The Lying Game was cancelled by ABC Family after two seasons mainly because its ratings were modest and kept slipping compared with the network’s stronger performers like Pretty Little Liars and newer hits.

Why Did The Lying Game Get Cancelled?

Quick Scoop

  • ABC Family cancelled The Lying Game in July 2013 after just two seasons.
  • Lead actress Alexandra Chando confirmed the cancellation on Instagram, saying the network chose not to move forward with Season 3.
  • The core reasons: declining viewership, only “bubble”‑level ratings, and the network focusing on stronger brands like Pretty Little Liars.

Official What-Happened Story

  • Alexandra Chando told fans that “ABC Family has decided not to bring us back for a third season,” confirming the show was over after two seasons.
  • Outlets like the LA Times, TV Guide, IMDb and others reported that ABC Family cancelled the show and chose not to order additional episodes.
  • The final decision came a few months after the Season 2 finale aired in March 2013, with the official word landing in mid‑July 2013.

In short, there was no big scandal announcement—just a network call not to renew.

Ratings, Numbers, and Network Logic

This is where the “why” really sits.

  • Season 1 of The Lying Game averaged about 1.38 million viewers with a 0.5 rating in the key 18–49 demo, which was “solid” but not standout for cable and weaker than top ABC Family series.
  • By the time the show was being compared against other ABC Family titles like Twisted and The Fosters , its audience was clearly lower: a reported 1.274 million viewers vs. higher numbers for those shows.
  • Trade and entertainment reports described The Lying Game as “modestly rated” and said it had long been “on the bubble,” meaning always at risk of cancellation.

Networks renew shows when ratings plus advertising money justify the production costs. Once a drama’s live ratings flatten or slide, especially in that core 18–49 demo, it becomes harder to argue for another season. That’s the position The Lying Game ended up in.

Creative and Promotion Issues (Fan and Forum View)

Alongside ratings, fans and commentators have their own theories about why The Lying Game didn’t “pop” like Pretty Little Liars :

  • Some fans feel the show’s second half of Season 1 and later story decisions became “questionable” and maybe turned casual viewers off, even if core fans stayed loyal.
  • Others argue that ABC Family heavily favored Pretty Little Liars —giving it more promotion, press, and attention—while The Lying Game stayed in its shadow despite similar mystery vibes.
  • There’s also the idea that the network expected any teen mystery to hit PLL-level success, which set an unrealistic bar; when The Lying Game didn’t, the patience to nurture it wasn’t there.

These are not official reasons from ABC Family but community and critic interpretations that line up with the timing and the ratings reality.

Cliffhanger Ending and Fan Backlash

The cancellation hurt more because the show ended on an unresolved cliffhanger.

  • The series ended after 30 episodes with major plotlines—family secrets, twin drama, characters like Thayer and Alec—left hanging.
  • Fans pushed back online, posting comments, forum threads and social media campaigns asking for a revival or at least closure.
  • Years later, people still discuss the ending on forums and Reddit, calling it a show that was “robbed too soon” and complaining that it never got the kind of wrap‑up some other cancelled series receive.

Some viewers turn to the Sara Shepard book series for a different form of closure, but the TV storyline never received a final resolution.

Multi‑Angle Summary (Why It Was Cancelled)

Here’s the big picture from several angles:

  • Business side: Declining, modest ratings that didn’t justify more investment compared to stronger shows on the same network.
  • Programming strategy: ABC Family prioritized bigger hits like Pretty Little Liars and newer performers, and The Lying Game stayed “on the bubble” until the plug was pulled.
  • Creative/fan view: Mixed feelings about later story choices, plus a belief that promotion and network focus were never fully in its favor.
  • Impact on viewers: A mid‑story cancellation, unresolved cliffhanger, and long‑running fan frustration that the show never got a proper ending.

TL;DR: The Lying Game wasn’t cancelled for any single dramatic reason; it was a classic case of a mid‑level, declining‑ratings cable drama that couldn’t keep up with its network’s bigger hits, so ABC Family chose not to renew it—and unfortunately left fans hanging on that cliffhanger.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.