This 10-Episode Sitcom Was So Bad, The Star ASKED For It To Be Canceled

by

Kelsey Grammer is famous for his iconic roles in shows like Cheers and Frasier, but he once starred in a sitcom that was so unsuccessful, he actually asked the network to take it off the air. Creating a good sitcom is harder than it looks, and a look at lists of the worst TV shows reveals that many failures are comedies.

Let me tell you, working within the sitcom format is brutally exposing for creators. Unlike other genres, there’s almost nowhere to hide. If a horror series isn’t initially frightening, or a drama doesn’t immediately grab you, audiences are usually willing to give it a chance to build tension or emotional depth. But with a sitcom? You’re under the microscope from episode one. It either works, or it doesn’t, because we’ve seen so many of them, we instantly know what it should be.

Kelsey Grammer Asked Warner Bros. To Cancel Hank

I think we can all agree that nothing’s worse than a comedy that just doesn’t land – it’s truly painful to watch! That’s why bad sitcoms are especially difficult, and it seems Kelsey Grammer, a real pro in the TV world, understands that perfectly. I was amazed to learn he actually cancelled his own show when it wasn’t connecting with viewers – talk about knowing what works and what doesn’t!

The ABC sitcom Hank debuted in September 2009 but didn’t last long. It starred Kelsey Grammer as a Wall Street executive who loses his job and goes back to his hometown to spend time with family. Melinda McGraw played his wife, and David Koechner, known from Anchorman and The Office, played his brother-in-law.

It seemed like everything needed for a decent, though not groundbreaking, family comedy was there. In fact, shows like the classic Arrested Development and the later, feel-good hit Schitt’s Creek both centered on wealthy families who suddenly lost their fortunes and had to quickly adjust to a completely different way of life.

Despite a talented team – creator Tucker Cawley had previously written for shows like Everybody Loves Raymond and Parks and Recreation, and Kelsey Grammer starred – the sitcom Hank wasn’t well-received. In fact, it was a critical failure. Only five of the ten episodes filmed actually made it to television.

What Went Wrong With Hank & Was Kelsey Grammer Right?

As a huge cinema and TV fan, I’ve been following the reception of Hank, and it’s been…rough. Even the nicest review in the LA Times basically said it didn’t offer anything you wouldn’t expect from the initial idea. Things went downhill from there, with the New York Post calling it one of the worst new comedies in years, and the AV Club straight-up declaring it the worst new show of the fall season. Ouch!

Critics generally felt that Hank‘s take on the 2008 financial crisis didn’t quite work. It wasn’t satirical enough to be clever, and it wasn’t light enough to be genuinely funny. Several reviewers were puzzled by the show’s failings, especially since the actors were usually very funny in other projects.

Kelsey Grammer jokingly told Jay Leno that after one episode of his show completely bombed with the studio audience – not getting a single laugh – he called the head of Warner Bros. and asked when they could “cancel it.” Reviews suggest it’s easy to understand why the star of Frasier and Cheers felt that way.

Read More

2026-03-26 01:23