But Lifetime supernatural drama Witches of East End seemed to have a stronger case going for it than against it, which makes its November 4th cancellation all the more perplexing and, frankly, frustrating. Though the show ended its second season without a renewal decision, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that it would return for a third season, given that fellow Lifetime veteran Devious Maids also suffered a sharp ratings drop in a move to another time of year. Granted, Maids was always the higher rated of the two, but the fact that it took several months for the Marc Cherry soap to get renewed seemed to point toward a similar fight (and similar result) for Witches. Yet Lifetime ended up cancelling Witches of East End after two seasons, something that could come back to bite them.

As evidenced by their recent series pickups, Lifetime is looking to expand the definition of what it means to be a scripted show on their network. Coming up in the near future are Un-Real, a behind the scenes look at a reality dating series that focuses on a staff member tasked with manipulating relationships; The Clan of the Cave Bear, which takes place 25,000 years ago; and Damien, a sequel series to iconic film series The Omen which would concentrate on an adult Damien Thorn. Though it might be understandable that the network wants to change its perception, Witches of East End walked the line between the two Lifetimes that have developed thanks to these series orders – it’s very much a genre show, so it doesn’t necessarily fall in line with the network’s history of soaps, but it’s a genre show that’s overwhelmingly female, a tweak on the old “Television for Women” adage that throws a group of strong women into an unusual situation. Keeping Witches around would not only keep the network from reinventing itself too quickly, thus risking alienating those who’ve remained loyal over the years, it would allow that network a piece of flexible genre entertainment that explores issues (femininity, female empowerment, female sexuality) that might not be addressed in their other projects. For as much as Lifetime needs to keep up with the Joneses and all these new networks throwing their hat into the scripted ring, they’re risking losing what makes them distinct by cancelling Witches of East End and thereby diluting their brand as a network built for stories about women embracing their power and making their way in a sometimes unkind world.

What’s most interesting about the Witches of East End cancellation was that it left Lifetime with a whopping one veteran series in 2015. Part of the reason that I was as assured as I was that Witches would be returning was that it seemed impossible that a network would order as many new shows as Lifetime did and then ask them all to self-start. Placing two new shows together on a schedule, even if you’re a cable network, is pretty suicidal, in that one almost always dies – it’s too much to ask a new show to launch something wholly on its back, while the lead-out never receives the same amount of sampling and is often at the mercy of its DVR performance. Even if Witches of East End was down over the course of its second season, having it around to help bolster the new shows and give Lifetime a steadier utility player (once it got its sea legs this summer, Witches ended up being pretty consistent) to fill out its schedule sounds better than asking the 2015 premieres to go it alone. Lifetime might be as confident as ever in Un-Real and Damien, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not going to need help or that confidence is going to translate into a strong launch. With Army Wives concluded, The Client List cancelled, and Drop Dead Diva dead for a second time, Lifetime lost several power players over the last couple of years; however, that doesn’t mean that wiping the slate clean is the answer, not when Witches of East End was still putting up renewable numbers in a worse situation than it had in season one. Renewing the show for a third season would’ve allowed it to act as a bridge between Lifetime identities, keeping the network’s female-focused feet in the past while being compatible enough with the new projects to act as a lead-in without feeling out of place.

Most pressingly, the cancellation of Witches of East End is a sign that shows about women are an endangered species. Lifetime is the latest network to back away from focusing on female audiences, as we TV dropped “Women’s Entertainment” from its name, Style was rebranded as male-focused Esquire, and The CW doing away with soaps in favor of comic-based and science-fiction programming. There are networks still invested in telling female stories, with Bravo and E! entering the scripted fold with Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce and The Royals, respectively, but for the most part, female audiences are being ignored in favor of male audiences, the most elusive demographic in all of television. Not only is it harder to get men to watch live television, meaning that advertisers will pay more for those who do tune in, male-centric programming tends to generate more critical and social media buzz, which can often be as valuable as advertising dollars to a network looking to make a splash. In trying to broaden its demographic, Lifetime has put itself in the unenviable position of having to reverse a reputation built through years of catering to female audiences; it’s going to take quite a bit of groundwork for men to even find the network and if this latest wave of scripted series doesn’t pan out, there’s a distinct chance that their core audience might not be as quick to return as they might have thought. Lifetime might not be the scripted powerhouse that it seems to want to be, but there are worse positions to be in than having one hit show and one moderately-rated show with a vocal, passionate online presence.

