Producers and Networks have developed much more flexibility in terms of ordering episodes of a series. Twenty-two is still considered the typical number, but producers don't always push for as many episodes as possible like the old days. Producers have finally realized that sometimes less is more--that a well-written, well-financed run of thirteen episodes might be more watchable than a stretched-out/padded out twenty-two episodes.
Cancelling a soap is always sloppy, because so many plotlines are set up to unfold over an entire season or more. If you suddenly drop the hammer, plots are left hanging, or wrapped up quickly (and usually quite badly). It would be in this show's best interest to design a 22-episode "Bible" (story outline) but also develop several chances for revisions at the tenth or eleventh episode in case the network cuts their episode request from 22 down to 13. Cutting a season down like that is a de facto cancellation without actually using the word. At any rate, it would give them a "Plan B" already in place to wrap it up in a better way than if they just leave everything hanging.
