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UPDATE: 
Here’s Mike White’s reaction to his series Enlightened getting a second-season renewal by HBO: “I know HBO has had to make some hard decisions. I feel very lucky that they are letting us make more Enlightened. We will do our best to make something cool.”
PREVIOUS: Those two Golden Globe nominations sure helped. HBO has just picked up the Mike White-Laura Dern comedy Enlightened for a second season, while canceling three other comedy series: Hung, Bored To Death and How To Make It In America. Enlightened drew critical praise but struggled mightily in the ratings on Mondays. However, ratings have never been the deciding factor in HBO’s renewal decisions as evident by the longevity of David Simon’s New Orleans drama Treme. The network was already leaning towards picking up Enightened for Season 2 when the dark comedy earned two Golden Globe nominations last week, for best comedy series and best actress in a comedy series, Dern. Hung and Bored To Death are ending their runs after three seasons, How To Make It In America after two. Of the four comedies that learned their fate today, Hung has been the highest-rated, and star Thomas Jane recently landed his second Golden Globe nomination for his role. But in the end that wasn’t enough.
This is quite the end-of-year house-cleaning on the comedy side at HBO, which had kept a slew of marginal performers around for a while. With Entourage done and Larry David yet to make up his mind whether to continue Curb Your Enthusiasm, Enlightened for now is HBO’s only returning comedy series next year along with Eastbound & Down, whose Season 3 kicks off in February. They will be joined by four new half-hour series: Armando Iannucci/Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Veep, Lena Dunham/Judd Apatow’s Girls, Ricky Gervais/Stephen Merchant’s Life’s Too Short, and Chris Lilley’s Angry Boys. HBO has two other comedies in the pipeline from auspices with strong track records at HBO — half-hour pilots 40, written by Entourage creator Doug Ellin and starring Ed Burns, and Viagra Diaries, penned by Sex And The City creator Darren Star and starring Goldie Hawn.
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Interesting but not surprised at how HBO chose these programs for cancellation. It seems to correlate with the way HBO likes certain kinds of programs; look at how long Arliss or the Sopranos or even Dream On lasted. There’s no rhyme or reason.
Then look at Flight of the Conchords. The creators were smart enough to say shows over. There just was not enough material to keep it going. I liked Bored to Death because it was the hippest show HBO had to date. Hung was very clever in Season One. Generally that show had a great cast (don’t know about the double nomination for Thomas Jane). Is it a definite in Hollywood that in order to get an award you have to prostitute yourself or play one?
Made in America? Meh. Enlightened I like!
I have to say though that out of all the TV I watch, cable has the best quality. One reason is that you can tell a good story within one or two seasons and still leave an impression. Deadwood was great. Party On is a Classic, funnier than the prime time jobs that the actors drifted to.
Here’s some advice HBO: If Starz cancels Boss, pick it up. And keep your eye on True Blood and Game of Thrones. Don’t exploit those shows because they are good cash cows.
Those who stuck with “Enlightened” were rewarded with a genuinely satisfying and original series. I’m so glad it was renewed.
Better class of people = stoners?
HUNG was pretty good in its first season, but I just did not get into the characters enough to care about the storyline after that. Interesting gimmick, but ultimately it needed more.
Nothing like finding out you lost your job on the internet. Happy holidays from HBO!
Given the kind of numbers these shows were apparently getting (reported elsewhere – 240,000 total viewers for a season finale???), it’s not hard to understand the decision. But I hadn’t realized I was in such exclusive company watching them.
Bored was just a delight – a different one every few seconds, a special world wherein even Zach G wasn’t so annoying and “special,” and where we could all dream of having a wonderful, fabulously wealthy pal like Ted Danson Yes, “How to Make it…” DID offer us the absolutely delicious Ms. Bell, but also with more than enough good writing, unique characters and surprise actors that we could credibly insist we were only watching “so we ca read the articles.”
Alas, “Hung” had lost it for me – a seemingly endless parade of despicable, sad and fundamentally pathetic characters, any one of whom could have disappeared in a red mist of explosion and I wouldn’t have missed them.
And as for “Enlightened,” I read several “Just give it a chance!” commentaries, and so I did. But still, the characters were annoying and unlikable enough to make me long for the irritating dysfunctions of the folks on “Hung.”
Regardless, as few as 240,000 total viewers for a season finale of “Bored…?” Again, I see why some had to go. But I guess I now have a handle on the actual number of US citizens there are with some taste and a sense for quality in television today.
I wasn’t a fan of Hung, Bored to Death, or How to Make it in America, but I feel sad for the fans who are seeing their shows cancelled. Enlightened was one of my favorite new programs of the year. I am happy about the news of its renewal and its award nominations. I hope we get an early renewal on Game of Thrones for seasons 3 and 4 next year.
I agree with the comment about Hung’s cast – they are what kept me coming back each week. This past season was strange, though – they skipped over the resolutions I wanted to see: the Tanya and Ray characters succeeding. Season three opened with Ray’s house repaired and Tanya operating a brick & mortar – we missed the GOOD part – them achieving the success. I’m sure Lenore’s shooting was a cliffhanger, of sorts. HBO… just let your shows wrap it up, will you? I know, I know… “It’s not TV… it’s a for-profit business.”
