Hank no longer a stain on Kelsey Grammar's career

Kelsey Grammer talks with reporters in a photo taken Oct. 11,
2009 (before he learned his show, Hank, has been cancelled).
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Recently, ABC gave full-season pickup orders for three of its four Wednesday comedies - The Middle, Modern Family, and Cougar Town.  Conspicuous by its absence from this list was Hank, which starred Kelsey Grammar as the founder and CEO of a sporting goods retailer who is fired from his job by the Board of Directors and has to start over.  The fact that Hank was fired from the chain he founded and is suddenly broke is an indication of what a poor executive he was - when is the last time a CEO was fired from their job, no matter how poor their performance, without a huge golden parachute?

In any event, it no longer matters, as ABC has canceled Hank, effective immediately.  Five episodes have aired, and production will shut down after the 10th episode has been filmed.  ABC has no plans to broadcast the remaining episodes anytime soon - comedy reruns and holiday specials will fill Hank's place through at least January, when Scrubs and Better Off Ted are scheduled to return.  And now ABC has something they can burn off during the summer months.