Oops, We Did It Again: NBC Cancels Undercovers

By Arturo R. García & The Racialicious Roundtable

Okay, this is just becoming ridiculous.

Yesterday, NBC announced it was going to let Undercovers play out the string. with the final episode airing Dec. 1. I’m not saying it’s surprising, given the ratings and the problems the Table noted week in and week out: not enough conflict; way too much hinting at a bigger plot without any actual plot movement; and a protagonist couple that, while loving, and that’s cool and all, didn’t have much behind it as far as individual characterization.

If you’re scoring at home, this continues the Table’s streak of seeing a show until its’ demise. Though Heroes, as we all know, just wore us out slowly over time, Undercovers joins Flash Forward as flashes in the pan. More worryingly, expect the former’s demise to give renewal to the argument that POC leads “can’t carry a show.” Well, at least one that isn’t a sitcom or an “urban drama.”

While we wait and see what shakes out, let’s get the team’s thoughts:

Mahsino: It would seem that we have some sort of curse that causes every show we cover to get canceled (some more swiftly than others). Instead of dooming another good show, why not use this power for good? One word: Outsourced. Yes, it means we’d have to watch the show, but at this point I may be willing to take one for the greater good.
Diana: I think we’ve pretty much said all that could be said. But I’m suspicious that this news came after the mid-term elections. As a person of color, I’m having a REALLY bad week. Wahhhhhhhhhahhhhh!
Andrea: Meh. I have nothing to add to the eulogy except it was fun to see a PoC couple madly in love and lust with each other. Too bad JJ Abrams couldn’t write/produce a better concept where that could’ve been better utilized/displayed. At the same time, I really don’t wish to participate in a ‘table about Outsourced. So, I’ll sit it out.
Mahsino: Hey, I don’t want to sit through Outsourced either, but with great power and all that jazz. Although, I could see my plan backfiring horrifically.
Jen*: I’m sad to see it go, only because there is no other vehicle starring black folks in primetime that I can think of. The sexin’ was getting to be too much for me, and the show never lived up to what it could’ve been, so oh well. Honestly – nothing new really grabbed my attention this fall. I still watch Nikita, but it doesn’t actually seem to be about her anymore..so that’s waning for me too. And I don’t think I can watch Outsourced. The commercials hurt. But I would like to use our powers for good …
Diana: The fall tv season really has been a bust. May it rest in peace.
Arturo: Well, there’s The Event, with Blair Underwood, but that gave me Heroes flashbacks.
Mahsino: I’m still watching The Event. It’s marginally worse than Undercovers.
Arturo: Scary thought, that.

Readers, your thoughts?