After eight successful seasons, the ABC procedural drama, Castle, had its life cut short following an abrupt cancellation by the network on May 12, reported Variety.
A cloud of uncertainty had been hovering over the show for the past few weeks after it was announced that lead actor Stana Katic would not be returning for the ninth season. Regardless of that the remaining cast had signed one-year deal for a potential ninth season.
Even though the series continues to enjoy a massive fan base worldwide, the ratings for Castle have been on a gradual decline and were the lowest this season. Series creator Andrew Marlowe took to Twitter to break the news about the cancellation. “To the whole Castle family — our amazing cast, our remarkable crew, our imaginative writers and our wonderful fans, thank you for eight amazing years!”
A staple in ABC’s annual calendar for the best part of the previous decade, the reasons behind the show’s sudden cancellation remain unclear. According to People Magazine, tension between series leads Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic led to channel executives pulling the plug on the show. “The two were basically not talking to each other if it wasn’t in character,” a source told the magazine.
The Castle series finale will premiere on May 16.
