A&E: ‘Live PD’ Cancellation Was Necessary Amid George Floyd Protests
A&E executives feel they made the right call to pull the plug on Live PD. The network canceled its #1 docuseries amid the George Floyd protests against police brutality and racial injustice. At first, the show was to return this month. But A&E decided to give the show an extended break amid the protests.
But the protests aren’t dying down anytime soon. Before the protests, the reality show was cut back due to the coronavirus pandemic. While the network ordered more episodes, it decided to do away with the show altogether. This came as a shock to Live PD Nation, including host Dan Abrams.
Live PD cancellation was the right call
According to a new report via the Pahrump Valley Times, the Live PD cancellation was the right decision. Insiders close to A&E had no other option than to cancel the show that was successful since its premiere in 2016. The cable network knew that losing the top-rated show was a huge risk. But insiders were ready to take that risk.
A&E’s decision came after Paramount Network canceled Cops. The Live PD series made headlines for filming (and later scrapping) the death of a man from Austin, Texas. But A&E executives felt that they had no choice than to pull Live PD off the air. The decision was made internally and came as a shock to host Dan Abrams.
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A&E made the decision alone. However, Disney/ABC Television Group and Heart Communications, which owns the network in a joint venture, were part of the discussions. Those involved in the discussion didn’t like that Live PD was compared to Cops, which they claim is a different show. The shocking news came a day after Abrams announced on Twitter that the show would return soon.
Abrams went on CNN to express his disappointment over the cancellation. He even addressed the controversy on The Dan Abrams Show on Sirius XM.
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“There’s a real positive change in many ways going on in this country, but there’s also an overreaction going on,” Abrams said. “And I think that’s what ‘Live PD’ suffered from.”
Critics lumped it in with Cops. And along with the Austin controversy, it was hard to move forward. The show was surrounded by controversies that wouldn’t go away anytime soon.
Will the show return in the near future?
Sources close to the network revealed that the show could return at some point. A&E is trying to find a way to recreate a live show that would follow police departments on patrol.
“This is a critical time in our nation’s history and we have made the decision to cease production on ‘Live PD,'” A&E said in a statement. “Going forward, we will determine if there is a clear pathway to tell the stories of both the community and the police officers whose role it is to serve them.”
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The series was a hit for A&E. it dominated cable ratings every weekend. It led to several spinoffs, including Live PD: Police Patrol, Live PD Presents: Live PD Cam and Live PD: Wanted. For now, past episodes of the original show and spinoffs are available to watch on A&E’s website. Since the franchise is gone, the network will have to air more episodes of Court Cam or The First 48.
What are your thoughts? Do you think the Live PD cancellation was necessary? Sound off below in the comments section.
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