Was Mike & Molly Canceled Because Of Weight Loss? Why The Show Ended

Summary

• Mike & Molly was not canceled because of weight loss. Rumors claiming this were deliberately spread as part of a scheme to capitalize on Melissa McCarthy’s public image.
• The actual reason for the show’s cancellation was a business decision. A new licensing agreement and renegotiation of actors’ contracts played a key role in the decision.
• Melissa McCarthy expressed shock and heartbreak over the show’s cancellation, highlighting her dedication and love for the series and its impact on her career and life.

Mike & Molly came to an abrupt end in 2016, and there has been speculation over whether Mike & Molly was canceled because of weight loss. The Mike & Molly cast is led by Mike Biggs (Billy Gardell) and Molly Flynn (Melissa McCarthy), two characters who fall in love after meeting at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting, setting the stage for a comedic yet touching exploration of relationships, weight issues, and life’s unpredictable turns. The show’s setting in Chicago and its focus on everyday challenges, including weight loss struggles, resonated with a broad audience, making it more than just a comedy, but a reflection of real-life experiences.

Melissa McCarthy’s portrayal of Molly Flynn was not just a career-defining role; it propelled her into the limelight, establishing her as a household name in Hollywood. Her exceptional talent led to Melissa McCarthy’s best movies like Bridesmaids and The Heat, further showcasing her versatility as an actress. However, despite the success and growing popularity of Mike & Molly, the show met an unexpected end in 2016. Its abrupt cancellation after six seasons sparked various speculations and rumors, specifically whether Mike & Molly was canceled due to McCarthy’s noticeable weight loss and if it impacted the show’s dynamic and storyline.

Mike & Molly Was Canceled For Contract Reasons, Not Weight Loss

The Cancelation Boiled Down To Financial Reasons

The actual reason for
Mike & Molly
ending was rooted in business decisions.

The cancelation of Mike & Molly was surrounded by a widespread rumor claiming that the show ended due to Melissa McCarthy’s weight loss. However, this rumor was a hoax, part of a scheme promoting diet pills. As Snopes revealed, this misinformation was deliberately spread to mislead audiences and capitalize on McCarthy’s public image and her personal health journey. This fake news story was reported by TMZ News, a website attempting to fool its readers into thinking it was the real TMZ. Such false narratives, while attention-grabbing, had no basis in reality regarding the show’s cancelation.

The actual reason for Mike & Molly ending was rooted in business decisions. According to a report by Deadline, the end of Mike & Molly aligned with the need for a new licensing agreement between the production studio and the network, which often happens when a show has run for six seasons. This also meant that the network would have to renegotiate the actors’ contracts.

Given that McCarthy’s profile was much bigger than when the show began in 2010, the actor probably would have wanted a much higher salary on par with what other projects were bringing in. Though there hasn’t been a concrete confirmation, contractual and financial considerations were likely key factors in deciding the show’s fate.

How Melissa McCarthy Felt About Mike & Molly’s Cancelation

McCarthy Was Shocked

Melissa McCarthy expressed her deep attachment to Mike & Molly through a heartfelt tweet (via Twitter). She conveyed shock and heartbreak over CBS’ decision to cancel the show, emphasizing her dedication and love for the series. McCarthy remarked that she would have gladly continued filming Mike & Molly for many more years, highlighting her commitment and affection for the cast and crew, whom she referred to as her “2nd family.” This response reflected both her personal connection to the show and the significant impact Mike & Molly had on her career and life.

What The Mike & Molly Cast Has Done Since The Show Ended

The Cast Has Found Success In Television

Since the sitcom was canceled by the network, the cast have all had to move on to other projects. They have all largely continued to find success on television, but there have been a few movie projects for the cast as well.

Billy Gardell, who played the titular Mike, appeared in a handful of episodes of different TV projects, like New Girl and Young Sheldon, as well as movies like Once Upon A Time In Venice. He also lent his voice to the podcast series Catchers. His biggest success since Mike & Molly’s cancelation, however, has been in another TV series. He’s the titular Bob in the series Bob Hearts Abishola, which ended in 2024 after five seasons.

Reno Wilson and Katy Mixon Greer have also had continued success on television. Wilson has appeared in such popular streaming shows as Bel-Air and Fatal Attraction as well as network TV gem Good Girls. Greer, on the other hand, appeared in The Thing About Pam and the George & Tammy miniseries, but also starred in over 100 episodes of American Housewife, a series she landed right after Mike & Molly came to an end.

Swoosie Kurtz has also maintained a TV and streaming presence. She appeared in episodes of Grace and Frankie on Netflix, but also lent her voice to such varied animated projects as American Dad and Rugrats. Kurtz also starred in the more recent sitcom Call Me Kat with Mayim Bialik.

It could be argued that the cast member to see the most success following the cancelation of Mike & Molly is Molly herself. Melissa McCarthy starred as the character after ending her run in a supporting role on Gilmore Girls. Since then, McCarthy has returned to Gilmore Girls briefly for its revival and appeared in a handful of episodes of Saturday Night Live, but her biggest success has been on the big screen with movies like Ghostbusters and The Little Mermaid despite criticisms of reboots and reimaginings. She hasn’t completely left series behind, appearing in Netflix’s comedy God’s Favorite Idiot.

The Mike & Molly cast might have been disappointed in the cancelation of the series, just like the fans, but they also have maintained steady careers ever since.

Source: Snopes, Deadline, Twitter