Aired: 2014-17, 3 Seasons Totaling 36 Episodes
Network: WGN
Starring: Janet Montgomery, Shane West, Seth Gabel, Tamzin Merchant, Ashley Madekwe, Elise Eberle, Xander Berkeley, Iddo Goldberg
Series Website: wgnamerica.com/shows/salem
Description: Set in 17th century colonial Massachusetts—a significant time in the history of American politics, religion and society—Salem brings you the real story behind the infamous witch trials. In Salem, witches are real, and they’re behind it all. Salem Village and Salem Town feuded over property, grazing rights and church rights. The government was dominated by Puritan leaders. People were scrutinized closely and this resulted in obvious discord. They were afraid of being persecuted for anything that may offend the Puritan mindset. The word “witch” seemed an easy and appropriate curse hurled at someone who behaved abnormally.
It was this setting of extremism and isolation that led to a period of witch hunts, where men and women were hanged and burnt at the stake with the belief that they, as witches, had taken to Satan over God. Were the Puritans right in their actions? Were the people innocent? Who were the real witches? WGNAmerica.com
Why Was It Cancelled? This was WGN’s first entry into the scripted programming boom back in 2014 and it pulled decent ratings for a cable entry when it debuted. Its number slipped each season, though, and it only averaged only a 0.09 rating based on the overnights for the 18-49 demographic in its third year. I thought that it might get a fourth and final season renewal to give it more of a binge-worthy run, but apparently WGN elected not to bring it back for another year. Series creators Brannon Braga and Adam Simon claimed that they “knew this would be the third and final season and were able to craft an exciting climax to Mary’s transformational saga”. But that came after the cancellation announcement and I’m guessing that WGN execs basically told them to have the third season set for a wrap up if the show’s ratings did not improve.
Season to Date (StD) Ratings Results:
| Air Date | Airings | Live+SD Rtg | StD Avg | Tot Vwrs (M) | Live+7 Rtg | Cancel Alert |
| 11/2/16 | 1 | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.3 | n/a | Renewal Possible |
| 11/9/16 | 2 | 0.06 | 0.1 | 0.2 | n/a | On the Bubble |
| 11/16/16 | 3 | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.3 | n/a | On the Bubble |
| 11/23/16 | n/a | Preempted | 0.1 | n/a | n/a | On the Bubble |
| 11/30/16 | 4 | 0.08 | 0.1 | 0.3 | n/a | On the Bubble |
| 12/7/16 | 5 | 0.09 | 0.1 | 0.3 | n/a | On the Bubble |
| 12/14/16 | 6 | 0.07 | 0.1 | 0.3 | n/a | Cancelled |
| 12/21/16 | n/a | On Hiatus | 0.1 | n/a | n/a | Cancelled |
| 1/4/17 | 7 | 0.07 | 0.1 | 0.3 | n/a | Cancelled |
| 1/11/17 | 8 | 0.08 | 0.1 | 0.3 | n/a | Cancelled |
| 1/18/17 | 9 | 0.05 | 0.1 | 0.2 | n/a | Cancelled |
| 1/25/17 | 10 | 0.08 | 0.1 | 0.2 | n/a | Cancelled |
Prior Season Ratings Results:
| Week | Airings | Live+SD Rtg | StD Avg | Tot Vwrs (MM) | Live+7 Rtg | Cancel Alert |
| 4/5/15 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | n/a | Low |
| 4/12/15 | 2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | Low |
| 4/19/15 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | n/a | Low |
| 4/26/15 | 4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | Low |
| 5/3/15 | 5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | n/a | Low |
| 5/10/15 | 6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | Moderate |
| 5/17/15 | 7 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | Moderate |
| 5/24/15 | 8 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | Moderate |
| 5/31/15 | 9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | Moderate |
| 6/7/15 | 10 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | Moderate |
| 6/14/15 | 11 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | n/a | Moderate |
| 6/21/15 | 12 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | Moderate |
| 6/28/15 | 13 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | Moderate |
For the latest updates on the current and upcoming shows, follow Cancellation Watch and the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site