HBO has been going through some interesting shakeups lately, most of them in the wake of programming chiefMichael Lombardostepping down after 10 years. He was replaced byCasey Bloys, HBO’s former head of comedy, who recently made the decision tobring backCurb Your Enthusiasm— a move some have seen as a way for HBO to help course-correct its recent new series woes. Adding to that now is a decision to cancel the big-budget seriesVinyl, which was initially renewed and being retooled for Season 2.
Vinyl— created byMick Jagger,Martin Scorsese,Rich CohenandTerence Winter— starredBobby Cannavaleas a bombastic record executive with a major substance abuse problem. Ultimately, the character was boorish, and the rest of the season was boring, even if its soundtrack was pretty great.Vinylseems to have fallen victim to having had too many cooks; it’s a great marketing tool to say so many big names are involved with a project, but if they’re allreallyinvolved, it’s going to create some major issues. That’s likely what prompted Terence Winter toexit the series over “creative differences”earlier this year.
And yet, HBO chose torenew the seriesinitially maybe because it seemed obvious (big names, big budget, etc), but cutting the cord was the right move. That budget can, and should, be spent elsewhere. In a statement released today, HBO confirmed that it will not be moving forward withVinylafter all, even though it had replaced Winter with showrunnerScott Z. Burns, who was apparently working on a blueprint for the new season, but according toVariety, had not yet turned in any scripts.
As long asGame of Throneshas breath, HBO is doing ok. But when it comes to marquee dramas, the premium network has been struggling. The difficult seriesThe Leftovershas not been a hit among audiences, though unlikeVinyl, at least some critics like it (although I am not among them). After thescrapping and re-toolingof the Lewis and Clark miniseries, thebreakup ofDavid Fincher’sUtopia, and the issues withTrue Detective’spast and future, HBO needs something to stick. In other words, it really needsWestworldto be a hit.
You can check out the cancellation or renewal status of over 150 other scripted series with our handyTV Lifeline.
