The CW isn't playing around, with its recent cancellation bloodbath claiming another victim. While the network's adaptation of Nancy Drew is still going to continue, a failed spinoff series could barely make it out of the gate. Tom Swift debuted in late May 2022, but in a few short weeks, the series was cancelled. This might shock those who had gotten into the series, but there clearly weren't many of them.
Low ratings, a questionable creation and the current mess that is The CW are the reasons for the show's quick cancellation. Now is a worse time than ever to be on the network, and the wheat is being cut from the chaff without prejudice. Here's a closer look at why Tom Swift was swiftly ended.
Tom Swift Had Horrendous Ratings, Even for The CW
The CW is known to be a niche network, so it doesn't usually get the same level of views for its shows as those on more mainstream channels. Thus, it's been notably forgiving with its shows when they begin dipping in ratings. Sadly, those days are over, with the unprofitable nature of the channel having been recently revealed. This means that shows that would have otherwise been given a few more seasons are instead ended to cut off some dead weight for The CW.
Tom Swift definitely fell into this category, scoring abysmal premiere ratings, even for The CW. Its first episode premiered to less than half a million viewers, with Nancy Drew having premiered to over twice that number. Nancy Drew is currently scoring similarly poor ratings, but it's at least in its third season. This makes it questionable as to why the spinoff was ever made, as Nancy Drew, while decently received, was never a juggernaut for the network. It certainly wasn't the Arrowverse in its prime, or even the now infamous Riverdale when it was still popular. Add in the fact that many Nancy Drew fans disliked Tom Swift's character on that show, and it's no wonder its dwindling fanbase failed to tune into the spinoff.
Tom Swift also began airing in an unusual time: the beginning of summer. This is a weird time to launch any show, especially considering the complete lack of advertising for the series. Initial previews showed the series' bad CW attempts at being slick and cool, such as one character describing the protagonist as a "Tomsexual." With both feet already in the hole, this covered the series completely with damning sand.
The CW Has Seen Better Days
It's become painfully evident that The CW as people know it is not long for this world. Soon to be sold to the highest bidder, the network is in no position to be dragging along failing shows for longer than justifiable. This saw it cancel numerous long-running series, including the reboot of Charmed and DC's Legends of Tomorrow. The latter, while never a ratings darling, was beloved by fans, who were incredibly dedicated to it.
As shown by the already horrible ratings and lack of buzz, Tom Swift had no such fanbase, making it even easier to cancel. CBS Studios, which produced the show, is apparently shopping it around for a continuation. Given that it failed on The CW of all channels, it's unlikely that it will see a second season.