Was Johnny Galecki's 2022 TV Return Canceled After Fans Called It "Garbage"?

Summary

• Johnny Galecki's new medical drama was criticized as "garbage" by fans, possibly affected by Grey's Anatomy burnout.
• Galecki's Catching Babies show had no updates following the initial announcement, leaving its fate uncertain.
• After a long hiatus, Galecki announced a secret wedding and welcomed his second child, showcasing a new life in Nashville.

Johnny Galecki has seemingly taken an indefinite break from Hollywood like his The Big Bang Theory co-star, Jim Parsons, who has banned himself from returning to TV. But in 2021, it was reported that the former was working on a new medical drama for ABC called based on J.D. Kleinke's novel, Catching Babies.

Fast-forward to 2024, there are still no updates on Galecki's supposed TV comeback. Could it be because his fans called it "garbage"? Or could it be because the actor is busy with his new life in Nashville after secretly getting married and welcoming baby no. 2? Here's what we've found out.

Why Fans Called Johnny Galecki's Medical Drama 'Catching Babies' "Garbage"

In December 2021, Deadline reported that Galecki and Manifest executive producers, Margaret Easley & Laura Putney, were working on a series adaptation of Catching Babies for ABC. According to the outlet, "Untitled Family Medicine (working title) follows a team of gifted medical professionals whose careers are dedicated to the beginnings of life: maternal/fetal and family medicine— an area unique in the medical world for the intensity of emotion, political fury, and cultural angst it elicits."

The characters were to "experience the joy of ushering in new life, protecting the most innocent among us, and sometimes becoming the light in the storm for families facing their darkest moments of the soul, even as they grapple with love, loss, and heartbreak of their own." Now, it might be the Grey's Anatomy burnout, but people weren't thrilled about the Big Bang alum's new project.

"It sounds like complete garbage," a fan said of Galecki's medical drama.

A Redditor also took a personal jab at the actor. "Every time I see Galecki outside of The Big Bang Theory he looks like he is checking off every box on some pickup artist's 'how to be better, ie. Not yourself,'" they wrote. It seems like the TV star simply cannot escape Leonard's shadow. He was even described as "creepy" when he reprised his longtime pre-TBBT role.

Johnny Galecki makes $10 million a year from his 1% share of The Big Bang Theory's backend profits.

What Happened To Johnny Galecki's ABC Medical Drama 'Catching Babies'?

Deadline's announcement of Galecki's medical drama was the first and last time people have heard of it. There have been no updates since. If you check IMDb, there is a page for Catching Babies that indicates it should have premiered in 2022. Its description says: "A dramatic series following six young resident OB/GYNs, that explores what it takes in modern America to bring babies into the world, and what it's like to be the brave, but imperfect doctors who catch them. Based on the book by JD Kleinke."

ABC's official wiki states that "Catching Babies is an upcoming Medical Drama TV Series Based on The Novel by J.D. Kleinke Coming in 2022 on ABC and Directed by Belle Delphine." It was never clear whether Galecki was starring in the series himself. And if we account for the SAG-AFTRA strike, it commenced from July 14 to November 9, 2023. So that couldn't have been the reason for the show's delay, if it hadn't been canceled yet.

In the meantime, here are Galecki's five highest-rated films according to Rotten Tomatoes:

Johnny Galecki Broke His Hiatus To Reveal Secret Wedding & Baby No.2 In 2024

After a long hiatus from the spotlight, Galecki finally did an interview with Architectural Digest for their March 2024 issue. "I think this is the first interview I've agreed to do in almost four years, and it's purely because I'm excited to rave about (his design team) Emily [Ward] and Louisa [Pierce]," the Bean star told the magazine.

Galecki and his new wife, Morgan welcomed their first baby together, daughter Oona Evelena, "soon after" the photoshoot at their "whimsically gothic Nashville mansion." As expected, the actor didn't spill the details of his private wedding. However, he acknowledged his new life and how it influenced his home interior project.

"With very limited knowledge of the area, resources, and relationships, and a little one running around, I thought, This is going to take me at least seven years to try to do by myself," Galecki said of decorating his house.

He continued: "Funnily enough, a friend saw the Pierce & Ward book, A Tale of Interiors. She had visited my farm and thought, Well, that looks like Johnny’s taste and perfect for that location." The Galeckis were also photographed with the actor's first child, Avery, from his previous relationship with Alaina Meyer.

Galecki and Meyer started dating in 2018. They split in November 2020, just a month before their son's first birthday. The two were never married but currently maintain a good co-parenting relationship. It's unclear when the Roseanne alum started seeing his Morgan. He first shared a photo with her on Instagram in January 2023 during a Disney World trip with Avery.

Johnny Galecki was nearly canceled in 2018 after expressing his opinion on Donald Trump.