Will and Grace will be saying goodbye once again. The revival of the original comedy series will be coming to an end after its upcoming third season.
Counting the original series, this is the eleventh season overall of the iconic comedy series which helped paved the way for gay representation on television. The decision to end the revival now is said to be a creative one between the creators and the cast. NBC had this to say about the show ending:
“When NBC had the opportunity to reconnect this amazing cast and creative time, we jumped at the chance. The impact and legacy of Will and Grace simply can’t be overstated, both as a true game-changer in the portrayal of the LGBTQ community and as one of the finest comedies in television history. A huge thank you to creators Max Mutchnick, David Kohan, Jimmy Burrows and a cast that is second to none for their brilliance over an incredible run.”
While the decision may have been a mutual decision between the creative team and cast, the news arrives as the show lost nearly half its viewers among adults in the 18-49 demographic last season. The cast is also a bit pricey with them scoring sizable raises ($250,000 an episode for the first season to $350,000 an episode for the next two). When it’s all said and done, NBC is paying $2 million an episode for the comedy so the numbers really need to be there.
That’s not to say the run wasn’t successful. The revival helped monetize the Will and Grace library, which sold to Hulu in a massive SVOD deal with the now Disney-owned streaming service. Netflix was in the running but Hulu outbid them for the rights.
Season 3 of the Will and Grace revival will consist of 18 episodes to premiere in 2020.
