# The Unicorn (TV series)
**The Unicorn** is an American single-camera sitcom that aired on CBS from September 26, 2019, to March 18, 2021, starring [Walton Goggins](https://www.edgepedia.org/walton-goggins) as Wade Felton, a widowed father of two adolescent daughters who re-enters the dating world with the help of his close-knit group of friends and family.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=52674) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/42166/the-unicorn) The title refers to Wade's dating-market status: his friends explain that he is the perfect single guy, a "unicorn", meaning employed, attractive, and with a proven track record of commitment.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=52674)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Network and run | CBS, September 26, 2019 to March 18, 2021, two seasons, Thursdays at 8:30 or 9:30 PM[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=52674) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/42166/the-unicorn) |
| Format | Single-camera scripted comedy, about 21 to 22 minutes per episode, rated TV-PG (D\|L)[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=52674) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_unicorn/s01) |
| Lead cast | Walton Goggins as Wade, Rob Corddry as Forrest, Michaela Watkins as Delia, Omar Benson Miller as Ben, Maya Lynne Robinson as Michelle, Ruby Jay as Grace, Makenzie Moss as Natalie[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=52674) |
| Creators | Written and created by Bill Martin and Mike Schiff; John Hamburg directed the pilot[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=52674) • [4](https://www.newsobserver.com/entertainment/tv-movies/warm-tv-blog/article235323607.html) |
| Premiere ratings | 6.04 million viewers, the top new series of premiere week in Nielsen live plus same day rankings[5](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-news-and-stations/releases/?view=53617-new-cbs-series-lead-the-way-in-premiere-week) |
| Critical reception | Season 1 scored 85% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (27 reviews) and 65 on Metacritic, "Generally Favorable"[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_unicorn/s01) • [6](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/the-unicorn/critic-reviews/) |
| Cancellation | Cancelled by CBS on May 15, 2021, after two seasons; season 2 averaged 5.05 million viewers, the lowest for any CBS scripted series that season[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10329028/) |
## Premise
The series opens a year after the death of Wade's wife Jill. Wade, sometimes ill-equipped but always devoted as a single parent to daughters Grace and Natalie, takes the major step of dating again. To his amazement he becomes a hot commodity with women, and his friends explain that he is a "unicorn": a single man who is employed, attractive, and has a proven track record of commitment. His daughters and best friends root him on as he tries life and love again.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=52674)
The story draws on the experience of producer Grady Cooper, and the show is set in [Raleigh, North Carolina](https://www.edgepedia.org/raleigh-north-carolina).[4](https://www.newsobserver.com/entertainment/tv-movies/warm-tv-blog/article235323607.html) The supporting couples, Forrest and Delia and Ben and Michelle, form two married pairs around Wade, and the widows' support group he reluctantly joins supplies recurring advice and comedy.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=52674) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_unicorn/s01)
## Production and casting
CBS announced the series in May 2019 as one of three new fall comedies, scheduled Thursdays at 8:30-9:00 PM behind [Young Sheldon](https://www.edgepedia.org/young-sheldon).[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=52674) Bill Martin and Mike Schiff wrote the pilot, and John Hamburg directed it; the executive producers for CBS Television Studios included Martin, Schiff, Aaron Kaplan, Dana Honor, Wendi Trilling, Peyton Reed, and Hamburg for the pilot only.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=52674) [Michaela Watkins](https://www.edgepedia.org/michaela-watkins) was cast as Delia opposite Walton Goggins in March 2019.[8](https://www.tvline.com/casting-news/michaela-watkins-the-unicorn-cbs-comedy-pilot-cast-1043557/)
Goggins, known for playing intense characters in [The Shield](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-shield), [Justified](https://www.edgepedia.org/justified-tv-series), and [Vice Principals](https://www.edgepedia.org/vice-principals), described the role as closer to himself than anything he had done before, and said he initially felt insecurity about leading a network family comedy.[4](https://www.newsobserver.com/entertainment/tv-movies/warm-tv-blog/article235323607.html) • [9](https://hiddenremote.com/2020/03/12/walton-goggins-the-unicorn-interview/) After strong reviews, CBS picked the show up for a full season in October 2019.[10](https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/rob-corddry-the-unicorn-cbs-interview/)
