Vinyl Canceled: No Second Season for HBO Music Drama

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What was once renewed is now canceled.

Despite a second season renewal on its '70s rock drama Vinyl from Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger, HBO has made the decision to scrap those plans.

It's probably for the best.

Poaching Known Talent - Vinyl

Vinyl Season 1 certainly wasn't as well received as HBO would have hoped.

The series had an incredible cast (Bobby Cannavale, Olivia Wilde, Ray Romano) and a supporting team that should have moved mountains. It didn't.

At the end of a disappointing first season, co-creator and showrunner Terence Winter parted ways with the series.

Scott Z. Burns was hired as a replacing showrunner, but he never got to show his capabilities.

In fact, from what I understand, no scripts have even been delivered for what was to be a retooled second season.

Where Vinyl seemed to go wrong was losing focus on the music. The music was heavily in focus from a character perspective in the pilot.

Then, somehow, the series dipped its toes into gangster waters and never got back out.

Instead of the music, the show focused too heavily on mobster ties to music promotion.

While it was certainly a thing, it didn't seem to be the thing viewers signed up to see.

"After careful consideration, we have decided not to proceed with a second season of Vinyl," HBO said in a statement.

"Obviously, this was not an easy decision. We have enormous respect for the creative team and cast for their hard work and passion on this project."

Sadly, Vinyl was in development in some form for 20 years. 

When something this big goes wrong, it's probably unlikely it will get another chance to hang from the vine again.

HBO will now hang its hat on the long-awaited release of Westworld (which has also been rife with struggles), premiering this October, and the last two seasons of the megahit Game of Thrones.

Also premiering this fall is Divorce, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Vice Principals and other comedies.

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.

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Vinyl Quotes

I just bought those bagels. They were fresh. They're not so fresh anymore.

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Zak: He's talkin' a boycott. Label wide.
Richie: Over Donnie fuckin' Osmond?!