Shooter: Why USA Network Canceled The Ryan Phillippe And Omar Epps Series

Ryan Phillippe once led a short-lived military series based on a Mark Wahlberg thriller, alongside Omar Epps. "Shooter" was a USA Network series that ran from 2016 to 2018. The show followed a former Marine sniper, Bob Lee Swagger (Phillippe), who tries to clear his name after being hired to protect the President only to get subsequently framed for murder. Epps played his former commanding officer, Isaac Johnson. "Shooter" is inspired by Wahlberg's 2007 film of the same name, which didn't exactly hit the mark with critics, nor make a splash at the box office. Audiences weren't kind to the movie, and history seems to be repeating with its adaptation. Although both stories are adaptations of Stephen Hunter's "Point of Impact," the TV show raised the stakes. Unlike the film, Bob is framed for multiple incidents in the series, which keeps his family in great danger. Phillippe's character is running for his life, while ensuring that his wife and young daughter are safe. Unfortunately, "Shooter" wasn't picked up for Season 4 after the show lost 40% of its viewership in Season 3 compared to Season 2. Per Deadline, the series had one of the lowest ratings among adults 18-49, which came as a surprise considering Season 1 was an instant hit for the USA Network. The premature cancellation wasn't the only obstacle "Shooter" faced. The series premiere was delayed following a real shooting in the U.S. It was originally supposed to air on July 19, 2016, but was pushed back a week due to a real incident in which a sniper assaulted police officers in Dallas. Ryan Phillippe told Collider at the time that he was in favor of the network's decision to delay the premiere. "It just would have seemed insensitive. It gave us a chance to reframe some of the marketing and make it clear that my character is in pursuit of the shooter," he said. "This show isn't gun glorification or gun porn. We handle the weapons with respect." The actor also did most of his stunt work in the series, which led to another delay in production for Season 2. Phillippe broke his leg during a family outing and had to rest and recuperate before returning to set to carry on with filming. "Hey, guys. I didn't injure myself doing a stunt or anywhere near the set of shooter," he told fans on social media. "My leg is badly broken & required surgical attention, but I will make a full recovery, am in good hands, and will be back in action soon." Season 2 was cut short following Phillippe's injury, with only eight episodes released as opposed to ten. Although it concluded early, Season 2 still ended strong and the finale hit the target.