Reality TV gives gun-themed shows a rest

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 16:43:00 +0000

Somehow, reality shows about weapons just aren't as much of a draw as they were only a week ago. In the wake of the devastating school massacre in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 14, Discovery has canceled two gun-themed shows. Yet the network, hedging all its viewership bets, is cautiously not drawing any parallels between its programming decisions and current events. Stay brave, people who brought us "A Moonshiners Christmas," "Amish Mafia" and "Zombie Apocalypse."

On Monday, the network announced that "'American Guns' concluded earlier this year," adding, "Discovery Channel chose not to renew the series and has no plans to air repeats of the show." Yet Deadline notes that Discovery is conspicuously not airing reruns of the show as well. The network is likewise bidding adieu to "Ted Nugent’s Gun Country," with a confirmation that Nugent will not be returning any time soon. His rootin' tootin' show aired as a special in the fall, but at the time, the "musician/hunter" told Armed America Radio that Discovery "want[s] to do it as a regular feature," and to "expect that there will be at least a dozen shows a year." Also, there's an Armed America Radio.

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Reality TV gives gun-themed shows a rest