## Reception and ratings
The series premiere drew 6.04 million viewers and a 0.8 rating in adults 18-49, making it premiere week's top new series in viewers, and CBS placed it among the top four new shows of the week in live plus same day rankings.[5](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-news-and-stations/releases/?view=53617-new-cbs-series-lead-the-way-in-premiere-week) In live plus 3-day viewing it reached 7.66 million.[5](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-news-and-stations/releases/?view=53617-new-cbs-series-lead-the-way-in-premiere-week)
Critics responded warmly to season 1. The Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus called it "warm and funny" and said it "shows off a whole new side of the talented Walton Goggins"; the season scored 85% on the Tomatometer from 27 reviews.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_unicorn/s01) Metacritic assigned a Metascore of 65, "Generally Favorable", from 13 critic reviews, with 8 positive, 4 mixed, and 1 negative.[6](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/the-unicorn/critic-reviews/) Reviewers singled out Goggins's performance as the anchor of what Variety called "a thoughtful and sophisticated sitcom about what follows mourning", and RogerEbert.com noted that for a story in which death is an inescapable presence, the show is surprisingly light viewing.[6](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/the-unicorn/critic-reviews/) [The Globe and Mail](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-globe-and-mail) judged it a clever comedy about middle age, dating, and parenting that never insults the viewer's intelligence.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_unicorn/s01)
## Seasons and cancellation
Season 1 ran 18 episodes, ending March 12, 2020, with the finale "No Matter What the Future Brings", in which Wade feels Jill's absence as Grace attends her first dance.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_unicorn/s01) CBS renewed the show, and season 2 shifted the premise toward Wade's long-term relationship with Shannon, played by [Natalie Zea](https://www.edgepedia.org/natalie-zea), which reunited Goggins with his Justified co-star; the couple worked through parenting, careers, an ex-husband, and long distance.[11](https://www.tvline.com/news/the-unicorn-cancelled-season-3-cbs-1234650356/) The season finale, "Put Your Mask on First", aired March 18, 2021.[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/42166/the-unicorn)
On May 15, 2021, CBS canceled the series after two seasons, alongside the legal drama All Rise.[11](https://www.tvline.com/news/the-unicorn-cancelled-season-3-cbs-1234650356/) • [12](https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/1174044-cbs-cancels-all-rise-and-the-unicorn) According to [The Hollywood Reporter](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-hollywood-reporter), the second season averaged 5.05 million viewers, the lowest ratings for any CBS scripted series that season, despite the show's 85% Rotten Tomatoes average.[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10329028/) CBS' Evil and The Unicorn had moved to streaming on Netflix in March 2020, extending the show's availability after broadcast.[13](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/the-unicorn/)
## References
1. [CBS Unveils 2019-2020 Primetime Lineup, Paramount Press Express](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-studios/releases/?view=52674)
2. [The Unicorn, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/42166/the-unicorn)
3. [The Unicorn: Season 1, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_unicorn/s01)
4. [Fall TV premieres: The Unicorn, Perfect Harmony, Evil, The News & Observer](https://www.newsobserver.com/entertainment/tv-movies/warm-tv-blog/article235323607.html)
5. [New CBS Series Lead the Way in Premiere Week, Paramount Press Express](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-news-and-stations/releases/?view=53617-new-cbs-series-lead-the-way-in-premiere-week)
6. [The Unicorn critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/tv/the-unicorn/critic-reviews/)
7. [The Unicorn (TV Series 2019-2021), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10329028/)
8. [Michaela Watkins To Star In 'The Unicorn', TVLine](https://www.tvline.com/casting-news/michaela-watkins-the-unicorn-cbs-comedy-pilot-cast-1043557/)
9. [Walton Goggins talks The Unicorn, Hidden Remote](https://hiddenremote.com/2020/03/12/walton-goggins-the-unicorn-interview/)
10. [Rob Corddry On CBS' 'The Unicorn', CBS Pittsburgh](https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/rob-corddry-the-unicorn-cbs-interview/)
11. ['The Unicorn' Cancelled At CBS, TVLine](https://www.tvline.com/news/the-unicorn-cancelled-season-3-cbs-1234650356/)
12. [CBS Cancels All Rise and The Unicorn, ComingSoon.net](https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/1174044-cbs-cancels-all-rise-and-the-unicorn)
13. [The Unicorn, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/show/the-unicorn/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Scripted television and comedy series › Sitcom and comedy series › American sitcoms and comedy series › 2010s and later network sitcoms*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license