WGN exterminates the witches of Salem

By William Hughes  |  December 13, 2016 | 10:56pm
Aux Features TV

WGN America has pulled the plug on its first original scripted series, with Deadline reporting that the cable network has tied Salem’s hopes of a fourth season to a stake and set the whole thing ablaze. The supernatural historical drama will have to say goodbye to its world of maniacal witches and morally conflicted Puritans when the show’s season-three finale airs next year.

Created by horror director Adam Simon and Star Trek producer Brannon Braga, Salem starred Janet Montgomery as Mary Sibley, a powerful witch attempting to use the hysteria of the historical witch trials to sew chaos and seize control. From there, it rapidly escalated into total chaos, incorporating a number of real Salem residents—shout out to all the Cotton Mather fans in the audience—and sending the whole city plummeting into hell. Unfortunately, all the magical drama weren’t enough to keep viewers interested; ratings have fallen off every year the show’s been on the air, with only 270,000 people tuning in for the show’s third season premiere.

 
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