‘The Other Black Girl’ Canceled at Hulu

The Other Black Girl will not return.

Hulu has canceled the comedy series based on the book of the same name by Zakiya Dalila Harris after a single season.

First put in development in April 2020 before Tara Duncan signed on to serve as president of Disney’s BIPOC-focused studio Onyx Collective, the 10-episode satirical comedy about the publishing world dropped its full season in September to impressive reviews. The series currently has an 86 percent rating among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, though audiences seem to have rejected The Other Black Girl with that score sitting at a lackluster 50 percent among viewers.

Danielle Henderson (Sorry for Your Loss) originally was set to serve as showrunner but was ultimately replaced by Jordan Reddout and Gus Hickey. Exec producers on the series included Onyx’s Duncan, Rashida Jones, Temple Hill’s Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey, Adam Fishbach and author Harris. Sinclair Daniel, Ashleigh Murray, Brittany Adebumola, Hunter Parrish, Bellamy Young and Eric McCormack starred.

In an interview late last year — after the writers strike concluded and producers were able to speak about the show — Reddout and Hickey expressed optimism for a second season.

“Our brains are spinning. They’ve been spinning on season two for a year. It’s something we constantly talk about and would be very exciting to do,” Reddout said. Added Hickey: “Since we changed the ending, we want the chance to show everyone what’s going to happen now. There’s a lot to explore.”

The Other Black Girl is the latest scripted original to get the ax at Disney-run Hulu, joining Death and Other Details, This Fool, The Great and How I Met Your Father, among others. With the Peak TV bubble having burst, streamers across the industry are focused on right-sizing their scripted slates and budgets. Still awaiting word on their futures at Hulu are Amy Schumer’s Life and Beth (which is expected to return), animated comedy Koala Man, Ramy and The Orville, with the latter pair seemingly stuck in an endless limbo.

For Onyx, meanwhile, The Other Black Girl is the first scripted series to be canceled for the Disney division. Reasonable Doubt and Unprisoned were both already renewed and comedy How to Die Alone is awaiting a premiere date at Hulu.