The End of the Line for Looking and Other Shows

It is unfortunate HBO decided to cancel Looking after only two seasons. The characters were finally defining themselves and new relationships were blooming in the second season. HBO was gracious enough to promise a special so we can get some closure, but that is a lousy consolation prize when I hoped for a third season.  David Canfield wrote a good piece in Indiewire titled "The Journey to Self-Acceptance: Why HBO's 'Looking' Is One of the Most Important Shows on TV" that highlights how the show stands out in today's TV culture.  He notes:

Like in "Transparent," its characters are distinct and their problems hitherto unseen, and yet their respective developments as sexual, romantic and individual human beings sting for how broadly they reach and for intensely they resonate. The community of "Looking" is a rainbow -- and that's a strange, sad fact to consider, since next-to-none of its participants can be found elsewhere, on TV or in films.

Other shows have been cancelled or appear to be cancelled, including The McCarthys, which was pulled from the CBS lineup late last year during its first season, and BBC America's Atlantis, which had two good seasons but seems to be caught up in the BBC budget cutting (much like In The Flesh).

I was afraid Sleepy Hollow was also on the cut list, but Fox recently decided to renew it. It certainly experienced a weak second season, with too many characters and strange X-Files like episodes, but it is still a unique show with well-liked characters.  And I look forward to more retelling of American history from Ichabod Crane's perspective.