What it’s like when your show gets canned: A TV Writer's Perspective

[feurioo]

TV show writers open up in The Guardian on what it was like to have their TV series cancelled: "Fom feelings of grim acceptance to those who felt they’d totally lost their compass." Mentioned shows: Utopia (2013), Santa Clarita Diet, Great News, and The Hour.

Read the full article here.

How do you feel about or deal with the cancellation of your favorite shows? Which show's cancellation hurt you the most?

Comments

[rogueslayer452]

I've been dealing with the unjust cancellation of my favorite shows for so long that it becomes second nature to become disappointed, or rather dreading it once I start getting into something new that is still ongoing. I'm not desensitized since I still get upset when it happens, but it's more like I've gotten to the point where it's something that I have to expect. These days especially since it feels like so many shows are on the chopping block on streaming services.

There have been so many show cancellations that hurt me, I can't really begin to list them all. To pick one at random, Legend of the Seeker hurt because I had just gotten into the show before it was announced it had been cancelled. I was very upset because I had fallen so much in love with it, only to find out that there would be no more.

How I deal with cancellation announcements varies, I usually turn to the fandom and see other people's thoughts, go to my own journal and vent out my frustrations. In some cases I have participated in fan campaigns, like signing petitions and the like, mainly to show support. And when all is said and done, I just turn to fanfiction/fanworks in general in hopes of keeping the fandom/story alive that way.

[jo]

Back in olden days, before streaming and subscription cable channels such as HBO, when TV shows were actually TV shows and mostly US network (ABC, CBS, NBC, etc.) shows, well, there wasn't much one could do about cancellations. I mean, you could write letters to the network, but if you lived outside the US, they really didn't give a shit because you weren't contributing to their main revenue source -- advertising. I think personally cancellations impact me less now because the various networks/streamers/other sources of viewable media like to cancel stuff at the drop of the proverbial hat (part of their business model, actually), so you just sort of start expecting something will be cancelled, or at the very least, aren't that surprised when it is cancelled. As I don't do fandom stuff, I rarely get really emotionally invested in a show, so news of a cancellation is met with a "ah, that's too bad", and that's about it.

I guess one of the most disappointing cancellations for me was My So-Called Life after its first and only season back in the mid-90s. That and maybe Freaks and Geeks. Of the shows I watch now, I will be sad when Star Trek: Strange New Worlds comes to an end. We don't know when that will be yet, but the new Treks seem to get 5-year runs (e.g. Discovery, Lower Decks). It also sort of has a built-in possible endpoint because of what we know happens to Captain Pike. But for now I will simply look forward to season 3 when it drops sometime this year, and season 4 has been ordered, so it's safe from cancellation for now at least.

[barbaratp]

Obviamente como qualquer fã eu me sinto frustado e chateado, principalmente quando a série é boa e a única desculpa para o cancelamento é "falta de audiência" (causada por trocas no dia e horário de transmissão, erros na ordem dos episódios), e aí no fim você vê ser renovada uma série horrível que tem muitas críticas e só é "famosa" porque um grupo x a vê. Aquela velha obra pra entupir o cérebro e só ganhar views. Falando nisso tenho um ódio mortal de quando Almost Human foi cancelado depois de erros mil na transmissão. E havia fãs, eles só preferiram seguir o cardume com algo idiota que só rendeu críticas depois do que focar em uma série boa de verdade.

[devilc]

It's to the point that I know that if I REALLY like something, it's going to get shitcanned because it's too unconventional, or if it's saved its because it's going to get toned down and made just like everything else.

I'm still salty about Brimstone and Carnivale. Just sayin'.

[wendelah1]

I've had so many shows cancelled abruptly that I no longer expect anything I love to survive past one season (or less). For awhile, I didn't even bother to watch a new show unless I knew it had been on the air for several seasons. That's a coping device, right? Avoidance?

Firefly was a loss but to be fair, we didn't start watching it until after it was already gone. We bought the DVDs. And it did get a movie to wrap up the loose ends, kind of. I loved Awake, which was cancelled by NBC after less than a season but at least its creators got enough notice that they wrote an ending and filmed it. If Awake was ever released on DVD, I didn't see it in time to buy it, and as far as I know, it can't be watched on any streaming service. The last series that I loved that got cancelled after maybe half a season, was Debris. Another NBC series, cancelled after a huge cliffhanger. It was never released on DVD and again, no streaming options. I would totally have bought the series if it had been made available. I think its creator shopped it around to other networks but got no takers. I loved everything about it--the characters, the acting, the worldbuilding, the mystery, the special effects--except the title, which was stupid.

[shadowkat]

I've gotten so used to it now - that I often will wait until a series has two or three seasons under its belt to watch. Netflix is notorious for cancelling series without warning, often after renewing them.

Painful cancellations?

* Now and Again (after 1 season)
* American Gothic (1 season)
* Angel the Series (S5 was the last season and it had just gotten good)
* Firefly (oh so painful)
* BattleStar Galatica v.1 (2 seasons, maybe three?)
* Farscape (I wisely waited to watch this until after it got it's four hour movie wrap-up - that happened due to a fan campaign.)

[prisca]

I hate it when a TV show I love comes to an end. Even more when it ends, for whatever reason, with a big, big cliffhanger, leaving me behind with tons of open questions. But while it was a big thing just a few years ago, I slowly get used to it. I guess it's the time we are living in. More and more streaming services are available, and an overwhelming number of new TV series. A series is canceled quickly if it does not meet the provider's expectations. There is not much we can do about it.

But because this is still annoying, I often hesitate to start watching a brand-new series. Luckily, there are still enough older ones I haven't watched before, series that have already reached their end, and I know what to expect.

I don't even mind if a series ends after one season or two, as long as there is some kind of an end. I can live with some open questions - hey, I'm a fanfiction writer, I can fix this ;). But a cliffhanger that leaves me alone in the middle of the most interesting, intriguing scene - no. Just no!

[yourlibrarian]

I look forward to reading the article 🙂

These days I don't think cancellations hit me particularly hard. Seasons are short and there are so many shows about that I think I'm just temporarily disappointed and that's that. Also, many shows I try out have already ended so I already know about it going in.

There are also shows where I'm kind of relieved they've ended, either because it feels like it's gone on too long or because the writing has failed to deliver on the show's promise.

I'm trying to remember when I last really regretted a cancellation. I think it was likely Angel, so pretty far back. Mostly I've been sorry for the shows which feel like they never got a chance. The main two I can think of are Day Break with Taye Diggs, and the 2008 series The Palace, both of which I felt had a lot of promise.

[yourlibrarian]

Having read the article, whanted to add that while I wasn't all that sorry about Andy Richter, Better Off Ted definitely deserved more of a chance! I also thought it was too bad about The Hour

[china_shop]

Oh no, Santa Clarita Diet was one of my absolute favs, and I'm still upset they canned it. It was So Good!! Also still annoyed about A League of Their Own (we were robbed!), Peripheral, and People of Earth.

But mostly I try to just roll with it, because what else can you do?

[tinny]

The Most? Farscape, I think. But we got Peacekeeper Wars, which was good.