It’s been a busy afternoon with one cancellation announcement and two renewals in just the last few hours. Leading those off is WGN’s Salem which has been cancelled as of the end of its current season. This show kicked off its network’s entry into scripted programming back in 2014 and pulled decent ratings for a cable entry when it debuted. Its numbers have continued to slip since that time, though, and it has averaged only a 0.09 rating based on the overnights for the 18-49 demographic this year. It has typically been doubling that with delayed viewing, but that still makes for a pretty small audience. I was thinking this one would get a fourth and final season renewal to give it a binge-worthy run, but apparently WGN elected not to bring it back for another year. Series creators Brannon Braga and Adam Simon claimed that they “knew this would be the third and final season and were able to craft an exciting climax to Mary’s transformational saga”, but this is the first I have heard of the show ending with its third year. I’m guessing that WGN execs basically told them to have the third season set for a wrap up if the show’s ratings did not improve. The show will have a total of 39 episodes once it has completed its current season. It will take a short break after tomorrow’s episode and then return on January 4th. It airs Wednesdays at 9 PM EST.

Among the renewals, TBS announced that their first-year sci fi sitcom People of Earth will be coming back for a second season. That show has apparently performed decent enough in the ratings so far with a 0.33 season to date average based on the overnights for the 18-49 demographic. TBS has not had any other sci fi entries among its originals, so I wasn’t quite certain if those numbers were good enough to get it a second year. But apparently it ranks as one of this year’s top comedies on cable once total viewing across all platforms is counted. That show airs on Mondays at 9 PM EST and will wrap up its first season next week with a double episode. Its second season will comprise ten episodes just like its first and will debut later in 2017.

Coming as no surprise, IFC announced that first-year supernatural comedy Stan Against Evil will be returning for a second season. The linear viewing for that show has not been too high, averaging just a 0.08 rating based on the overnights for the 18-49 demographic. But it has done well in delayed viewing and it is the most-watched original series in over a year for that smaller cable network. Stan Against Evil had eight episodes for its first season which were aired back-to-back across four weeks, and I would expect probably ten or more for the show’s second season which will air in late 2017. All of the first season episodes are available for viewing at the show’s website.

Keep an eye on this site and the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site for any additional renewal / cancellation announcements as we head into the Winter break.