The Real Reason Why 2 Broke Girls Was Canceled
The show 2 Broke Girls was a unique sitcom, and its unexpected 2017 cancellation shattered the hearts of fans everywhere.
Starring Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs as the titular cash-strapped young women, 2 Broke Girls premiered in September 2011 on CBS, following a network bidding war for the multi-camera sitcom. The brainchild of standup comedian Whitney Cummings and former Sex and the City showrunner Michael Patrick King, 2 Broke Girls immediately connected with viewers while receiving both positive and negative reviews from critics. When the sitcom was canceled in 2017 after a respectable six-season run (which included plenty of controversy along the way), fans shared shock and outrage on social media, with many feeling as if the show had been taken from them far too soon.
The untold truth of 2 Broke Girls is that fans weren’t the only ones surprised by the cancellation; the same held true for the show’s cast and crew, who never imagined the sixth season finale would be the last episode ever produced. However, there had long been hidden forces at play behind the scenes which ultimately combined to bring about the show’s demise. Read on to learn the real reason why 2 Broke Girls was canceled.
2 Broke Girls was hated by many TV critics
When 2 Broke Girls premiered on the 2011 CBS fall lineup, reviews for the sitcom were decidedly mixed. The Hollywood Reporter declared the show to be “the most disappointing new sitcom of the fall,” admitting 2 Broke Girls “actually had potential, but has squandered it away every week on cheap, predictable and unfunny jokes.” Meanwhile, Vulture criticized the show for more than just bad jokes, asking, “Does it have to be so mean?” Slate’s review took a more positive view of the show, although the highest praise mustered was that the show was “regularly palatable [and] good for a cheap chuckle.”
Later that season, a January 2012 press tour session for 2 Broke Girls at the Television Critics Association turned contentious (via Uproxx), as journalists hammered the series’ stars and producers about the show’s “one-note” supporting characters, outdated racial stereotypes, and the dependence on sexual innuendos.
Future seasons saw reviews become more pointed. In 2015, Pop Matters accused the show of having “lost momentum” and being “on its way to comedy bankruptcy.” The following year, the Boston Globe even asked, “Is 2 Broke Girls the worst sitcom on TV?”
2 Broke Girls was accused of perpetuating racist stereotypes
2 Broke Girls had plenty of characters who some viewers felt were problematic, most of whom were featured in the diner’s supporting cast — which was described by the New Yorker as having been “conceived in terms so racist it is less offensive than baffling.”
A review in The Guardian went even further, singling out the diner’s owner, Han Lee — played by actor Matthew Moy. “Short, asexual and work-obsessed, Lee is ridiculed for his broken English and failing to ‘get’ U.S. culture,” stated the review. Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, Moy defended his characterization, explaining, “I know that a lot of people had concerns about Han and the accent, but the comedy on 2 Broke Girls always comes from a place of love — it’s never mean.” He continued, saying, “We’re a comedy, and we often go right to the edge. It doesn’t bother me.” Added Moy, “I’ve encountered this all my life. I’ve been made fun of all my life.”
Behrs also stood up to the criticism, telling Entertainment Weekly, “People are always going to have a problem with something.”
2 Broke Girls was criticized for its filthiness
2 Broke Girls’ seemingly racist stereotypes and flat jokes led to some highly controversial TV moments — but those weren’t the only issues. The show’s unabashedly raunchy humor was also a problem for some critics, as crude jokes simply felt out of place on the primetime series. In other words — 2 Broke Girls wasn’t exactly a family show.
A 2017 piece in The Washington Post called 2 Broke Girls “the filthiest show on network television,” offering numerous examples of sexual innuendos to back up its claim. However, 2 Broke Girls also made headlines for riling up angry viewers, prompting dozens to issue formal complaints to the Federal Communications Commission.
As AdWeek reported in 2014, the FCC logged 91 complaints about the show. Onne complaint accused the entire show of being “profane” and full of “sexual emphasis and explicit language.” Yet another complainant asked the FCC, “Do the writers want to break down barriers to good taste and spew coarse language during family hour? This is your job to try to keep television from becoming a cesspool and allow everyone to enjoy profane-free shows.”
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