semi-autobiographical comedy about a Jewish family in 1980-something has been bounced around ABC’s schedule during its run and was used at times to launch a second night of comedy on the network.
With ABC now having a hit in Quinta Brunson’s Abbott Elementary, the network no longer has a need for The Goldbergs as Disney looks to lower costs on broadcast and pivot to more optimistic originals in line with its newly minted awards juggernaut.
Further complicating matters is the fact that creator Goldberg left the series a few years ago after he exited his long-running overall deal at Sony Pictures Television for a sizable deal with Disney, where he is readying a new take on The Muppets. With Goldberg and his home videos no longer at the helm of the series, the show has struggled to find creative stories that hit home in the same fashion as the heartfelt ones based on its creator’s adolescence.
Wendi McLendon-Covey, Sean Giambrone, Troy Gentile, Hayley Orrantia and Sam Lerner star in the series, which previously said farewell to original star George Segal following his passing a few years ago.
ABC at one point attempted to turn The Goldbergs into a franchise along the lines of its other former family comedy, Black-ish. While Kenya Barris’ comedy gave life to Freeform’s Grown-ish (still running) and the short-lived Mixed-ish, The Goldbergs offshoot Schooled lasted only two seasons.
As for ABC’s 2023-24 scripted slate, the network has already renewed Abbott Elementary. Keep up with all the broadcast renewals, cancellations and new series pickups with THR‘s handy scorecard.
