Sources say producer Sony TV saw the writing on the wall and began making calls about a new home for Underground after Outsiders was axed. The acclaimed series, which carries a $5 million per episode price tag, already has an SVOD deal with Hulu, which was a complicating factor in finding a new home. BET and OWN are both said to have passed, citing the price tag that comes with Underground. (Efforts to find a new home for Outsiders, also from Sony TV,were unsuccessful.)
With the cancellation, WGN America is out of the premium scripted originals business. Its lone pilot, DC Comics take Scalped, is currently being shopped by producers Warner Bros. Television. Going forward, WGN America is said to be focused on content with reduced license fees — in the $2 million per episode range — and/or programming that already has a U.S. network but may be looking for a second window.