On Wednesday, a day before the Season 3 finale aired, The two others got the axe. In a statement, creators Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider said Max’s acclaimed comedy, about millennial siblings (Helene Yorke and Drew Tarver) struggling with the overnight success of their 13-year-old brother ( and which gave Molly Shannon one of her meatiest roles), was still scheduled to end after 30 episodes.
“It’s bittersweet to say goodbye to the Dubek family after three seasons, but we always knew, both creatively and personally, that this was where we wanted to end. [the characters’] stories,” Kelly and Schneider said.
However, according to The Hollywood Reporterthere may be a darker reason why it ended:
Several sources involved in The two others confirm that Kelly and Schneider have been the subject of complaints to Human Resources regarding their behavior on set and in the writers room. These include allegations that Kelly verbally abused writers and an overworked crew and claims that Schneider allowed his behavior.
According to sources, the production conducted a formal investigation into the behavior, during which Kelly and Schneider were not allowed on set for some time. Kelly and Schneider were officially cleared of wrongdoing and cleared to return.
That said, several insiders said there was no connection between the complaints and the sudden end of the show.
Rumors of behind-the-scenes tension on The two others were allegedly an open secret. Tina Fey even directly referenced the alleged strife in March while speaking at the PEN America Literary Awards, while digging into her former SNL And 30 Rock bandmate Lorne Michaels, who also produced The two others.
“Nobody indulges in writers like Lorne Michaels,” she told the crowd. “Lorne, you have unleashed an army of monsters into the world. You know it, I know it, and The Other Two team knows it – oh, I was supposed to change that. I was supposed to change that. It’s inappropriate. Well, it’s not live.
Anyway, the Two others the episode that hits Max on June 29 will be his last.
(Via THR)