It was a bloodbath that shook up US TV networks earlier this month when several fan favourite shows faced the axe during renewal season.
The critically-acclaimed Brooklyn Nine-Nine saw NBC come to the rescue after Fox gave it a miss, citing not enough room on their upcoming schedule to show the cop comedy. The Expanse is the latest show that has been given a lifeline after Amazon confirmed its green lit the Syfy show after it was unceremoniously dropped.
But others haven’t been so lucky.
Here’s looking at you, Great News. It’s a shame this Tina Fey production didn’t get the reprieve it deserved for a network comedy, but several others are still riding in the boat, waiting for a lifeline to be thrown their way.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s save, that even saw Hollywood icon Mark Hamill fight for its return, isn’t a new story. In a previous lifetime, network shows such as Fox’s The Mindy Project was rescued by streaming service Hulu, while Cougar Town moved to TBS after ABC cut the cord.
This year, Fox has already resuscitated the Tim Allen comedy Last Man Standing, a year after ABC killed it six seasons in. Can other shows face a similar reprieve? We pick five fan favourites and take a look:
Designated Survivor
Plot: Kiefer Sutherland plays a low level politician who becomes the US President overnight when a terrorist attacks wipes out the sitting government and Congress. While season one saw Sutherland’s Tom Kirkman struggle with his newfound presidency, season two focused more on Washington politics and espionage.
Why it was cancelled: The drama, which ran on ABC in the US, while streaming on Netflix here in the UAE, faced the axe right at that jaw-dropping cliffhanger (spoiler alert) involving White House Chief of Staff Emily Rhodes (played by Italia Ricci) and her secret meeting with a Russian spy.
Dipping ratings and high production costs — especially since season three was to move from Toronto to Los Angeles for filming — couldn’t save the show from its fate.
Can it be rescued: According to a Deadline report, Netflix is already in talks to sweep in and save the day, provided it can wrestle away the US rights of streaming the show.
Lucifer
The plot: Lucifer Morningstar, who also just happens to be the devil, decides to quit his day job and head to Earth to make mischief. But the powers that be aren’t too pleased with these turns of events and send his brother Amenadiel to bring him back. But things don’t quite go according to plan and two seasons in, they are still trying.
Why was it cancelled: It came as a surprise to those who’ve been fanboying Lucifer since his days making mischief in the Vertigo Comics. While DC Entertainment never thought of bringing him to the big screen, Fox happily snapped up the show for two seasons before sluggish ratings saw its premature demise.
Can it be rescued: The #SaveLucifer tag has picked up steam on social media ever since the announcement was made, with lead star Tom Ellis also responding to a fan on Twitter that “talks are happening”. Speculation is that the CW network could ride in to save the day considering several DC shows are already flourishing on there, including Supergirl and Black Lightning.
However, with this year’s launch of DC’s streaming service, DC Universe, could very well see Lucifer finally go home.
Meanwhile, you can watch the show on OSN First HD HBO in the UAE on Tuesdays at 10pm.
Timeless
Plot: Abigail Spencer plays time travelling historian Lucy Preston, who, along with fellow team members, Delta Force veteran Wyatt Logan (Matt Lanter) and tech genius and pilot Rufus Carlin (Malcolm Barrett), battle the nefarious organisation Rittenhouse before they change history.
Why it was cancelled: The show was doomed from the start considering NBC cancelled the show after one season. But negotiations with Sony Pictures Television soon led to a second season. But this time around, NBC simply had enough with ratings not moving northwards even as a plagiarism lawsuit played out in the background.
Can it be rescued: The show’s fate is still in limbo. The latest update by the writers of Timeless was on May 22 via their official Twitter handle, where they posted: “We know it’s frustrating to our fans to not have an answer yet re: #RenewTimeless. We’ve been led to believe a couple times that an answer was imminent only to have answer pushed. Unsure if that’s good/bad. Just know we’re fighting hard for #Timeless.”
The writers also acknowledged the social media support by the fans, adding that their voices have been “truly impactful.”
Catch the first season of the show in the UAE on Netflix.
Quantico
Plot: Priyanka Chopra plays Alex Parrish, an FBI agent who tackles terrorists and juggles an ongoing romance with fellow recruit Ryan Booth (Jake McLaughlin).
Why it was cancelled: The show was running on borrowed time, largely because of Chopra’s fan following that gave it a huge boost in the Asian markets. However, not even the Bollywood star could save the show from its demise.
Can it be rescued: Quite honestly, we think even Chopra herself has moved on from the show. Quantico gave her the foothold in Hollywood, but the 22-hour gruelling shooting schedule in Toronto didn’t really give her the space or time to take on meatier roles in films, the industry that shot her to fame. Chopra is now headed back to Bollywood, and we hear, coming to Abu Dhabi as well to shoot for Bharat, opposite Salman Khan.
Meanwhile, fans can catch the season three of Quantico play out from May 25 in the US and June 7 in the UAE on OSN Series First HD.
How ‘The Expanse’ was recused
Set 200 years in the future, a detective on an asteroid belt, an officer of an ice hauler and a UN representative on Earth race against time to save the universe from a global catastrophe. The only thing missing here is Thanos to step out of the Avengers to snap his fingers and end the world.
This was another show that took a hit with the ratings. When The Expanse first debuted on Syfy three seasons ago, the show was critically lauded for its diversity, with lead stars Shohreh Aghdashloo and Cas Anvar, both of Iranian descent. But one season in and the ratings took a dramatic dip. By the time the third season came about, there was no scope of renewing it further on the channel.
With a loyal fan base that includes Game of Thrones author George RR Martin, it was only a matter of time that a streaming service would swoop in to save the day. While we had our money on Netflix, considering the platform streams it here in the UAE and other countries, coupled with a roster of sci-fi projects that include Lost in Space and Star Trek, it seems Amazon had its eye on the prize.
The streaming platform has pulled The Expanse out of purgatory with Amazon Studios CEO Jeff Bezos confirming the news while addressing a panel at the National Space Society. “I just got word that The Expanse was saved,” Bezos announced to packed ballroom to a chorus of cheers and applause.
Fans can now heave a sigh of relief.
