ARTICLE: ‘Ordinary Joe’ Canceled After Just One Season by NBC

[Errol]

“Ordinary Joe,” NBC’s primetime drama about what life would be like depending on the choices one makes, will not be returning for a second season, reports Deadline. The series concluded its 13-episode first season on January 24 with only 1.4 million viewers tuning in and a 0.2 rating in Adults 18-49, the primary sales demo that sets advertising rates for primetime television. For the season, the show was NBC’s lowest-rated drama.

Following a man named Joe Kimbreau (James Wolk) who’s forced to decide what to do with his life following his college graduation, “Ordinary Joe” told three parallel storylines that diverged from that point forward as Joe and the people around him deal with different careers, relationships and family lives, showing the unexpected ways that things change – and stay the same. But when it comes down to it, there is no “right” choice; no matter what happens, Joe’s life is always messy, exciting, tough, unpredictable … and beautiful.

The series also starred Natalie Martinez, Elizabeth Lail and Charlie Barnett.

Russel Friend and Garrett Lerner wrote and executive produced the series along with executive producers Matt Reeves, Adam Kassan, Rafi Crohn, Howard Klein. Adam Davidson directed and executive produced the pilot episode.

“Just got official word that there will be no season two of #OrdinaryJoe,” Lerner tweeted following the news of the show’s cancellation. “Couldn’t be more proud of the writers, actors, the directors and the uber talented craftsmen and women who all came together as a family and made a truly beautiful show. Thank you all.”

Watch a trailer for the series below.

“Ordinary Joe” is produced by 20th Television, Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, 6th & Idaho, 3 Arts.

The series aired Monday nights at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT following “The Voice.”

Note: The post ‘Ordinary Joe’ Canceled After Just One Season by NBC appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website.

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[Khan]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: James Wolk can't carry a series.

Edited March 9, 2022 by Khan

[Bright Eyes]

But he's a white cishet man. Surely, that's enough?

[Khan]

LOL!!

But seriously.  Wolk is certainly lovely to look at, but as an actor, he's about as exciting as mayonnaise.

(I take that back.  He's LESS exciting than mayonnaise.)

[DramatistDreamer]

Ordinary people seem to have little interest in seeing the ordinary on their screens, I guess.

And yeah, mayonnaise stories and bland characters ain't gonna cut it these days.

Time has moved on but I think Hollywood still has a hard time letting go of those types of characters and stories. This is the same type of thinking that led to many industry folk to label Woody Allen as some type of genius. His stories are usually all about centering bland white guys.

Edited March 9, 2022 by DramatistDreamer

[Soapsuds]

Isn't he?  I wanted to watch but found the promos so dull that I never tuned in.

[Khan]

Word.

I'm sure James Wolk is a lovely person IRL...but yeah, he's bland.  And he keeps getting these roles - "Ordinary Joe" is one; "Lone Star" is another - that require actors who can provide more layers than he's capable of.  Yet, the networks keep giving him these chances...and he keeps proving the networks wrong.

He'd be much better off working on the Hallmark Channel.

That's another thing: OJ seemed to me like yet another one of those shows where the novelty of the premise is supposed to make up for everything else.  TV series do not live by premise alone.

[DramatistDreamer]

His character was interesting on Mad Men but that was definitely a supporting character to Christina Hendricks' character Joan, which presented an intriguing dynamic in how many unknowns there were as to the true nature of their relationship. 

Wolk definitely gives a supporting character type. In those instances, you really need to weave a complex persona and backstory, as well as running story. That's how he'd best work dramatically, imo.

[Soapsuds]

That's where I first saw him on. It was a Hallmark movie on CBS. I concur...

[Khan]

Agree!