Weird Al on IFC's Comedy Bang! Bang!

[TMBJon]

Such disappointing news. And just as I was starting to get into it, too. Isn't that always the way.

Well, fear not because there are 110 episodes to watch. Including ten that don't even exist yet!

[Heds]

Many people on Al's Instagram announcement arguing it was cancelled.

Jon, considering there's a two-part finale, Scott made the decision to end CBBTV, right?

At least, if there's any doubt, there's always CBB: The Podcast on Earwolf every Monday, and the fact it's always every Monday makes life better! Only sad thing is it's not always Al - his appearances are rather rare

[TMBJon]

Jon, considering there's a two-part finale, Scott made the decision to end CBBTV, right?

The decision to end the show was made jointly by Scott and IFC (before Al was picked as bandleader, by the way). It was fully Scott's intention to end the show after this season, and he wasn't pressured by the network in any way, let alone canceled.

By the way, I know the phrase "two-part finale" came from Scott, but I think that's a bit misleading. It's not an hour-long episode with one continuous plotline. It's just two episodes airing back to back, like they did for the first half of this season. Though both episodes do serve to wrap up the series.

[Sappho]

Well, fear not because there are 110 episodes to watch. Including ten that don't even exist yet!

While that is technically true, most of those 110 episodes are not available in a place where I readily have access to. Even getting my hands on the newest ones took some finagling.

[Killingsworth]

If Scott had made such a firm decision to end CBB this season BEFORE he even asked Al to join as bandleader, I find it a little odd that he would ask Al about doing the show beyond season 5 (unless Al was misremembering something when he told us his side if the story).

[yankochick38]

If Scott had made such a firm decision to end CBB this season BEFORE he even asked Al to join as bandleader, I find it a little odd that he would ask Al about doing the show beyond season 5 (unless Al was misremembering something when he told us his side if the story).

When was this side of the story told?

[Killingsworth]

If Scott had made such a firm decision to end CBB this season BEFORE he even asked Al to join as bandleader, I find it a little odd that he would ask Al about doing the show beyond season 5 (unless Al was misremembering something when he told us his side if the story).

When was this side of the story told?

I believe he gave an interview to Rolling Stone earlier this year where he talked about CBB and wanting to do the show past season 5.

[anthontherun]

He did tell the New York Times that he was up for doing more:

Mr. Yankovic, who resumes touring in June, said he would gladly return for further seasons of “Comedy Bang! Bang!”

“I have told Scott, in no uncertain terms, that I will do this show until I’m dead,” he said. “And then he’s free to ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’ me a few more seasons after that.”

Mr. Aukerman said that he would also like to have Mr. Yankovic return. But then, he added, “Cudi said he wanted to come back, too.”

[yankochick38]

I still feel like Al would have known that the show was ending at season five, though. That was probably just his way of saying that if the show were continuing he would gladly keep going forever, without giving away that the show was ending.

[TMBJon]

If Scott had made such a firm decision to end CBB this season BEFORE he even asked Al to join as bandleader, I find it a little odd that he would ask Al about doing the show beyond season 5 (unless Al was misremembering something when he told us his side if the story).

Okay, my comments may have been taken a bit too literally here, so before I continue let me give a disclaimer that these answers are not meant to be a definitive take, and I was not personally part of the conversation when decisions at this level were being made.
My understanding is that Scott and IFC had discussed last year ending the series after season 5; it was after that when Kid Cudi decided not to come back, and Scott reached out to Al "as a Hail Mary", as Scott has said, meaning he never thought Al would say yes. Months later, after a few weeks on set, Scott and the writers felt like they could possibly do more episodes now that they had a bandleader who brought so much new energy to the table. Scott possibly considered and/or inquired about continuing the show but ultimately he and IFC decided they should continue with the plans to end the show after season 5. The key takeaway of this story is that it was always Scott's decision to end the show after this season, but it's also simultaneously true that Scott and Al wish they could have done more episodes together.