Why Hilary Duff’s ‘Younger’ Was Canceled After 7 Seasons

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For seven exciting seasons, viewers eagerly watched as 40-something single mother Liza Miller struggled to balance her double life, where she was pretending to be a 26-year-old to succeed in an ageist publishing world, in the popular show “Younger”. Starring Sutton Foster, Debi Mazar, and Hilary Duff, this entertaining and eccentric series gained unexpected success among fans and kept them captivated from start to finish, wrapping up its successful journey in 2021.

Although viewers adored it, they were taken aback when Younger ended after seven seasons, leading some to speculate if the popular dramedy had been canceled. However, television luminary Darren Star, who also created hits like Beverly Hills, 90210 and Sex and the City, clarified before the final season’s filming in 2020 that the series had merely reached its natural conclusion and told the story it was meant to.

Darren Star’s Refreshing & Fun Dramedy

Darren Star, a prominent figure in television, boasts an impressive collection of awards for his roles as writer, producer, and director. He’s the mastermind behind timeless TV shows like “Beverly Hills, 90210”, “Melrose Place”, and “Sex and the City”. In 2015, he maintained his dominance in Hollywood with the creation of the witty drama-comedy “Younger”. This TV Land original series features Tony Award winner Sutton Foster as Liza Miller, a 40-year-old divorced mother who’s finding it tough to re-enter the job market after realizing the challenges faced by women her age in achieving professional success.

In the bustling metropolis of New York City, Liza experiences a significant revelation following an encounter with the youthful and alluring 26-year-old tattoo artist Josh (Nico Tortorella) at a bar. This incident leads her to believe she could convincingly pass for someone younger. With the unwavering support of her trusted friend Maggie (Debi Mazar), Liza devises a plan to challenge the ageist norms in the publishing industry. She decides to feign being 20-something, landing a job through this deception. Soon, she befriends the vibrant and driven 26-year-old Kelsey Peters (Hilary Duff). As one might expect, Liza finds herself grappling with the complexities of leading a dual existence.

Season 7 Was Always Intended to Be the Last

For seven thrilling seasons, the captivating and hilarious show gained significant recognition, earning a stunning 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes during its debut season. Critics praised Foster’s charismatic portrayal, the innovative storytelling style, the show’s clever dialogue, and its witty writing. Although it didn’t immediately gain a massive viewership, Younger found a comfortable place on television and provided endless laughter and enjoyment for viewers, eventually becoming TV Land’s longest-running original series in network history.

As Star shared with TV Line in September 2020, he had informally planned for a seventh season as a fitting conclusion. With production disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he decided to adapt the scripts he had already written and provide the beloved series with a proper farewell. Star felt that the characters and show had reached their natural end since everyone close to Liza had learned her age truth, making the playful premise less relevant.

The new season resumes, continuing from the point just prior to the pandemic, which serves as a starting point. However, I believe we’ll be integrating this event more deeply into the storyline as the season unfolds.

It seems logical that Star decided to conclude the seven-season run of Younger, considering he was busy with other projects at the time. In 2020, he created the hit Netflix romantic dramedy Emily in Paris, which rapidly gained global popularity and became a delightful guilty pleasure for viewers. With over 58 million households tuning in during its debut month. Star also revisited his Sex and the City origins in 2021, contributing to the highly anticipated revival And Just Like That… that year. Given these successful projects and the completion of all major character arcs on Younger, there was little reason to continue the series, although a spin-off almost materialized for Kelsey’s character, played by Hilary Duff.

Duff’s Canceled Kelsey Spin-Off

Although Liza Miller’s intriguing tale concluded in the show “Younger”, Hilary Duff’s character Kelsey Peters almost got her own spin-off series titled around Kelsey’s Hollywood escapades. In 2020, it was announced that Darren Star was developing a series centered on Kelsey, who had been recruited to manage a company called Inkubator through a firm jointly owned by Reese Witherspoon. Regrettably, this potential sequel did not progress beyond the planning phase as Duff took up another spin-off role in “How I Met Your Father” on Hulu.

Despite enthusiasts of “Younger” hoping for another series centering around Kelsey’s California adventures, creator Star feels that the show’s finale appropriately concluded Kelsey’s storyline. In 2021, he commented on the abandoned spin-off, stating, “it was always intended for Kelsey to strike out on her own, heading to Los Angeles.” After becoming popular on Netflix, “Younger” has rightfully earned attention as a must-watch streaming show, and viewers should definitely explore this engaging series along with Star’s numerous other successful projects, given his knack for creating captivating and innovative content.

Stream Younger on Netflix.

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2025-01-17 01:01