Thus, the cancellation of Witches of East End was short-sighted: it’s too much change too quickly for Lifetime, something that could turn off a sizeable segment of its fan base; it leaves Devious Maids as the only returning show in 2015 and puts even more pressure on the new shows to perform, given that they don’t have a lead-in; and it inadvertently continued the marginalization of female-focused programming that Lifetime, formerly known as “Television for Women,” should be one of the leaders in fighting against.

You can purchase the first two seasons of Witches of East End on iTunes here and here. The first season is available on DVD here, with the second season only available through Amazon Instant Video. Additionally, a petition to bring the show back, which currently has 62,000 signatures, can be found here.

The post Why Lifetime Should Renew Witches of East End appeared first on TVHackr.

What will be interesting to see is just how far Carmen is willing to go for her career. While she pulled back when she learned that Sebastien was married, she’s proven herself willing to do anything and everything in her power to make her dreams come true. If Sebastien puts pressure on her to continue their affair if she wants to keep a record deal, that could cause quite a crisis of faith with Carmen; after waiting this long to reach this level in her career, is she willing to give it all up because she’s unwilling to continue sleeping with Sebastien? Or will she decide that this is a small price to pay in order to get to where she wants to go?

In addition to his role on the ABC Family drama, Marini has appeared on the likes of 2 Broke Girls, Hot in Cleveland, and Brothers & Sisters.

The third season of Devious Maids is slated to premiere next year on Lifetime.

Will you be watching the third season of Devious Maids? Do you think that Carmen would have an affair with Sebastien if it meant furthering her career? Who won’t survive the wedding shooting that took place in the closing moments of the second season finale?

The post Devious Maids Season 3: Gilles Marini Promoted to Series Regular appeared first on TVHackr.

On the second season finale of Witches of East End, Killian lingers between the world of the living and the world of the dead, a lonely area of existence where he finds Freya, who tells him that she’s alive and that when he wakes up, he is to contact Ingrid. Now that he knows that Freya is alive, Killian must find a way to counteract the poison so that he and his lover can try to make things work in this lifetime rather than waiting for the next. Not only will Ingrid be the best bet for assisting him in reversing the effects of the poison, given that she’s arguably the strongest witch in the Beauchamp family bar Joanna, reaching out to her based on a visit from Freya could clue her in on the dangers facing her sister, her mother, and her aunt. As a result, Ingrid might end up having to save Freya, Wendy, and Joanna from the dangers of the past while protecting the futures of Killian and Killian’s relationship with Freya. But what happens if there’s nothing she can do to reverse the poison Killian ingested?

Elsewhere on Witches of East End, Tarkoff tracks down Joanna in the past and tries to prevent her from leaving, while Frederick becomes suspicious of Ingrid’s sincerity in wanting to go to Asgard and Dash’s dark secret begins coming to light.

The two-hour second season finale of Witches of East End airs Sunday at 9:00 on Lifetime. You can check out an additional preview of the finale here.

Which member of the Beauchamp family do you think is in most danger? Will Ingrid be able to find a way to reverse the spell that Killian enacted by drinking the poison? How will Dash protect himself once word of his wrongdoing becomes public knowledge?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuVT2W0BS3k

The post Witches of East End Season 2 Finale Sneak Peek: Killian Discovers That Freya’s Alive appeared first on TVHackr.

On the season finale of Witches of East End, Joanna tries to find a way to escape the past, though she gets delayed when she runs into Tarkoff. Not only does he have the weapon that she needs to defeat the king, there’s a high likelihood that he’ll attempt to keep her in Baltimore for as long as possible so that she goes past the allotted 12 hours she can stay in the past. By keeping the weapon away from her, Tarkoff is running out the clock on the Beauchamp matriarch and hoping to get her out of the way so the king can focus on bringing Ingrid, Freya, and Frederick back to Asgard unimpeded. However, with Ingrid knowingly deceiving the king with talk of her allegiance, Tarkoff might not be able to deliver the grandchildren even if he does manage to take out Joanna, especially if Freya is forced to simultaneously grieve the loss of her mother and her lover.

Elsewhere on Witches of East End, Frederick becomes suspicious of Ingrid’s intentions in returning to Asgard, while Ingrid receives shocking news from King Nikolaus, Dash’s dark secret gets closer to the light, and Killian’s rash decision has major reverberations.

