After three seasons, HBO has canceled Bored to Death.

The literary show is a private detective fantasy adapted from a McSweeney’s story by Jonathan Ames, starring Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis and Ted Danson.

Here’s more about the cancellation: “Bored to Death … opened its third season to a similarly disappointing average viewership of just 240,000, a significant drop from the 1.1 million the second season garnered a year earlier.”

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Ted Danson, the actor immortalized by his role as a bartender in the sitcom, Cheers, will write a book for Rodale Books that takes a “celebratory and cautionary look at the world’s oceans.”

David Kuhn of Kuhn Projects negotiated the deal, and Rodale publishing director, Colin Dickerman, acquired world rights. It is scheduled for winter 2011. Danson helped create the American Oceans Campaign in the 1980s, and has a history of activism in the field. In a meta-fictional twist, Danson now co-stars in “Bored to Death,” a television show written by a novelist about the imaginary life of a writer.

Here’s more from the release: “[In] 1987, while walking along the California coastline with his daughter and seeing a ‘Beach Closed’ sign, that the issue really hit home. Danson was saddened to find himself having to explain that pollution was responsible for the closing of the beach. Since then, he’s made it his mission to ensure that those conversations don’t continue to happen. Written with award-winning journalist Mike D’Orso, Danson’s book represents a culmination of more than two decades of study, activism, and teaching and will provide a decisive, inspiring, and hopeful look at one of the most important environmental concerns of our time.”

After just a few episodes, HBO has renewed Bored to Death for another season. The literary show is a private detective fantasy adapted from a McSweeney’s story by Jonathan Ames, starring Jason Schwartzman and Ted Danson.

So far, the critics have dug the show. The NY Times called it “best new comedy of the season” and the New Yorker wrote: “In the HBO series, Ames has combined his writing self with his performing self and created something that is about ego without seeming egotistical.” Any GalleyCat readers watching the show? Leave your thoughts in the comments section…

According to a Seattle PI report: “The pickup comes days after the show saw a ratings high of 1.1 million on Sunday, when it followed Curb Your Enthusiasm‘s Seinfeld reunion episode. Since its Sept. 20 debut, Bored to Death’s pilot has been seen by 4.1 million viewers with repeats factored in.” (Via Sarah Weinman)