Why did Loud House end?
The Loud House is an animated children’s series that aired on Nickelodeon from 2016 to 2022. The show was created by Chris Savino and follows the adventures of Lincoln Loud, a boy living with ten sisters. It originally aired on Nickelodeon and later moved to Nicktoons. The Loud House became one of Nickelodeon’s biggest hits in the 2010s, though it ended after 6 seasons due to declining viewership.
Sources:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Loud_House
[2] https://theloudhouse.fandom.com/wiki/The_Loud_House
High Ratings and Success
The Loud House premiered on Nickelodeon on May 2, 2016 and quickly became one of the network’s most successful animated series. Early ratings showed a strong viewership among kids aged 6-11, frequently ranking as Nick’s number one show in that demographic. According to ratingraph.com, the series premiere episode “Left in the Dark” drew an impressive 4.9 million viewers. Subsequent first season episodes consistently scored over 2 million viewers.
The show’s ratings remained robust through its first few seasons. In 2018, the show was reportedly watched by over 17 million households worldwide. It became Nick’s second animated series to exceed 100 episodes, demonstrating its continued popularity.
Controversy and Declining Views
One major source of controversy for The Loud House came in 2017 with the episode “Overnight Success”, which featured the cartoon’s first openly same-sex married couple. According to one analysis, the episode led to a ratings decline, with viewership numbers dropping by over 400,000 from the previous season.1 There was significant backlash from some vocal segments of the audience over the same-sex content.
The controversy resulted in the show shedding a portion of its audience. While The Loud House maintained relatively strong viewership compared to other children’s shows, the numbers showed a downward trend after the divisive episode. This decline indicated that the show was losing some popularity due to factors like the inclusion of LGBTQ content.
End of Nickelodeon Deal
In 2020, Nickelodeon’s deal to produce new seasons of The Loud House ended after 5 seasons. This led to the show moving from airing on the Nickelodeon channel to being available exclusively on the streaming service Paramount+ for its final season in 2021 [1].
The main factors behind Nickelodeon’s decision to end the deal were reportedly declining viewership in later seasons, especially among Nick’s core demographics, as well as the high cost of production. With viewership down, Nickelodeon felt the money invested in the show could be better spent on other current or new shows [2].
So after 5 successful seasons on Nickelodeon, the show transitioned exclusively to the Paramount+ streaming service for its 6th and final season in 2021.
High Production Costs
The Loud House became known for having a high production budget compared to other animated shows. According to Wikipedia, it cost approximately $10 million for the production of the first 20 episodes. The high cost was attributed to the large voice cast and music licensing fees [1]. Each episode featured the voices of approximately 10 main cast members along with guest actors. With over 200 episodes produced, the costs continued to add up over the years.
The per-episode production budget for The Loud House was significantly higher than other contemporary cartoons. For comparison, estimated per-episode costs were only $1-2 million for shows like Phineas and Ferb or Adventure Time [1]. The relatively high expense of producing The Loud House was necessary to bring the large ensemble cast and music to life each episode.
Creator Exited
In October 2017, Chris Savino was suspended from Nickelodeon after multiple allegations of sexual harassment came to light. According to Wikipedia, the harassment allegations included “unwanted sexual advances and threats of industry blacklisting after relationships with co-workers had ended.” Savino was promptly fired amidst the #MeToo movement and backlash over the allegations. As creator of The Loud House, Savino’s departure signaled significant changes for the show moving forward.
Viewership Decline
The Loud House enjoyed strong viewership and ratings during its first few seasons on air. However, ratings began to decline in later seasons according to The Loud House ratings. Despite premiering to 2.4 million viewers in 2016, by season 5 in 2020, episodes were averaging around 1 million viewers. The ratings drop was steady, with season 6 in 2021 averaging under 1 million viewers per episode.
Some factors that may have contributed to declining viewership include the controversy surrounding series creator Chris Savino, competition from other animated shows, and viewers naturally aging out of the show’s target demographic. Nonetheless, the downward trend in ratings was likely a contributing factor in Nickelodeon’s decision to end the series after 7 seasons.
Cast and Crew Moves On
After the cancellation of The Loud House, many of the voice actors and production crew began working on new projects. Lincoln Loud voice actor Wolfgang Schaeffer started lending his voice talents to the new animated series Middle School Mayhem in 2020. Lucy Loud actress Jessica DiCicco took on several guest voice roles in shows like Big City Greens and Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure. The Loud House creator Chris Savino moved on to develop an animated sitcom for Netflix called The Really Loud House, which premiered in late 2021 [1].
Several writers and artists from The Loud House production team went on to work on the popular animated film The Mitchells vs. The Machines in 2021. Overall, even though The Loud House ended, many of the talented people involved found new opportunities to continue working on high-profile animated projects.
Final Season and End
The Loud House was originally renewed for a 26-episode fifth season in May 2020, but it was later shortened to 15 episodes. This shorter fifth season ended up being the show’s final season. According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Loud_House), the shortened fifth season “wrapped up the remaining storylines of the show.”
The series finale, titled “The Last Laugh,” aired on November 20, 2021. This finale episode centered around Lincoln and his sisters working together to pull off the ultimate prank. It gave a sense of closure for the show and the Loud family. After five seasons and over 250 episodes, The Loud House came to an end with its shortened fifth and final season in 2021.
Legacy and Impact
The Loud House lasted over 5 seasons during its run on Nickelodeon, an impressive feat for an animated show. Even though it ended in 2020, The Loud House left behind an important legacy and impact.
One of the biggest areas where The Loud House left a mark was in representation and inclusion. As one of the first Nicktoons to feature a gay married couple, as well as a character with Down syndrome, The Loud House paved the way for more diversity and inclusion in children’s animation.
The show also featured a large central cast, with Lincoln Loud and his 10 sisters bringing a variety of personalities and interests. This allowed for many different children to find relatable characters that spoke to them. The Loud family embraced each child’s unique qualities.
While ratings declined in later seasons leading to its end, during its peak The Loud House was a ratings hit and pop culture force. It remains Nickelodeon’s second longest running animated series, behind only SpongeBob SquarePants.
The Loud House presented a positive, thoughtful portrayal of a blended family. It showed that families come in all shapes and sizes, but what matters most is the love they share. This uplifting message resonated with many viewers and was part of the show’s appeal.
Though no longer in production, The Loud House maintains a dedicated fanbase years after ending. It will be remembered fondly for breaking new ground in children’s animation and leaving behind an inspiring legacy of inclusion.