‘Bastard Executioner’ Canceled After Season 1 Finale, Kurt Sutter Explains ‘Heartbreaking’ Cancellation

Kurt Sutter has turned his sword on “The Bastard Executioner.” On Wednesday, a day after the FX series aired its Season 1 finale, the mastermind behind the epic, medieval drama revealed that he and the network have decided to cancel the drama.

Sutter confirmed the surprising news to audiences in an unconventional way: by taking out an ad in the Hollywood Reporter. The ad stated his appreciation for the talented cast and crew of “TBX” as well as explained the reasoning behind the low-rated series’ cancellation.

“The audience has spoke and unfortunately the word is, ‘meh,’” he said. “So with due respect, we bring out mythology to an epic and fiery close.”

The creator elaborated on the cancellation in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, noting that although the cancellation was “heartbreaking,” is was also necessary.

“I love this show, I love the mythology, but, you know, it almost f---ing killed me,” the “Sons of Anarchy” showrunner began. “I don't write in a vacuum. I'm not the guy sitting in my ivory tower spitting s--- out not caring if anyone is watching. I like an audience. I don't want to write something that nobody's f---ing watching. And yes, some of that is ego. But some of it is just, [if no one's watching] then I'm not necessarily doing my job.”

The 14th Century series, starring Lee Jones, Stephen Moyer and Katey Sagal, garnered 2.1 million viewers when the series premiered. With each passing episode, audience numbers significantly dropped. Sutter blamed the lack of viewership on the mythology being “a little too dense for some people.”

“There's a glut of period pieces on right now, and I'm sure timing has something to do it,” he said. “There's just so many f---ing variables involved in that formula. My sense is that a year from now, people will be like, ‘Why didn't you make more?’ I mean, I get so many people telling me they're on episode four of ‘Sons.’”