With little support, Of Kings and Prophets is cancelled

The Parents Television Council responded to the news that ABC cancelled Of Kings and Prophets after only two episodes aired. “The only reason networks cancel a show without burning off the remaining episodes is that there is no advertiser support. The dollars simply aren’t there, and it is more economical for them to air something else entirely – despite the fact that they’ve paid for those unaired episodes. And based on the conversations we’ve had over the past few days with several of the most premiere sponsors in the country – during which we questioned their underwriting such over-the-top graphic violence in Of Kings and Prophets, it was clear that advertiser support for the show was quickly evaporating. While we applaud ABC’s cancellation of the show, we can’t help but wonder why they would choose to air it in the first place,” said Parents Television Council President Tim Winter. The PTC alerted the nation’s top 200 advertisers about adult content anticipated on Of Kings and Prophets, which the show runner compared to HBO’s explicit “Game of Thrones,” saying, “It’s suspenseful. It’s extraordinarily violent. It’s sexual. … We’ve sought to make the show modern…This is a non-dragon version of ‘Game of Thrones.’" In addition, the show runner Chris Brancato said that he’ll be ‘ fighting with broadcast standards and practices ’ and that ‘ we’re going to go as far as we can’ throughout the series. After reviewing the premiere episode before it aired on ABC, the PTC also warned families about the graphically violent content and did not recommend the show for children.