ABC cancels Of Kings and Prophets after just two episodes

Rats. Deadline reports that Of Kings and Prophets — the Saul-and-David-and-Samuel series, which I was really starting to enjoy — has been cancelled after just two episodes. The ABC network had sent copies of the first three episodes to TV critics (including myself), and had even teased that next week’s episode would feature David’s confrontation with Goliath. But now that episode will never air; instead, its timeslot will be taken over by the “reality TV” series Beyond the Tank.

There is no word yet as to whether the remaining episodes will be released on DVD, or online, or in any other format. It is not even clear to me whether the series had finished shooting its first season yet, let alone the post-production.

The Bible has been a consistent source of material for TV-movies and miniseries going back to the 1970s at least, but it is only in the last couple years that networks have tried to make ongoing TV shows based on the Bible. So far, however, their efforts have not been successful. Last year, NBC cancelled A.D. The Bible Continues after one season because its ratings kept falling. And now there’s this.

Incidentally, Beyond the Tank — the series that is taking the Of Kings and Prophets timeslot — is produced by A.D. The Bible Continues co-creator Mark Burnett.

Ah well. Here’s hoping a Bible-themed TV series makes it to a second season someday. In the meantime, you can watch a few clips from the second episode — for now:

‘Has Saul Lost His Faith?’:

‘Saul Almost Loses the 12 Tribes of Israel’:

‘Ishbaal Hires an Assassin to Kill the Prophet’:

‘David Brings Saul News of a Betrayer in his Midst’:

‘David Prays He Will Never Be in Saul’s Position’:

Check out earlier Of Kings and Prophets trailers and other videos here:

• The trailer for the original pilot episode (May 12, 2015)
• The ‘Legend’ promo (January 6, 2016)
• The ‘New Extended Trailer’ and ‘Series Premiere’ trailers (January 29, 2016)
• The ‘A Hero Will Rise’ TV spot (February 2, 2016)
• The ‘A destiny will be uncovered’, ‘A hero has been chosen’, ‘Warrior. Lover. Legend.’, ‘Conquer everything. Trust no one.’ and ‘A hero’s journey is beginning’ TV spots (February 10, 2016)
• The ‘Witness the rise of a hero.’, ‘A hero will rise.’ and ‘A king grapples with his destiny.’ TV spots (February 21, 2016)
• The ‘The Epic Story’ TV spot and the Saul, Ahinoam, Jonathan and Ishbaal character videos (February 29, 2016)
• The ‘David Avoids Being Flogged’ and ‘David Kills a Lion with Only His Sling’ sneak peeks (March 9, 2016)
• The ‘David’s Task: Kill or Be Killed’, ‘David Seeks Out and Finds His Lion’, ‘David’s Invitation into the House of Saul’, ‘Samuel Will Bless the Marriage of Saul’s Daughter…for a Price’ and ‘Saul Defies the Word of the Lord’ clips, the ‘David Has a Crush on a Princess’ sneak peek, and a making-of featurette (March 10, 2016)
• The ‘Grief-Stricken Merav Lashes Out’ clip (March 16, 2016)