With the news today that HBO has canceled "How to Make It In America" amongst other shows, it seems the series most indelible legacy will be its incredibly catchy theme song. In the spring of 2010, Aloe Blacc's "I Need a Dollar" was seemingly everywhere, and with good reason. It's bluesy sound, and simple evocative lyrics, made it the perfect song for America in the midst of a depression. However, I didn't like the show, I found it boring, a celebration of vapid aspirations. In fact, on the day of the season 1 finale, I was enjoying a nice spring day on Friend of the Blog Malik Nafa's terrace. We were listening to music, and naturally "I Need a Dollar" came on, I forced Mr. Nafa to turn the song off, lest we come off as "How to Make It" superfans.
However, the second season captured my fancy. It soon became one of my favorite shows, and I was legitimately concerned of whether or not these guys were going to make it in America. In fact, immediately after the final episode I tweeted "I think these cats just might make it in America," to much critical acclaim. The show was beginning to hit its stride, it seemed that there was a growing fanbase, a fact that is evidenced by the shows current twitter trending status. As a show about young 20 somethings struggling to make a life for themselves, while still enjoying the fruits of New York, the show held a particular appeal for me. Of course, none of that seems to matter, HBO's corporate overlords have canceled the show.
Additionally, HBO also canceled two other shows that I thought were beginning to finally catch their right rhythms. For its first two seasons I found "Bored to Death" a little uneven, occasionally funny, but often times too cute for its own good. This season the show was uproariously funny, Ted Danson in particular was a constant highlight. The show is also trending on twitter.
HBO also canceled "Hung." Admittedly, Hung never seemed to gain traction, and by its third season I often felt like I was its only viewer. The show had finally begun to have meaningful conflict, Anne Heche's character finally found out that her ex-husband was a prostitute, and the Pimp-Prostitute pair finally had problems beyond the existential crises they faced in the first two seasons. I'll excuse HBO for canceling the show, it had aired for three seasons and had failed to generate a critical mass.
The news today makes me realize the tenuous nature of television shows, they all come to an end. It leaves me feeling discouraged, why should I invest myself into a show that can be ended without any input from the viewers. Clearly, HBO has to make smart business decisions, but if the Twittersphere is any kind of barometer, it seems that the public is not pleased. Unfairly canceled TV shows are not a new phenomena, Arrested Development comes to mind, but it's always disappointing when a show you enjoy ends. I'm left wondering where all three shows were going, what hijinks were in store for Jonathon Ames? Would Crisp NYC hit the big time? Would Ray and Tanya finally get their lives out of the gutter? I'm disappointed that HBO would cancel these shows with seemingly low production costs, while keeping the staid and overwrought, financial albatross "Boardwalk Empire" on air, but that's the gamble we all take as television viewers. HBO generally puts on very high quality programming, but today's decision serves as a harsh reminder that our opinions are not the final arbiter of television economics. We risk getting invested in a show with the hope that it pays off narratively, but sometimes shows that are simply enjoyable are aborted before they reach fruition.
P.S. HBO fans should be heartened by the tale of "The Life and Times of Tim," the show was canceled, than renewed. HBO with its subscription model, is particularly susceptible to the whims of fans, and a popular movement in support of any of these shows could be effective.
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