’Live P.D.’ Canceled By A&E After 4 Seasons

The series was consistently one of the highest-rated programs on Friday and Saturday nights.

Credit: Officer.com

On the heels of Paramount Network's cancellation of Cops, A&E has opted to cancel Live P.D. after four seasons. In a similar fashion to its longer-running counterpart, the reality police program featured actual officers as they patrolled and apprehended accused offenders. The series birthed numerous spinoffs (PD Cam, Women on Patrol, Live Rescue) and was previously renewed for 160 episodes just a month ago. Dan Abrams, who is also ABC's chief of legal affairs, hosted the series alongside Tom Morris Jr. and Sgt. Larkin. Abrams claimed yesterday that the series would be returning but it seems the A&E network decided against that. After the announcement, he expressed his disappointment about the decision on Twitter.

Shocked & beyond disappointed about this. To the loyal #LivePDNation please know I, we, did everything we could to fight for you, and for our continuing effort at transparency in policing. I was convinced the show would go on. . More to come. . .https://t.co/WWh7fDrig2
— Dan Abrams (@danabrams) June 11, 2020

Debuting on October 28, 2016, the series produced 298 installments in total and closed out its final season on May 23, 2020. The last episode garnered a respectable 0.54 rating, topping everything else that aired during that evening on cable. Not only were its numbers massive for a cable network but it would also be considered solid by current broadcast standards. Despite phenomenal Nielsen ratings, the program came under fire for eradicating footage of Javier Ambler's 2019 death at the hands of Texas police. That act coupled with the current George Floyd protests brought A&E to their decision.

What do you think of this news? Were you a fan of Live PD? Did it deserve to be canceled? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.