Photo Credit: HBO Max
HBO Max's 'South Side' Gets Canceled After 3 Seasons
HBO Max Chicago-filmed comedy series South Side has been cancelled, four years after originally airing on Comedy Central.
Bad news for South Side fans. On Tuesday (February 21), it was reported that the HBO Max Chicago-filmed comedy series, which starred Sultan Salahuddin and Kareme Young, was canceled after three seasons. MTV Entertainment produced the show, which originally aired on Comedy Central in 2019, before moving to HBO Max for its final two seasons. The show was co-created by Salahuddin, who played co-protagonist Simon; his brother Bashir Salahuddin, who played police officer Goodnight; and Diallo Riddle, who played alderman Allen Gayle.
“While HBO Max will not be moving forward with a fourth season of South Side, we are so proud of the rich world Bashir Salahuddin, Diallo Riddle and Sultan Salahuddin created,” a statement from a HBO Max spokesperson read, confirming that the series' end. “We thank them and Michael Blieden, Tony Hernandez, the supremely talented cast and crew and our partners at MTV Entertainment Studios.”
“For three seasons, this beloved series balanced cutting, hyperlocal social commentary about life on the South Side of Chicago with silly, sometimes zany humor,” the statement continued. “The result was a wholly unique, ambitious and fearless comedy that could speak to everyone living the American dream.”
Shot in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, Young played Simon's best friend Karame, as the two navigated working at a rent-to-own furniture store after graduating from community college. Also in the cast were Lil Rel Howery, Nefetari Spencer and more, while native Chicagoans like Chance the Rapper, Vic Mensa, Kel Mitchell and Deon Cole occasionally guest-starred.
Read reactions to the show's cancellation below.
\u201cSouthSide was such a good show man. Like amazingly crafted. Nothing else like it on tv. So Black with a talented cast of funny motherfuckers all over the place. I know it was difficult but they make it look effortless to be so damned excellent. Sad to see it canceled.\u201d— Rod (@Rod) 1677031976
\u201cSouthside is among the best comedy I\u2019ve seen on TV in the past few years and deserves countless seasons. I really hope another network gives it a home again so we can still enjoy its greatness. Because these characters right here are comedy GOLD.\u201d— IAMNJERA (@IAMNJERA) 1677035717
\u201cMe trying to process that yet another show I love (South Side) has been canceled \n\n\u201d— Kelechi (@Kelechi) 1677018653
\u201cSome of the best television shows are not being given a real chance to make their mark. We're missing out on what could be era-defining material and for what? \n\nI'm so tired of 2-3 seasons of gold and then being sad about what should've been.\u201d— Brooklyn White-Grier (@Brooklyn White-Grier) 1677076698
\u201cSouth Side is one of the best tv shows on right now and yet, here we are saying goodbye to it. \n\nAnother show of color gone in what\u2019s supposed to be a golden era of TV.\u201d— Kellee Terrell IS BAAAAAACK! (@Kellee Terrell IS BAAAAAACK!) 1677021152
\u201cthe hosannas I could sing about this show... even though it was comedy, South Side humanized working-class black people in a way that very few shows ever had.\u201d— Evan Narcisse (@Evan Narcisse) 1677033345
\u201cHbo cancelling South Side during Black history month.\u201d— Ella Septima-Hamer (@Ella Septima-Hamer) 1677035282
