Why NBC Canceled ‘Lopez vs. Lopez’—George Lopez Speaks Out
Nothing breeds sitcom immortality like a network yanking the plug at peak awkwardness. NBC has officially canceled Lopez vs. Lopez after three seasons, leaving George Lopez to wonder if family comedy deserves better PR. The Peacock network confirmed the decision in mid-January, telling Variety that shifting audience tastes and streaming metrics ultimately doomed the multi-camera series. Mayan Lopez, who played George’s on-screen daughter, now faces a future without write-in therapy sessions scripted by her real dad.
In a statement to People Magazine, Lopez was unusually heartfelt: “This wasn’t just a show, it was our family’s story,” he said. You can almost hear the tumbleweed roll across the soundstage. Premiering in March 2022 with a modest 5.6 million viewers for its pilot (per Nielsen), the sitcom never broke into must-see TV territory—despite cameo cheekiness from Frankie Muniz and a few viral clip moments. Maybe NBC executives figured that running low on punchlines is a better alternative than rehashing the same dad jokes every week.
This cancellation notice follows a trend of network pruning, as The Hollywood Reporter notes that NBC has axed or shuffled at least five primetime series in the past six months. Lopez vs. Lopez struggled to land in streaming charts, so NBC quietly decided not to order a fourth season. Fans on X (formerly Twitter) have already petitioned for a revival on Netflix or Hulu, because nothing screams “TV prestige” like a desperate hope that a rival streamer will rescue your flailing family sitcom.
Roasting the inevitable press cycle, Lopez quipped on Instagram, “We tried to keep up with the times—but apparently you can’t download ratings.” He added that he’s “grateful” to executive producers and a loyal cast, notably Dana Lee and Selenis Leyva, who brought occasional spark to the predictable father-daughter bickering. Still, the consensus from Deadline is that even George Lopez’s star power couldn’t save a formula that leaned too hard on “been there, done that” setups.
Critics at Entertainment Weekly praised the show’s heart but warned early on that its concept felt recycled. As one scathing review pointed out, “Watching Lopez vs. Lopez is like unearthing your old photo album: nostalgic until you realize nothing’s changed.” Ouch. Despite respectable syndication prospects, NBC chose to let the series fade rather than commit more resources.
Well, there you have it—another evening of network neuroses where even a seasoned comedian can’t dodge the cancellation axe. Tune in next season for more executive bad decisions and the faint hope that one day we’ll finally see ‘Lopez vs. Lopez: The Reunion Special.’
Sources: Celebrity Storm and Variety, People Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Entertainment Weekly
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
