'Smash' Canceled: NBC Announces Cancellation of Musical Drama, 'Go On' And 'Deception'

NBC has decided to pull the plug on its polarizing musical drama “Smash.”

Despite a strong critical reaction and solid first season ratings, “Smash” has had a rough sophomore year. After a nine-month hiatus, the series’ second season debuted to a dismal 1.1 rating, bringing in just 4.5 million viewers in the crucial 18-49 demographic. Continued ratings struggles all but assured the show’s cancellation.

The series, which stars former “American Idol” contestant Katharine McPhee and former “Wicked” star Megan Hilty, will conclude with a two-hour finale on May 26, E! News reports.

Prior to its cancellation, NBC had moved “Smash” from Tuesdays to Saturdays, which only exacerbated its ratings struggles. Only 1.88 million viewers watched the show’s weekend debut on May 6, an all-time low for the musical.

Once news of the cancellation broke, several “Smash” castmembers took to Twitter to thank the show’s rabid fan base for its support.

“Thk u to everyone who watched Smash! Been an amazing ride. & thanks to @nbc 4 the opportunity 2 play a great gal such as Karen. So grateful,” McPhee tweeted on Friday.

“So sad that Smash is officially going Non-Equity,” wrote Andy Mientus, who played Kyle Bishop. “But in all seriousness, I love Smash, am so grateful to its fans, had the time of my life working with such talent and will never forget it!”

“Smash” was hardly the only casualty of NBC’s cancellations. “1600 Penn”, “Deception”, “Go On”, “Animal Practice”, “Do No Harm”, “Guys With Kids”, “Up All Night”, “Whitney” and “The New Normal” were all canceled as well. In addition, the Peacock network said its goodbyes to comedic juggernaut “30 Rock,” which aired its series finale on Jan. 31.