ABC said goodbye to several fan-favorite shows this past TV season, but one of them is living on — kind of. While it’s not a renewal or spinoff announcement, American Housewife will be back on TVs across the U.S. this fall. The sitcom will be highly syndicated in numerous markets, meaning fans new and old will be able to watch the show from the beginning again.
Deadline reports that stations covering 85% of the U.S. have licensed the five American Housewife seasons for broadcast this fall. That update means local TV networks across the country will broadcast the ABC sitcom on various times and dates, given their individual needs. This syndication effort will allow fans of the Katy Mixon-led show to relive all the episodes of the now-canceled program. Plus, American Housewife will now be introduced to legions more viewers who never caught to comedy during its weekly ABC time slot.
The three most high-profile markets that picked up American Housewife are New York City (WLNY-TV), Los Angeles (KCAL-TV) and Philadelphia (WPSG-TV). The following media group are said to have licensed the show for their respective stations: Weigel Broadcasting, Nexstar Media Group, E.W. Scripps Company, Hubbard Broadcasting, Hearst Communications, Gray Television, Bahakel Communications, Tegna Media, Lockwood Broadcast Group, Mission Broadcasting, Cox Media Group, Meredith Corporation, NPG Broadcasting and American Spirit Media.
“The syndication marketplace has swiftly embraced the funny and relatable American Housewife and we couldn’t be more pleased with the outstanding station clearances secured across the country for fall 2022,” said Chris Oldre, Disney Platform Distribution’s EVP Content Sales. “Not only will the show’s dedicated fan base be able to experience it all over again, but new audiences will also be able to watch the Otto family for the first time five days a week.”
American Housewife’s run ended unceremoniously in March after a five-season run totaling 103 episodes. The show’s ratings had dropped over the years, but it was seen as a reliable performer. It’s clear the minds behind the scenes were angling for at least one more season, opting to end things on a big cliffhanger instead of wrapping up the show’s run with grace.
This cancellation came after a peculiar Season 5, which could either be seen as the show on its last legs or attempting a creative refresh. Julia Butters left the show in the wake of her breakout performance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, with the Anna-Kat character being recast. Giselle Eisenberg filled that void. Carly Hughes, who played Katie’s (Mixon) friend Angela, left the show after alleging there was a “toxic” environment behind the scenes. Ali Wong also appeared in a reduced number of episodes in a remote capacity. New cast members Holly Robinson Peete, Jake Choi and Jim Rash were added as Katie’s new friends to shake things up, but it just wasn’t the same. Plus, writers introduced a new love interest for Taylor (Meg Donnelly), but the romance fizzled out quickly.
With the show’s future lying in syndication, this solidifies producers’ decision not to shop the show to other outlets. ABC and other players simply don’t see the financial benefit of American Housewife Season 6, unfortunately.