EXCLUSIVE: History has opted not to order a third season of its Navy SEAL drama series Six. The decision comes with four more episodes left to air from the 10-episode second season. They will run as scheduled. I hear the timing of the decision was tied to the cast options expiring at the end of this week.

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Six was a breakout for History when it debuted in early 2017, drawing strong ratings and earning a Season 2 renewal ahead of its Season 1 finale for a 10-episode second season, up from the eight-episode first season.

Ratings have dropped in Season 2, running almost 50% below the Season 1 averages in Live+same day, which I hear was behind the cancellation decision.

History’s scripted series portfolio includes flagship Vikings, Knightfall, which I hear is gearing up for a second season, and the upcoming Robert Zemeckis-produced UFO series Blue Book.

From A+E Studios, Six follows Navy SEAL Team Six in a mission to destroy the terrorist network responsible for the shooting of their former team leader Richard “Rip” Taggart (Walton Goggins). Led by Joe ‘Bear’ Graves (Barry Sloane), in Season 2 the Navy SEALS joined forces with cunning and tenacious CIA officer Gina Cline, played by Olivia Munn, to scour Eastern Europe, infiltrating hostile territory and terrorist hotspots like Chechnya as they track the mastermind behind Michael’s (Dominic Adams) jihadist network. The chase brings the Navy SEALs to the border of Russia, where the consequences of their actions could spark World War III.

Six‘s series regulars also include Kyle Schmid, Juan Pablo Raba, Edwin Hodge, Jaylen Moore, Brianne Davis and Nadine Velazquez as well as Season 2 additions Eric Ladin and Nikolai Nikolaeff.

Six was created and written by William Broyles and David Broyles, a military special operations veteran. William Broyles, David Broyles, Bruce C. McKenna, Alfredo Barrios, Jr., George W. Perkins, Meryl Poster and Barry Jossen are executive producers. Arturo Interian serves as the executive producer for History.