ABC has rendered Speechless silent today with the Minnie Driver-led series canceled after three seasons. The cancellation is not a surprise, given that Speechless was ABC’s lowest-rated series.
Co-produced by now corporate siblings 20th Century Fox TV and ABC Studios, Speechless starred Driver and John Ross Bowie as the parents of JJ (Micah Fowler), who has cerebral palsy, and his siblings Dylan (Kyla Kennedy) and Ray (Mason Cook). Cedric Yarbrough also starred as JJ’s aide, who serves as his voice.
“It’s telling a story that hasn’t been told on television before,” Driver said during its first panel at Deadline’s The Contenders Emmys a couple years ago. “You genuinely get the after-school special treatment with disability, and that’s not accurate and also annoying. … All of those that feel excluded would like to feel included, and I think the show’s laughter will make you feel included.”
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Creator Scott Silveri executive produced the show, along with Fresh Off the Boat’s Jake Kasdan and Melvin Mar.
Speechless had aired at 8:30 PM Wednesdays since its fall 2016 launch before moving to 8:30 PM Fridays this season. The third season wrapped April 12, with the sitcom averaging a 0.8 in the adults 18-49 demo and 3.1 million viewers.