The two-hour second season finale of Witches of East End airs Sunday at 9:00 on Lifetime.

Do you think Joanna, Wendy, and Freya will be able to escape the past before the 12 hours pass? What could Ingrid learn from the king that would be so shocking? How will Dash handle his dark secret being exposed to the East End populace?

The post Witches of East End Season 2 Finale Preview: Joanna Tries to Escape the Past appeared first on TVHackr.

“We are thrilled to be bringing Devious Maids back for another season.  Marc Cherry has created a uniquely twisted world that blends his comic wit with devilishly ingenious characters and plot twists,” said Rob Sharenow, executive vp and general manager of Lifetime.

Though the show is Lifetime’s strongest performer in the ratings, having averaged 1.8 million total viewers for this past season, Devious Maids concluded its second season in mid-July, making the mysterious three month silence between its finale and renewal all the more perplexing. Reportedly, the renewal was delayed due to licensing fee negotiations and creator Marc Cherry’s reluctance to act as the showrunner for the third season of Devious Maids. As a result, Ric Swartzlander and Brian Tanen have been named co-showrunners for season three, with the latter having been with Maids since its premiere and the former having experience in comedic television.

Devious Maids stars Ana Ortiz, Roselyn Sanchez, Dania Ramirez, and Judy Reyes, with the likes of Mark Deklin and Gideon Glick having joined the series for its second season. Given the deadly cliffhanger the show went out on, it’s as yet unclear who’ll be staying with the show for its upcoming third season and how long those that remain for season three will have before the ever-stylish Grim Reaper of Beverly Hills comes calling for them.

A return window for Devious Maids has yet to be announced, though the show’s move to spring this year likely means the show will premiere April 2015. The fates of Lifetime’s other scripted series, supernatural drama Witches of East End and sci-fi conspiracy The Lottery, should be announced in the coming weeks.

Were you worried that Devious Maids was in danger of cancellation? What would you like to see as the central mystery for season three? Should Devious Maids return to airing in the summer, given the lower ratings it suffered this past season?

The post Devious Maids Renewed for Season 3 by Lifetime appeared first on TVHackr.

On the next episode of Witches of East End, Killian learns of a spell that could halt the patterns that keep he and Freya crashing into one another and leaving the other utterly destroyed. The only catch? According to the witch doctor, he’ll have to give up his own life in order to ensure that the next lifetime he shares with Freya is one without a curse lingering over their heads. Killian isn’t exactly in the right state of mind to hear something like this and it could all be for naught if he goes through with it, as Freya’s grandfather has already brought her back from the brink of the underworld; should Killian agree to the spell and give up his life in hopes of seeing Freya again, he will only be continuing the patterns that have kept the two apart for so long and furthering the curse that has negatively impacted each of his former lifetimes. Will Killian give himself time to think about going through with the spell, time where he could learn that Freya’s alive? Or is his grief for Freya so strong that he’ll want to do the spell then and there, thereby shifting the heartache he’s been suffering from to the one he wanted to protect?

Elsewhere on Witches of East End, Ingrid begins considering returning to Asgard after bonding with her grandfather, while Joanna explores one of her past lives with Freya and Wendy and Dash learns the true identity of the woman he slept with.

Witches of East End airs Sundays at 9:00 on Lifetime. You can check out a preview of the next episode here.

Do you think Killian will be able to break the cycle of heartbreak he and Freya are trapped in? Should Ingrid return to Asgard with her grandfather? What could Joanna be looking for in her past life?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7JZBVUPnPk

The post Witches of East End 2.11 Sneak Peek: Can Killian Break the Cycle? appeared first on TVHackr.

On the next episode of Witches of East End, Ingrid bonds with her grandfather while Joanna, Wendy, and Freya are away – perhaps too much, as she makes it known that she wants to accompany him back to Asgard. Part of that might be from her gratitude toward her grandfather for saving herself and Freya, but Ingrid of the past would have never suggested such a thing, not without consulting her mother and giving herself time to consider all options. But even with the possibility that her grandfather had an ulterior motive in saving herself and her sister lurking around, Ingrid opts for the more dangerous approach, something that could very well get her hurt if she’s not careful enough. As much as Ingrid might’ve come to resent being the Beauchamp “anchor,” she might need to tap into that cautiousness if she wants to ensure that her grandfather is only in this realm out of concern and need to heal old familial wounds.

