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Dave has been FX's biggest buzzworthy comedy-drama, documenting the semi-fictional life of rapper and comedian Dave Burd, aka Lil Dicky. The series ran three seasons from 2020 to 2023, blending off-kilter humor with unvarnished observations of celebrity, motivation, and self-sabotage.
Fans and critics alike loved Dave for capturing the exact right blend of humor and substance to pierce the TV oversaturation! In February 2024, FX announced that there were no plans for season four of Dave at the time. The network expressly stated that this was done after they decided to allow Dave Burd to take a long break so that he could work on music and other projects.
In this release, the tone that was suggested was one of hiatus and not cancellation, but further releases from the cast made the situation of Dave more definite.
FX's official release concerning Dave
When FX discussed plans for the show, they indicated there was no current plan to revive Dave. The network stated the reason had been decided on by the show's co-creator and its lead actor, Dave Burd, who wanted to move on to other creative endeavors.
FX also indicated that Burd's overall production deal was still intact, so the problem of future employment is simply not a season of Dave in the future. It should be mentioned here that FX never explicitly cited creativity frustration, budget, or ratings as the reasons for Dave's halt.
The network explained the decision in terms of Burd's own priorities, rather than the show's performance.
Dave Burd's motives for walking away
Dave Burd has been open about why he quit the show. Employing Dave as a boss meant that he needed to play a lot of different hats, such as star, co-creator, writer, and executive producer, taken from his real life. Burd wanted to turn attention towards his music and other businesses, which had been on the back burner for the three seasons of Dave, in public.
Burd rationalized that there was a need for additional "bandwidth" to work on other creative projects beyond TV. According to Slashfilm, Dave said,
"I've poured every fiber of my being into the show, and after three amazing seasons, this feels like a good time to press pause to give myself the bandwidth to do some of the other things I have always wanted to do. I am beyond excited about what I have planned for the future and am enormously appreciative of FX for their continued partnership."
The news was structured as a personal choice, with the hiatus being about balancing his time and energy and not dissatisfaction with FX or the popularity of the show.
Cast confirms Dave is finished
Despite FX initially referring to the cancellation as a "pause," actors later described the situation. According to Screenrant, Andrew Santino, a main cast member of Dave, said,
"That’s not on pause. That thing is gone. I don’t even know why that narrative is out there, that’s not true. We’re not doing the show. I think people said it was on pause to protect the relationship of the show, but that’s all nonsense. The show is done."
He made fans aware that Dave is "gone," spreading news that the show was canceled rather than put on hiatus. Santino affirmed that the resolution was between Dave Burd, co-creator Jeff Schaffer, and FX. He wasn't involved in the negotiations, but his affirmation was the best indication to date that Dave had made up his mind, as opposed to being suspended indefinitely.
Ratings, expenses, and public opinion
No stated reason why Dave signed off was ratings, budget, or differences over creativity. During the three-year run of the series, the program had good ratings and gained favorable critical recognition. Unlike most other series removed for performance, the split-up of Dave resulted from the star's personal obligations, rather than network-controlled conditions.
This is not often practiced on TV nowadays. The majority of TV shows are canceled based on viewership or because there was an issue with production, but Dave was canceled because the producer wanted to quit.
Hence, why did FX drop Dave after season three? The reason was the creator's personal goals. It enjoyed keeping the fast production schedule open for music and other creative pursuits. While early rumors had spoken of a "hiatus," later affirmations from cast members clarified that the show has done what it was meant to do.
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Dave remains a three-season trip of ambition, creativity, and personal growth. Its end was not a result of performance issues or network unhappiness, but because its creator wanted to do something else. Fogeys may be angry at the cancellation of the series, but it is the reality on the inside, and juggling more than one creative career.
Also read: Star Andrew Santino reveals that the FX show Dave is gone and not coming back
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