Starz cancels 'Boss' after two seasons

Starz has canceled Farhad Safinia’s critically praised but low-rated political drama “Boss,” starring Kelsey Grammer.

The series centered on Tom Kane, an unscrupulous, power hungry Chicago mayor who ruled with an iron fist and deceit, struggling to hide his medical condition from those who wish to wrest his power away. The ensemble drama featured multiple sub-storylines, which in some way or another always tied back to the main storyline. Connie Nielsen, Kathleen Robertson, Jeff Hephner, Jonathan Groff and Sanaa Lathan also starred.

According to reports, the network saw no possibility of ratings growth that could warrant a third season. Season two ended with a season high of 440,000 viewers. In a statement, Starz said: “After much deliberation, we have made the difficult decision to not proceed with Boss. We remain proud of this award-winning show, its exceptional cast and writers, and are grateful to Kelsey Grammer, Farhad Safinia and our partners at Lionsgate TV.”

Starz picked up the Boss straight to series, bypassing the traditional method of ordering a pilot first. The move paid off for Starz, as the series earned a Golden Globe nomination for best drama and a Grammer win for lead actor.