Looks like Sleepy Hollow couldn’t escape the axe for long. According to Variety, the fourth season of the supernatural season will serve as its last.
The show melded a myriad of genres, from the cop drama outline to the fantasy element that incorporated the legend of Sleepy Hollow. While the show generated some fan support, the melding of genres may have been part of the reason for its demise, if audiences found it hard to connect with the show. This season has received notable low numbers in viewership, declining a staggering 40% in the 18-49 demo from the third season. Because of this marked change in numbers, season four was only brought back for thirteen episodes for season four (a step down from their previous eighteen episode season).
Towards the end, Sleepy Hollow was averaging a 0.5 rating in the 18-49 demo–and with low numbers, cancellation is never far from the network’s mind. Additionally, Sleepy Hollow also faced quite a few changes during its production. Mark Goffman, who had showrun the series for two seasons, was replaced by Clifton Campbell after the second season. Nicole Beharie, who starred on the show, also exited the show after the third season, forcing a new creative path for Sleepy Hollow.
At least Sleepy Hollow will have company; Fox also chose to cancel Rosewood and Pitch today.