Struggling NBC cancels “Trauma”

It seemed very promising that heading into the fall season, NBC had two one-hour dramas with prominent gay characters on them.

Now there are none.

The network has cancelled its Monday night medical drama Trauma with 13 episodes being shot. It is not certain of all the completed episodes will even air.

It was just this week that gay paramedic Tyler Briggs, portrayed by Kevin Rankin (pictured, right) came out to his very religious partner played by Derek Luke.

Rankin had told Greg In Hollywood that he was very hopeful about the character’s sexuality becoming a bigger part of the show: “My character Tyler is more of a peripheral character right now. He’s going to be a mystery or a little while. It could be awhile before we go home with him. I’m excited to see where it goes.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Trauma was NBC’s most expensive new fall series and has been on the bubble since its debut. A recent ratings rise and NBC scheduling additional episodes during November sweeps lent some hope the show might earn a pickup. But it was not to be.

But at least Trauma had a fall season.

NBC pulled the plug on its police drama Southland before it even had its second season premiere. Six new episodes have been shot (seven were sired last spring) and there are talks of that show relocating to a cable channel, possibly TNT.

Southland starred Ben McKenzie, Regina King and Tom Everett Scott, among others and Michael Cudlitz who played McKenzie’s gay partner John Cooper.