Elsewhere on Witches of East End, Freya, Wendy, and Joanna explore one of their past lives while looking for something, while Dash learns the true identity of the woman he had a one night stand with.

Witches of East End airs Sundays at 9:00 on Lifetime.

Do you think that Ingrid will return to Asgard with her grandfather? What could Joanna be so concerned about that she had to go through the time door to retrieve? How will Dash handle the knowledge that the woman he had a fling with is investigating the recent string of murders in East End?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d6TzDT5Ru4

The post Witches of East End 2.11 Preview: Will Ingrid Return to Asgard? appeared first on TVHackr.

On the next episode of Witches of East End, Joanna resorts to drastic measures in order to bring Freya and Ingrid back after they met their end at Tarkoff’s hands. Her power is unmatched by anyone in Asgard, with her reputation for being ruthless with her gift preceding her, but Joanna has never had something this important cross her path before. After her daughters have made it this long, with Freya entering into her 30s for the first time since the curse was enacted, she doesn’t want them to have that happiness, sense of accomplishment, and self-knowledge unfairly stripped away, so now more than ever, she needs to tap into her power and find some way, any way, to keep her daughters from being reborn yet again. If Joanna does manage to bring Freya and Ingrid back, there’s the possibility that the curse could be lifted, seeing as how they were resurrected vs. reborn, but what will she have to do in order for that to be a possibility?

Elsewhere on Witches of East End, Joanna and Wendy reconnect with their father through Tommy, while Dash deals with the reemergence of Kyle’s body and the possibility that he could be tied to the murder.

Witches of East End airs Sundays at 9:00 on Lifetime.

Do you think that Joanna will find a spell to bring Ingrid and Freya back to life? Will she be forced into making a deal with her father in order to get her girls back? Is Dash going to be able to keep himself from being tied to Kyle’s murder?

The post Witches of East End 2.10 Preview: Can Joanna Save the Girls? appeared first on TVHackr.

Season two of True Tori is said to address Tori’s family relationships, business ventures, and struggles with balancing her four children, thriving career, and still-in-repair marriage. The series, which premiered earlier this year, over-delivered the Lifetime 2014 prime average by 74% with Women 25-54, 61% with Women 18-49, 57% with Adults 25-54, 47% with Adults 18-49, and 15% with Total Viewers.

Spelling has had a busy 2014 as, aside from True Tori, she starred in ABC Family comedy Mystery Girls alongside 90210 co-star Jennie Garth. The series has reportedly been cancelled after disappointing ratings for its first 10 episodes, though the network claims that no official decision has been made. Given that True Tori will be filming and airing in near-real time, viewers will get a chance to see how the fate of Mystery Girls, whether it be positive or negative, impacts Tori’s career, state of mind, and relationship with Dean.

Will you be watching the second season of True Tori? Do you think that Tori and Dean can work things out and emerge from this ordeal a stronger, happier couple? What else would you like to see addressed during the second season?

The post True Tori Season 2 Premieres October 21st on Lifetime appeared first on TVHackr.

That’s because she realizes that Tarkoff isn’t the kind, loving soul that she remembers him as. His attempts at getting closer with her have less to do with his concern over Victor’s death and more about weakening her enough as a witch to kidnap Freya and Ingrid. While Joanna’s power might strike fear into the hearts of those who know only of her destruction, they also paint a gigantic target on her back; those in her realm believe that if they can take her out, the entire Beauchamp line will fall like a house of cards, but no one has been able to get close enough to her to test this theory. Having cloaked East End for the past century, Joanna has done everything she can in order to protect her family – everything, that is, except remind those who might’ve forgotten the extent of her power just how determined she is to remain in East End.

Elsewhere on Witches of East End, Tarkoff exacts revenge upon Frederick, while Freya confronts Killian about the bomb he dropped on her, Ingrid gives Dash an ultimatum concerning his role in two deaths, and Wendy’s relationship with Tommy puts them both in jeopardy.

Witches of East End airs Sundays at 9:00 on Lifetime.

Will Joanna be able to protect her family from Tarkoff? Should Dash turn himself in for the murders of Kyle and William Hutton? Is Wendy’s relationship with Tommy worth keeping up when it only puts the two in danger?

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