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The Spectrum original series L.A’s Finest left viewers on a major cliffhanger at the end of its second season, but will there ever be a season 3?
Debuting as the first Spectrum original series, L.A.’s Finest brought a healthy mix of humor and excitement to the police procedural genre, but will there be a season 3? The show centered on LAPD detectives Syd Burnett (Gabrielle Union) and Nancy McKenna (Jessica Alba) as they tried to balance their jobs on the mean streets of L.A. with their complicated home lives. Despite not being supported by a major network, L.A.’s Finest had an all-star cast that turned the typical procedural format on its ear with plots that were character-driven. The humor made the show unique, and it truly began to build during its second season on the air.
Designed as a spinoff of hit Bad Boys action movie franchise, L.A.’s Finest struggled somewhat under its own identity as a spinoff but began finding its footing during season 2. Aside from the typical cop show moments that almost all procedurals included, L.A.’s Finest began to delve deeper into the characters in season 2, and their interpersonal relationships took center stage. Season 2 escalated the excitement with its crime wave in Koreatown, and the death of Patrick McKenna added interesting stakes to the series. The second season ended with a bang, and it left a lot on the table for L.A.’s Finest season 3.
L.A.’s Finest Will Not Have A Season 3
As reported in Deadline, the Spectrum original series was not greenlit for a third season, and the stunning cliffhanger at the end of season 2 would not be resolved. While police procedurals have sometimes made up some of the longest-running TV shows in history, L.A.’s Finest would not be one of them. Though no official word was given as to why the show was dropped, several possibilities could have led to its cancelation, not the least of which was political pressures. L.A.’s Finest season 1 began airing in 2019, and the following year saw a series nationwide protests surrounding the death of George Floyd.
Police brutality was a hot-button topic in 2020, so much so that the release of the second season of L.A.’s Finest was actually delayed. The show was not meted out over several weeks like the first season had been, and Spectrum opted to release all episodes on the same day. Police comedies could have been seen as making light of the very tragic events that were taking place in the United States, and shows like L.A.’s Finest banked heavily on its humor and somewhat light-hearted energy.
L.A.’s Finest May Have Been Canceled Due To Declining Ratings & Poor Critical Reviews
Even the best procedural crime shows are often met with a somewhat mixed critical response, but L.A.’s Finest was summarily lambasted by critics from day one. The show’s first season earned only a 24% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, and the audience score was a pallid 64%. The second season didn’t receive enough reviews to even earn an official RT score, and the audience response was a similarly moderate 67%. Considering the fact that the show was already behind the eight-ball because it wasn’t on a network or big-name streaming service, L.A.’s Finest may have met its doom from declining interest.
