David Zaslav, the current chief executive of Warner Bros. Discovery, is spearheading a series of cost-cutting initiatives at the Burbank headquarters that’s seeing some surprising top talent get the pink slip.
Among the cuts is Elan Gale’s HBO Max Original reality series, FBoy Island, which premiered in July 2021 with 10 episodes in its first season. The series was canceled in its sophomore season, followed by the Baldwin Hills based reality show, Sweet Life: Los Angeles.
Executive produced by Issa Rae, Leola Westbrook-Lawrence, Montreal McKay, Sheri Maroufkhani, Sun de Graaf, and Jimmy Fox, Sweet Life is just one of many series Rae has produced with Warner Bros. Discovery. Her other productions include the Robin Thede-created sketch comedy, A Black Lady Sketch Show, and the Florida-based rap series, Rap Sh!t, starring KaMillion and Aida Osman, which appear to be safe.
Legendary, an Emmy-winning show following voguing teams called houses as they compete for cash prizes, is another surprising cut. The reality TV series was groundbreaking in its concept, competing with the likes of RuPaul’s award-winning RuPaul’s Drag Race television franchise. Legendary was canceled after only three seasons.
Scripted programming isn’t safe either. Minx, starring Ophelia Lovibond, Jessica Lowe, Oscar Montoya, and Idara Victor, received the axe going into its second season, along with Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan’s Westworld, making its final bow after four seasons. Other cuts include Love Life and The Nevers, so far.
The cancellations come as Zaslav implements the merger between HBO Max and Discovery+ and transitions from reality content to unscripted structured lifestyle programming on the streamer. The cost-efficient revamped slate includes a number of food competition, relationship, and home improvement series, such as 90 Day Fiancé, and the Fixer Upper and Property Brother franchises.
