Why Is The Other Two Ending with Season 3?

The Other Two’s season 3 finale arrives today on a surprisingly somber note: It turns out, the series’ end is already upon us. Shortly before the final episode dropped, reports surfaced yesterday saying the comedy would conclude with its third season, though there was no sign of such news before the season 3 premiere or throughout its run. Fans of the cult-favorite series, which follows a dysfunctional family grappling with sudden fame, were shocked and surprised. But they were also troubled to hear news of an HR investigation within the production.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, The Other Two series finale follows “multiple staff complaints about creators and showrunners Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider over the course of the production,” but several sources said “there is no causal connection” between the complaints and the decision to end the show. Staff members alleged that Kelly verbally abused writers and overworked crew and that Schneider enabled him, according to THR. A formal investigation was held, during which Kelly and Schneider weren’t allowed on set, but they were ultimately cleared of any “wrongdoing” and were allowed to return. The duo have not responded to the reports and neither has Max.

In a fraught TV era where premature, and often unfair, cancelations have become common, it’s notable that The Other Two’s end was not a result of Max’s mass title slashing but apparently a decision by the show’s own team. In a statement, which only addressed the show’s conclusion and not the complaints, Kelly and Schneider said “this was where we wanted to end [the characters’] stories. And because we are quite literally out of ways to humiliate Drew Tarver, so what’s the point?”

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They added, “We are deeply grateful to everyone (gays) who watched the show, to Max for giving us a second home and life, and to our writers, producers and crew, who gave so much of their time, talent, and passion to this show over the last 45ish years. And finally, an enormous thank you to Heléne, Drew, Molly, Case, Wanda, Josh, Brandon, and everyone in our brilliant cast (except Ken) who all made this show better than it had any right to be, and who we will miss terribly (especially Ken). Long live ChaseDreams. #chasedreams #globsaregay #feet.”

Starring Drew Tarver, Heléne York, and Molly Shannon, The Other Two first premiered in 2019 on Comedy Central before migrating to Max. The series revolves around siblings Cary (Tarver) and Brooke Dubek (York) and as their brother, Chase a.k.a. ChaseDreams, becomes a viral teen pop star and their mother, Pat (Shannon), becomes an Oprah-like TV personality. On the edge of the spotlight, Cary and Brooke scheme for their own fame and power—him as an aspiring actor and her as a wannabe manager.

Heléne York and Drew Tarver in The Other Two.

With its goofy humor and razor-sharp satire of the entertainment industry, it filled a hole that 30 Rock left behind. And it parodied the business in enjoyable ways that other industry-focused series like The Idol have not. (Its imagining of Disney’s first gay character in an “apologetically gay” scene between two globs—yes, literal globs—was instantly iconic. Also, “Age, Net Worth, Feet” could be a real show.) A mainstream hit it was not, but somehow someone was always recommending it. Memes of inside jokes and beloved side characters (we see you, Curtis and Lance) infiltrated the TL. In its final season, guest stars included Simu Liu, Kiernan Shipka, and Ben Platt. The fans who loved it loved it deeply, which is why news of the investigation lands with such painful irony.

The season 3 finale doesn’t quite feel as wholly conclusive as a series finale, but it wraps things up nonetheless. After turning into a nightmare celebrity with delusions of grandeur (he thinks he can win an Oscar), Cary is deeply humbled by his agent and apologizes to his best friend, Curtis. Meanwhile, Brooke finally does something “good,” taking the blame for Chase and her mother’s misconduct to save them from public humiliation. Oh, and she and Lance get back together. The last episode offered a turning point and teaching moment for our leading two menaces. Sadly, we won’t be able to see what they learn—and where they go—from here.

Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she’s listening to Lorde right now.