Original Run: January 2012 to September 2015 on Comedy Central
It’s the end of a brief-but-epic era for Key & Peele. Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key heartbreakingly announced over the weekend that the Emmy-nominated Key & Peele would be closing its sketch comedy doors in September and not return for a sixth season. “It was just time for us to explore things things, together and apart,” Keegan-Michael Key told TheWrap. “We might make a movie and then do our own things for three years, and then come back and do another movie.” On the bright side, fans can expect a Key & Peele movie sometime next spring!
Original Run: September 2000 to February 2008 on UPN
Perhaps the most heartbreaking of cancelations on this list, Girlfriends abruptly ended with no warning whatsoever. There are so many unanswered questions: Did Joan ever get married? What happens with Toni and Todd? Or Monica and Williams? Hopefully Mara Brock Akil will be able to answer these questions and more in a Girlfriends movie. One day…
Original Run: Started: April 1990 to May 1994 on FOX
Often called the Black version of Saturday Night Live, this improv show launched the careers of some of our favorite comedians including Jim Carey, Jamie Foxx and of course, The Wayans brothers.
Original Run: September 2005 to May 2009 on UPN, The CW
Chris Rock’s autobiographical sitcom was one of the first shows to get axed when UPN changed its branding to The CW. The stars have stayed busy, especially the frugal father figure Terry Crews, who now stars on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Original Run: January 1996 to May 2001 on UPN
UPN broke every Black girl’s heart when they opted not to renew Brandy’s breakout role as Moesha. However the spinoff, The Parkers starring Mo’Nique, had a pretty successful run.
Original Run: September 1989 to July 1998 on ABC, CBS
Being one of the longest-running sitcoms with a predominantly Black cast couldn’t save Steve Urkel and the Winslows. After gaining low ratings in the TGIF lineup, Family Matters got the boot.
Original Run: 1994 to 1999 on ABC, The WB
Tia and Tamera Mowry as sassy-yet-sweet twin sisters was apparently too much for any one network to handle. ABC dropped the show and The WB eventually picked it up only to drop it again after four more seasons.
Original Run: January 1975 to July 1985 on CBS
The Jeffersons is the longest running Black sitcom ever, and one of the longest running TV shows in American history. So it was a shock when CBS cut the show without a proper finale. But the Jeffersons got to make a final TV appearance on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air finale when they bought the Banks’ mansion.
Original Run: August 1989 to November 2008 on BET
BET canceled the hip hop talk show to replace it with what would be a short-lived music video program. We’ll miss Big Tigger and the other hosts promoting up-and-coming rappers and showcasing our favorite hip-hop heads.
Original Run: September 1989 to August 2002 on BET
It was a sad day when, after 13 years, BET canceled their after-school talk show where real teens talked about real issues. It was one of just a few positive, motivational shows for young people of color for many years.
Original Run: September 2000 to December 2014 on BET
106 & Park was the last video countdown show on television until BET abruptly decided to end it in December of last year. Our hearts still weep for Freestyle Friday.
Original Run: November 2001 to April 2006 on FOX
After 104 episodes, FOX pulled the plug on The Bernie Mac Show. But thankfully, you can find all five season streaming on Netflix!
Original Run: September 1992 to August 1997 on ABC
This family sitcom starring Mark Curry, Holly Robinson Peete and a grown-up Raven-Symoné had a good run on ABC’s TGIF before getting canceled.
Original Run: January 1972 to March 1977 on NBC
Redd Foxx walked away from the title role after a salary dispute. His character was written out of the series but he returned briefly before the show was canceled. TIME Magazine lists Sanford and Son as one the best TV shows of all time.
Original Run: January 1989 to May 1994, September 2013 to May 2014 on The CW
Arsenio Hall’s variety talk show left, came back to us, and left again. But we’ll always have the memories of former President Clinton playing the sax.
Original Run: September 2012 to March 2015 on FOX
Fans weeped when we realized we may never know what happened to Dr. Mindy Lahiri and the other doctors on The Mindy Project. But keep your fingers crossed; The show is rumored to be getting picked up by Hulu. Stay tuned…
