ABC Cancels ‘Last Resort’ And ‘666 Park Ave’

ABC is not going forward with freshman dramas Last Resort and 666 Park Ave, opting not to order more episodes of either show. I hear the intention is for the series’ original 13-epispde orders to play out the way ABC did last season with Pan Am, which received a peculiar one-episode back order. Like was the case with Pan Am, ABC is not shutting the door on the shows completely, formally keeping them in consideration for next season. The shows are not being released, though it is highly unlikely that ABC would renew the dramas for a second season after not giving them a back order. Last Resort and 666 Park Ave both opened soft (2.2 and 2.1 Live+Same Day rating in adults 18-49) and never gained traction. Both received sizable DVR bumps in Live+7 — often over 50% — but that wasn’t enough to offset their miniscule overnight deliveries. In their most recent outings, both Last Resort and 666 Park Ave drew a 1.2 18-49 rating (Live+Same Day).

UPDATE: “News is true. No Back 9 for #LastResort,” the series’ co-creator/exec producer Shawn Ryan wrote on Twitter. “We will film and and air all 13 episodes. We’re going to give you no-holds barred kick-ass ending… Technically #LastResort isn’t cancelled but I understand why some are using the term. Still 6 more eps to air. Miracle unlikely but possible.” Ryan also defended ABC. “For the record ABC was always fantastic with us in every regard. Don’t get mad at them. If you’d like to curse out Nielsen viewers though…”

Last Resort is the latest high-profile casualty in the ABC Thursday 8 PM slot, which over the last few years claimed FlashForward, The Deep End, My Generation, Charlie’s Angels and Missing. Since Ugly Betty, the only ABC program to get traction in the hour has been reality show Wipeout, which the network has available as midseason replacement. With its male skew, Last Resort never meshed with the rest of ABC’s heavily female lineup. Additionally, its time slot pitted it against CBS’ strong male-centered comedy block of The Big Bang Theory and Two And A Half Men and football on cable.

The cancellation simplifies things for Shawn Ryan, who has been juggling the ABC drama and a Beverly Hills Cop reboot he has set up at CBS. Ryan will now be able to focus his attention on Beverly Hills Cop, which just tapped Brandon T. Jackson as the lead and is expected to get formal pilot greenlight when Ryan delivers the final script.

After landing the Sunday 10 PM slot in May, 666 Park Ave gradually evolved from a spooky drama to a glitzy soap with supernatural elements to better fit with its lead-in Revenge. But ultimately, the series starring Vanessa Williams and Terry O’Quinn wasn’t able to connect with viewers.

Of its freshman class this fall, ABC gave drama Nashville and comedy The Neighbors full-season orders, while canceling Last Resort and 666 Park Ave. The last new ABC fall series, comedy Malibu Country, launched this month and has received an order for three additional scripts.