So, Lenore can be presumed dead, Tanya & Ray sell the cattle (?!?), his wife is OK with his new career, and Alanna Ubach will continue to be funny & sexy.
Bored to Death RULED! I hate HBO!
I watched HOW TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA, and I’m not even sure why. It was handsomely produced, and it had some appeal as “aspirational” television. But the main characters were such a snooze. Why did I keep watching? Why? Why?
So I guess everyone needs to hang out with dutch and his friends!
Or I will stick with my actual classy friends.
I loved the feeling I got from watching “How”. The show wasn’t perfect, but the characters were worth caring about.
“Bored to watch” the old man leaving was him knowing how to bail on a flaming piece of crap.
Everyone has there favorites but if you don’t have numbers that means you missed the mark for a wider audience.
Argh. Bored To Death was my favorite of the three shows. Now I’ll never know if Rose was really his sister.
Bored to Death was great!! Very disappointed
Loved Hung!!!!!!!!!!!!! I also enjoyed How to Make it in America…… How dare HBO leave us hanging I feel so cheated…….
I’m not a fan of Enlightened……… Tried it no interest………..
But I’m going to miss Hung………….. Lenore was crazy………..
How to Make it started finding its grove towards the end. They took two annoying, one-dimensional characters from the first season (Bell and Guzman) and actually created interesting story arcs for them. Too little too late I guess.
I LOVED “BORED to DEATH” That last episode with “Sal the Bartender” was fantastic. Anybody know that actor’s name? I didn’t see it in the credits.
RIP Bored To Death. The quirkiest, hippest show to grace the tube in years. Wonderful, oddball characters centered around something as unlikely as the literary world. 3 sensitive, hilarious, brilliant men who loved & used words as spars from the sinking world & to each other. Its like will probably never be seen again. I’m sure it’ll be replaced w/ brutal, profane, worthless fare like “Luck” & “Da Brick” & “Enlightened”.
It was fun while it lasted.
Shame Ted Danson wasn’t nominated for an Emmy.
The only problem I have with HBO canceling shows is that they don’t give the series one last show to help wrap up. Deadwood was one of these shows that where I didn’t get resolution. I know these are 30minute shows, but they deserve the opportunity to give us (the viewers) an ending . Not to mention I would be more inclined to buy completed series.
As for Larry David, you have to give us one more year. Don’t leave us hanging with you in Paris.
Screw Paris! I want that little kid back. My God he was adorable.
I thought HUNG was mostly well done- nice writing, good casting, but slow moving.
Well intentioned interview (LA TIMES) by the top line star fell flat, and there was little damage control, and no positive press/promo follow-up. Unfortunate.
HUNG was so much FUN! And fun is truly hard to come by these troubled days.
ENLIGHTENED has such a cool and promising premise. Too bad the main character, who we are supposed to believe used to be a successful professional in the company where she still works, has the intelligence of a loaf of bread, is annoying as hell and seems to suffer from amnesia.
She doesn’t remember how the company works, who her former coworkers are or what makes them tick. She should know how they think, she used to be one of them, no? She should know that some copied newspaper articles aren’t news to them – it’s just that nobody cares. How did a stupid girly like that ever have a career in the first place? I’m waiting for her to snap back, remember corporate think and start to figure out a different approach for her politically correct agenda. As for the world she lives in — it’s still an undefined bubble.
Must be me. I should read about what the critics find so damn award-worthy. I just don’t see it.
I’m starting to think the Hung people knew the end was near. Nothing else can explain how bizarrely unappealing it was becoming. Yeah I watched and yes I was entertained. More so in S1. I did enjoy Tanya and Charlie. That was cute. Gonna miss them and Damon.
Now there’s a character who needs a show!
Bored to Death should stay. It was really enjoyable. They gave it the kiss of death by putting it on Monday instead of Sunday. Stupid move or deliberabe sabotage, either way, it deserves better.
HBO sucks they just end and cancel shows with no proper conclusion or ending, how lame. Just wait for their shows to finish and if they ACTUALLY have a wrap up for that series then i might consider renting the full show but nothing like praising shows that in return give you NO satisfaction in the end, get your act together HBO or your credibility is SHOT, thank god for other cable networks original programming !!!!!
I will miss Hung but that last episode was an open ended finale. Every characters arc was complete and as in life goes on.
Lenore-Her treatment of other people finally caught up to her.
Jessica-Proved she could stand up for herself without a man
Ray-Admitted Tanya was right about the business plan and began to understand woman better.
Tanya-Grew a pair and stood up for herself.
I will miss the show once again but they ended it the way they did in case it was not picked up.
Terrible blunder…and I’ve not seen the cancelled show in question. Reason I say this, is purely down to the fact the ‘Life’s too short’ is an absolute lead balloon. As a massive fan of Ricky, he has made the mistake of giving a dwarf the exact personality and quirks of David Brent in the office. It just a rehash, and as such has gone down badly here in the UK.