Showtime Cancels New Series After Only One Season

Time is officially up for Showtime’s The First Lady. On Monday, the network confirmed that it will not be moving forward with a second season of the anthology series, which follows fictionalized retellings of three First Ladies of the United States at different eras of the White House. The show, which was led by Viola Davis as Michelle Obama, Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford, and Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt, wrapped up its first season just six weeks ago. The series was created by Aaron Cooley, and directed by Susanne Bier.

“Showtime can confirm that the anthology series The First Lady will not be moving forward with another season,” a Showtime spokesperson said in a statement (via Variety). “We would like to applaud the artistry and commitment of our showrunner Cathy Schulman, director Susanne Bier, their fellow executive producers, our amazing cast, led by executive producer Viola Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Gillian Anderson, and our studio partner Lionsgate for their dedicated work in telling the unique stories of three remarkable leaders.”

The First Lady was billed as a revelatory reframing of American leadership through the lens of the First Ladies. The series delves deep into the Ladies’ personal and political lives, exploring everything from their journeys to Washington, family life, and world-changing political contributions, the impact of the White House’s women is no longer hidden from view. The series also starred O. T. Fagbenle, Dakota Fanning, Lily Rabe, Regina Taylor, Kiefer Sutherland, and Aaron Eckhart.

“It was always about trying to track through history the sublimation of voice, and to turn the lens on history to see it through a female point of view,” Schulman said in an interview with Deadline. “And so it was important to see continuity of the issues and to be able to point out the similarities as well as the juxtaposition. We wanted it to intersect and go through 110 years of history all at the same time and per episode.”

The First Lady is the latest show to be cancelled by Showtime this year, including Your Honor, Black Monday, American Rust, and Work in Progress.

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