Sarah Michelle Gellar

The CW has axed Ringer after one season.

Sarah Michelle Gellar’s mystery drama was killed off by the network, which picked up five new dramas on Friday. In addition to Ringer, The CW canceled fellow freshman drama The Secret Circle, while renewing Nikita, Hart of Dixie and Gossip Girl (the latter for a final season).

Despite considerable publicity thanks to the return of SMG to TV, Ringer fell steadily after its premiere and averaged only 1.8 million viewers and a 0.8 rating for the season. The show’s cancellation was expected, as was the pickup of Hart and Gossip Girl.

The surprise was that Nikita (1.8 million viewers, 0.6) was renewed over freshman series Secret Circle (2 million, 0.9). Most expected one of the two to get a pickup, but the newer and higher-rated show seemed more likely to survive.