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American Auto has officially run out of gas. The sitcom series, created by Superstore‘s Justin Spitzer, has officially been canceled by NBC after a two-season run on the network. Filmed in the style of The Office, which Spitzer also worked on, this workplace comedy centered around the executives of Payne Motors, based out of Detroit, as they struggle to adapt to the rapidly-changing world of the auto industry under the leadership of a new CEO.
Who Starred in American Auto?
First debuting on NBC in December 2021, American Auto stars Ana Gasteyer as Katherine Hasting, the brand new, first female CEO of Payne Motors who’s fresh off her last job at a pharmacology company and, as a result, doesn’t know much about cars. Harriet Dyer (The Invisible Man) stars as Sadie Ryan, Hasting’s marketing director and the one in charge of reinventing the company’s failing brand.
Michael Benjamin Washington (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) stars as Cryus Knight, the Chief Product Designer, with Humphrey Ker (Mythic Quest) as Elliot Chisholm, Hasting’s General Counsel. Superstore alum Jon Barinholtz stars as Wesley Payne, the privileged grandson of the company’s former CEO, with comedian X Mayo as Dorothy “Doris” Otis, Hasting’s personal assistant, and Tye White as Jack Fortin, an ex-assembly line worker brought in to advise the C-team.
Why Has NBC Canceled American Auto?
American Auto concluded its first season in March 2022, and season 2 ran from January to April 2023. According to The Hollywood Reporter, American Auto season 2 averaged 2.32 million viewers and a 0.35 rating among adults 18-49 over a week of viewership, down 15 and 30%, respectively, from its debut season ratings. While an official reason for the cancellation of American Auto has not been given, it’s possible that NBC executives were unhappy with how the series was fairing in viewership.
While American Auto certainly isn’t the first NBC show to be canceled recently, one interesting thing to note is that NBC has decided to keep Justin Spitzer on for future projects. St. Denis Medical, one of Spitzer’s upcoming works, will center around:
“an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity,”
per Deadline. Justin Spitzer and American Auto writer/producer Eric Ledgin will remain together in the new project as well.
Seasons 1 and 2 of American Auto are currently available through NBC and Peacock.