'Alaska Daily,' 'Big Sky,' 'The Company You Keep' Canceled at ABC
ABC has canceled the drama series “Alaska Daily,” “Big Sky,” and “The Company You Keep,” Variety has learned.
Hilary Swank starred in “Alaska Daily” series as Eileen Fitzgerald, described as “a fiercely talented and award-winning investigative journalist who leaves her high-profile New York life behind after a fall from grace to join a daily metro newspaper in Anchorage on a journey to find both personal and professional redemption.”
In addition to Swank, the series starred Jeff Perry as Stanley Cornik, Matt Malloy as Bob Young, Meredith Holzman as Claire Muncy, Grace Dove as Rosalind “Roz” Friendly, Pablo Castelblanco as Gabriel Tovar, Ami Park as Yuna Park, and Craig Frank as Austin Teague.
McCarthy served as creator and executive producer on the show, and also directed the pilot. Swank, Melissa Wells, and Bert Salke executive produced along with Kyle Hopkins and Ryan Binkley of the Anchorage Daily News. Peter Elkoff served as showrunner and executive producers. 20th Television was the studio.
The drama ran for one season and was a high-profile get for ABC when it was first announced in 2021, due to its Oscar-winning talent attached. In addition to Swank as its star, the series hailed from fellow Oscar winner Tom McCarthy. Through the end of April, the series was averaging around 5.3 million viewers and a 0.4 rating in adults 18-49 in the Nielsen Live+7 ratings.
“Big Sky” ran for three seasons before its cancellation. Season 3 of the drama series, which was subtitled “Deadly Trails,” debuted on the broadcast network back in September. The series was based on the books of C.J. Box.
The official description of Season 3 states, “Private detective Cassie Dewell (Kylie Bunbury), undersheriff Jenny Hoyt (Katheryn Winnick) and newly appointed sheriff Beau Arlen (Jensen Ackles) maintain order in Helena, Montana, with their unparalleled investigative skills. But when a local backcountry trip led by charismatic outfitter Sunny Barnes (Reba McEntire) goes awry, the trio faces their most formidable mystery yet – in which no camper can be trusted and where danger lurks around every jagged rock and gnarled tree.”
The cast for the season also included Dedee Pfeiffer as Denise Brisbane, Jamie-Lynn Sigler as Tonya Wallis, and J. Anthony Pena as Deputy Mo Poppernak.
“Big Sky: Deadly Trails” is executive produced by David E. Kelley, Elwood Reid and Ross Fineman. Elwood Reid (“The Chi,” “Hawaii Five-0”) serves as showrunner and executive producer. “Big Sky: Deadly Trails” is produced by 20th Television in association with A+E Studios. 20th Television is a part of Disney Television Studios.
“The Company You Keep” has been canceled after one season.
The drama was a high-profile launch for ABC at midseason, as it was the first post-“This Is Us” TV starring role for Milo Ventimiglia. But the series failed to find much of an audience upon its debut, with the show averaging under 4 million viewers per episode in the Nielsen Live+7 ratings through the end of April.
Based on the Korean Broadcasting System format “My Fellow Citizens,” the series follows “con man Charlie and undercover CIA officer Emma, who are unknowingly on a collision course professionally.”
Along with Ventimiglia, the series also starred Catherine Haena Kim as Emma, William Fichtner as Leo, Tim Chiou as David, Freda Foh Shen as Grace, James Saito as Joseph, Sarah Wayne Callies as Birdie, Felisha Terrell as Daphne, and Polly Draper as Fran.
Julia Cohen wrote the pilot for the series and served as executive producer and co-showrunner, with Phil Klemmer serving as co-showrunner and executive producer. Ventimiglia and Russ Cundiff of DiVide Pictures also executive produced along with Jon M. Chu and Caitlin Foito via Electric Somewhere, and Todd Harthan and Lindsay Goffman via Gratitude Productions. Deanna Harris of DiVide was a producer. 20th Television was the studio.
Source: Variety
