The cable outpost formerly known as Skinemax is is leaning hard into an age of “high-octane dramas.” Sadly, that means Steven Soderbergh’s critical acclaimed drama The Knick is getting the axe as a result.
Even with the star power of handsome acting man Clive Owen, The Knick appeared to be on unsteady ground for a third season before the decision arrived on Thursday. The period-specific medical drama was Cinemax’s prestige program, an identity that the pay TV channel isn’t looking to get wrapped up in at the moment.
“After a critically acclaimed two-season run of The Knick on Cinemax, we will not be going forward with additional episodes of the series,” said HBO Miniseries and Cinemax Programming president Kary Antholis in a statement on the cancelation. “Despite our pride in and affection for the series, as well as our respect for and gratitude towards Steven Soderbergh and his team, we have decided to return Cinemax to its original primetime series fare of high-octane action dramas, many of which will be internationally co-produced.”
Essentially, Cinemax is focusing on things like their Strike Back reboot and not The Knick. In a landscape where prestige TV has currency far beyond its ratings status, the move is somewhat bold. If Knick devotees have a consolation prize in their show’s axing, it may come from how the season (and now series) finale wrapped up.
(Via TV Line)
