Nasim Pedrad’s “Chad” canceled by TBS hours before season two premiere

On our weekly This Week in Comedy we published this morning, we included tonight’s premiere of season two of Chad on TBS. However, shortly afterwards, TBS announced that they were canceling the series that has had season two ready to go for months.

The series sort of got caught in the crosshairs of the big WarnerMedia-Discovery merger. For those unfamiliar, Warner Media – which includes TBS and HBO properties – is merging with Discovery. And as a result, it seems some shows have been on the chopping block. It is not the only show to have the rug yanked out from under it so abruptly. And we imagine others will be meeting the same demise in the days ahead.

“As we continue to assess content and implement a new strategy for our network, we can now share that season two of Chad will not air on TBS,” a spokesperson for the network said in a statement to Deadline, which broke the news. “We are proactively exploring various options to find the right home for it. We celebrate and thank Nasim Pedrad, the passionate creator, executive producer and star of the series, for sharing a bold, unexpected coming of age story with heart and humor. We also thank executive producer Oly Obst, co-showrunner Max Searle, and the entire cast and crew of Chad for their ongoing partnership and wish everyone continued success.”

“I recognize the landscape of our industry is changing so quickly,” Pedrad said in a statement to Deadline. “Did I expect my show to get caught in the crosshairs of a corporate restructuring and merger? No. I’ve spent the last year making a season of television I’m really proud of. From the writers room to production through the edit, a team of very talented and dedicated people came together to tell a story we believe in. A hard comedy that portrays Middle Eastern characters from a place of empathy and humanity. I feel so lucky that Chad has an incredibly loyal fanbase. I know they’re going to love this season and I’m excited for the show to find a new home.”

We’re hoping that the show winds up at HBO Max, which would make the most logical sense. Especially considering it’s all ready to go, and was received well by critics and audiences when it premiered last year. It’d surely generate some great business, so it seems like a win-win.