Two of the best shows on Apple TV+ have been canceled. Animated musical comedy Central Park and basketball drama Swagger have not been renewed for new seasons.
The creators of the shows confirmed the cancellations on social media over the weekend.
Central Park: ‘Sadly, it’s done’
Since its debut in 2019, Apple TV+ has slowly built a catalog of original programs. It now offers more than 200 shows in a wide variety of categories. Many of the series are still ongoing, while others came to their natural ends, like the streamer’s breakout hit Ted Lasso. But a few have simply been quietly canceled.
Central Park just joined the latter category. Series co-creator Josh Gad was asked on the social media service Threads when season four would debut, and he responded, “Sadly, it’s done.”
Loren Bouchard, best known for animated comedy Bob’s Burgers, also worked on the show. Central Park follows the exploits of the Tillerman family, who literally live in New York’s Central Park. They must fend off the regular attempts of hotel heiress Bitsy Brandenham to turn the park into condos.
Apple certainly did not cancel Central Park because it was a bad show. The series maintains a 97% critics’ approval rating on the review-aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes.
The three seasons of Central Park are still available to Apple TV+ subscribers, of course.
‘Walk off the set with Swagger’
Photo: Apple TV+
Also now on the list of shows that Apple TV+ has pulled the plug on is Swagger, a drama that isn’t exactly the life of basketball superstar Kevin Durant.
Reggie Rock Bythewood created the series. He posted an homage on X (formerly Twitter) last Thursday, addressed to “Swagger Family”:
“What an amazing adventure. In our two seasons, we have launched careers, disrupted genre, brought forth humanity through our characters, told stories we care deeply about, revolutionized the way to shoot basketball and had fun. That’s a blessing. KD, Brian, Rich, Imagine, and CBS Studios, thanks for your trust. Apple, while you are not ordering a season three, I made the show I wanted to make. Thank you for that. Cast, writers and crew, you have my gratitude. Walk on the set with Swagger. Walk off the set with Swagger. For our FAMbase, you lifted us in ways we could have never imagined. To the industry, don’t take your foot off the gas. Keep telling our stories.”
Again, Apple’s decision couldn’t have been due to a lack of quality. Swagger scored a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
In his recap of the Swagger season two finale, Cult of Mac writer Scout Tafoya called the show “brilliant.”
“Swagger served up an unflinching view of life with insurmountable pressure, life coming out of poverty, the hard road from nothing to something, and knowing your worth when no one else does,” Tafoya wrote. “What an achievement. What a feat. I hope there’s a third season of Swagger in the works.”
Unfortunately, that dream has been denied.
The two seasons of Swagger are available to watch now with a subscription to Apple’s streaming service.
‘Say goodnight, Gracie’
Apple makes a huge deal out of launching new series, but cancellations happen on the down low. Because of course they do. Comments on social media from stars or show creators are a typical way that word gets out when Apple TV+ pulls the plug.
That is also how we found out that Patricia Arquette’s dark comedy High Desert will not be returning to Apple TV+
But sometimes a show cancellation makes big news. That’s the case for Apple TV+ nixing The Problem With Jon Stewart over creative differences with its host. The furor was big enough to gain the attention of the U.S. Congress.
