CBS has decided not to renew B Positive for a third season. The comedy series, created by Marco Pennette and executive produced by Chuck Lorre, will end its run after two seasons and 39 episodes.
B Positive follows Drew (Thomas Middleditch), a therapist and newly divorced dad who is faced with finding a kidney donor when he runs into Gina (Annaleigh Ashford), a rough-around-the-edges woman from his past who volunteers her own. Together, they form an unlikely and life-affirming friendship as they begin a journey that will forever affect both of their lives.
The show also stars Kether Donohue, Sara Rue, Izzy G. and Terrence Terrell. Pennette, Lorre, Jim Patterson and Peter Chakos are executive producers for Warner Bros. Television and Chuck Lorre Productions.
B Positive was the only new comedy series to debut on CBS in the 2020-21 season. It launched in November 2020 as part of the network’s pandemic-proof fall schedule, which relied on shows that had some episodes in the can pre-COVID, such as B Positive, or had a straight-to-series order, such as The Equalizer.
The series had a solid start as the new comedy entry on CBS’ dominant Thursday lineup. It was helped by getting a The Big Bang Theory repeat as a lead-in for its premiere. It was quickly given a full-season order in November 2020.
B Positive’s ratings declined in Season 2, averaging 4.7 million viewers and a 0.6 rating in adults 18-49 (Live+Same Day), down from 5.6 million viewers and a 0.8 rating in Season 1.
The show’s cancellation comes as CBS is reshuffling its comedy slate for next season. The network has ordered three new half-hour series: Ghosts, starring Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar; Smallwood, starring Pete Holmes; and Welcome to Flatch, based on the BBC series This Country.
