Fans were thrilled when the popular television series Who Do You Think You Are? finally returned for an 11th season after a four-year hiatus, but now the show might be facing cancelation. Who Do You Think You Are? follows the journeys of celebrities as they trace their family trees and research their genealogy. They travel to locations in the United States and all over the world in order to piece together the stories of their ancestors with the help of historians, genealogists, and other experts. The show premiered on March 5, 2010, on NBC, and ran for three seasons, until it moved to TLC for seven seasons. Four years later, Who Do You Think You Are season 11 returned to NBC and premiered in July. The Emmy-nominated series featured the journeys of Allison Janney, Zachary Levi, Nick Offerman, Billy Porter, Zachary Quinto, and Bradley Whitford in its 11th season. It is executive produced by Lisa Kudrow and Dan Bucatinsky.

Now Deadline reports that NBC has "parked" Who Do You Think You Are? with no plans for another season. Deadline explains, "It follows an increasing trend in non-scripted television where shows aren’t officially canceled but rather shelved with no plans to return." Many networks have not been canceling their non-scripted series, but instead are bringing them back in the future. This happened with FOX's So You Think You Can Dance, which returned after a three-year-absence. Who Do You Think You Are? season 11 was ordered in spring 2019 by NBC's previous reality administration.

Related: The Celebrities Appearing On Who Do You Think You Are? Season 11

A Decision About Who Do You Think You Are? Will Not Happen For Months

Who Do You Think You Are Lisa Kudrow

Who Do You Think You Are? is not the only reality television program in limbo on NBC. Amy Poehler's Making It, Kristen Bell’s Family Game Fight!, and AGT: Extreme are also awaiting their fates. ABC has parked shows including Supermarket Sweep and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Additionally FOX has not renewed, but not officially canceled, The Masked Dancer, Game of Talents, Mental Samurai and Alter Ego. A final decision about Who Do You Think You Are? is expected in early 2023.

Who Do You Think You Are? season 11 was sidelined by the COVID-19 pandemic, as evidenced by Nick Offerman's episode. Nick had to wait 18 months to follow up on a lead about one of his ancestors. Presumably, season 11 would have aired much sooner if not for the pandemic. Fans waited four years for Who Do You Think You Are? season 11, and they enjoyed watching the emotional journeys of the celebrities as they learned about the amazing people who came before them.

In the world of reality television, there are plenty of guilty pleasures, but Who Do You Think You Are? is a quality show that makes one feel proud to watch. Seeing where people came from and how they moved forward in their lives in the face of unimaginable adversity is so important and inspiring. It brings an understanding of the stories of various groups of people. Hopefully, NBC will realize that the show is not just entertaining, but essential for bringing a personal and human touch to teaching about history. Who Do You Think You Are? deserves another season.

Next: Why Who Do You Think You Are? Is Such An Important Show

Source: Deadline