Tom Swift, The CW’s Nancy Drew spinoff, has been canceled by the network after one season, according to Deadline. The series starred Tian Richards (Fist Fight) as the title character as well as Kenneth Trujillo (Risen), Ashleigh Murray (Riverdale), Marquise Vilson (Blindspot), Donovin Miller (Rooney’s Last Role), Albert Mwangi (Bump), April Parker Jones (Bel-Air), and LeVar Burton (Roots).
The series was an unconventional backdoor pilot, with only Tian Richards’ title character getting an introduction on Nancy Drew in the show’s last season. The rest of the characters were cast after the project was picked up to series in August.
The show was about “a billionaire inventor who is thrust into a world of sci-fi conspiracy and unexplained phenomena after the disappearance of his father,” per Deadline.
Tom Swift was executive produced by Melinda Hsu Taylor (Lost), Noga Landau (See), Cameron Johnson (Empire), Josh Schwartz (The O.C.), Stephanie Savage (Gossip Girl), and Lis Rowinski (Runaways).
Although The CW has canceled the series on their network, Deadline reports that Tom Swift’s studio, CBS Studios, has been trying to extend the options on the show’s cast and that the studio plans to shop the series to other networks.
According to Deadline, The CW brass enjoyed the show creatively and that the show being canceled is in response to a poor viewing performance with Tom Swift being among one of The CW’s least watched series in linear.
The show’s cancellation comes as Nexstar Media Group continues to look to take over the majority of The CW. According to Deadline, the media group is expected to take a 75% stake of the network, while current partners Paramount Global and Warner Bros Discovery will each receive 12.5%, and update the network’s lineup of programs.
Deadline reports that as long as that deal stays on track, it will be finalized within the coming weeks.