Report: Good Girls was poised for a final season renewal, but talks hit a snag over negotiations with fan favorite Manny Montana

TVLine

Good Girls' recent cancelation came as a surprise because in late May the NBC crime dramedy's renewal for a shortened fifth and final season looked like a done deal, with Christina Hendricks, Mae Whitman and Retta agreeing to take a pay cut, reports TVLine's Michael Ausiello. "Multiple sources connected to NBC, Universal Television and the show, however, maintain that the reasons behind Good Girls‘ unceremonious termination extend beyond mere dollars and cents," adds Ausiello. "According to one Good Girls insider who requested anonymity, the series’ seemingly clear path to renewal hit a major snag in mid-June when negotiations with co-star Manny Montana — who plays fan favorite gang member-turned-Beth-crushing-antihero Rio — hit a wall. At issue: Money and scheduling." Ausiello reports that Montana and Hendricks have had a strained working relationship. "Bad blood between Hendricks and Montana had been something of an open secret in Hollywood circles," says Ausiello. He adds: "Creatively speaking, a final season sans Montana was seen as a sizable, albeit not insurmountable, obstacle. But Universal Television ultimately decided to just pull the plug. The studio’s willingness to forego a fifth and final season of a show called Good Girls, due to the absence of a supporting male character, struck some as ironic. And suspicious." As one source put it: “They were looking for an excuse to cut bait."