Fox Benches 2 Unscripted Shows as Ratings Falter and Lythgoe Lawsuit Shadows SYTYCD
Updated
Updated · Deadline · May 11
Fox Benches 2 Unscripted Shows as Ratings Falter and Lythgoe Lawsuit Shadows SYTYCD
6 articles · Updated · Deadline · May 11
Fox dropped both So You Think You Can Dance and The Snake from its unscripted slate, leaving neither show renewed for another season.
The Snake lasted just 1 season after its June 2025 debut, with Fox citing weak ratings for the Jim Jeffries-hosted social experiment series.
So You Think You Can Dance, which debuted in 2005 and last aired Season 18 in spring 2024, was also weighed down by fallout from Paula Abdul’s sexual assault and gender-violence lawsuit against Nigel Lythgoe.
Michael Thorn said Fox has had talks about SYTYCD but has no formal plans for another season, despite calling it an important part of the network’s history.
The move leaves Fox largely renewing its broader unscripted lineup for 2026-27 while sidelining one long-running franchise and one recent launch.
With 'So You Think You Can Dance' gone, has the era of TV dance competitions officially ended?
As dance culture shifts to social media, was SYTYCD's competitive format simply destined to fail?