ABC shows 'Hank' the door; another Grammer loss

NEW YORK (AP) — ABC's cancellation of the comedy "Hank" makes it two failures in three years for star Kelsey Grammer.

Grammer, the multiple Emmy winner as the star of "Frasier," also saw his Fox series "Back to You" with Patricia Heaton given the boot in the spring of 2008. At least it made a full season: "Hank" didn't make two months. The Nielsen Co. said the show averaged 6.7 million viewers each week.

Its fate seemed sealed recently when ABC announced it was ordering a full season's worth of episodes for its three other new Wednesday night comedies. They include old colleague Heaton's sitcom "The Middle," ABC's biggest Wednesday hit, "Modern Family" and "Cougar Town."

ABC says Grammer's 8 p.m. time slot will be filled by "Modern Family" reruns and holiday specials over the next several weeks.