Earlier this week, the Canadian network CBC announced that its Indigenous supernatural drama Trickster has been cancelled even though they originally renewed it for a second season. That show has been well-received by critics and viewers, currently holding a 94% Fresh Rating and 83% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes, and it was named Scripted Series of the Year by Canadian entertainment magazine Playback. The show was cancelled not due to low ratings but because of a controversy involving co-creator and showrunner Michelle Latimer. She had made claims to Indigenous heritage, but those have been disputed which led to two producers leaving the production and Latimer eventually resigning from the show. The bad publicity around this led to CBC’s decision to cancel the show.
Series writer Drew Hayden Taylor had the following to say in an Op-Ed piece published at The Globe and Mail:
I think the power of the Trickster story and the talent of the people involved are more than strong enough to weather this little hiccup. The building blocks – that is, the inspiring source material – is still there, including the soon-to-be third instalment of the Robinson series, which is set to be released in the near future. The Indigenous film community is thriving, eager and capable of maintaining, maybe even improving, the framework that is already there and continue it forward. Just get a new showrunner. Showrunners come and go all the time in the television industry. I know three that are baristas.
And he is quite right. The departure of the showrunner does not spell the end of a series. Joss Wheden stepped down from the series he created for HBO The Nevers, but that one is still going forward. Starz’s American Gods has had a different showrunner each season along with its own share of controversy, but it has continued on and maintained its quality throughout. CBC had previously indicated they were committed to telling Indigenous stories, but cancelling Trickster over controversy not directly related to the show’s story fails that effort and really helps no one in the end.
So at this point, it is in the hands of the fans, and the cast and crew can lend their support as well. The show has already received a fair amount of acclaim and offers a unique and fascinating story unlike any other on television right now. It also does not have the mega-budget of many other television shows these days (not that it looks cheap in any way), so if another venture were to pick it up, it would not be an expensive acquisition. And it is also currently airing on The CW in the United States, which is the perfect landing spot for future seasons. That network likes to fill out its Summer schedule with inexpensive properties, and this show checks all the boxes and could even bring some awards with it. It has been performing relatively well in the ratings so far this Winter, pulling numbers that The CW would be happy to see in the Summer months.
According to Taylor, Latimer owns the television rights to the property (it is based on the books by Eden Robinson). But he noted that she had previously indicated she hoped the show would continue on without her. And if the fans make enough noise, perhaps that can happen. An online petition to save the show has already been started, and people need to start making some noise on the social networks to support that and to draw interest to the series. The petition is asking CBC to reconsider the cancellation, but fans need to also direct their attention to The CW as a possible new home for the show. The streaming services might be a good target as well, particularly the horror-focused Shudder. That streamer is looking to make a name for itself and has already had some success with its Creepshow reboot.
We have seen shows saved from cancellation before, with Lucifer (picked up by Netflix) and The Expanse (picked up by Amazon) being two of the most recent examples. A Call to Action from fans could make the difference for Trickster and allow this unique series to continue. We at CancelledSciFi.com would be happy to host a Save My Show page and to support fan efforts. The story for this one is not over yet, and perhaps the show could return to CBC or move to another venue if fans make enough noise.
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It’s sad to see that no one else has even left one comment here. Trickster is an Amazing show and I was so sad when I heard it wasn’t coming back for a second season. I was also a bit in shock.
I have to say that in being part Native myself I felt a sense of pride when watching the show and that’s not a small thing for me. When I was growing up I remember feeling kind of ashamed of my indigenous heritage (which mainly stemmed from my dad’s alcoholism and other Native stereotypes that I believed were true. And I know I’m not the only one who has felt that way. I’m 43 years old and it took watching an incredible show called Trickster to help me see my Nativeness as a plus, not a minus, and for once in my life I feel like it’s cool to be Native.
I was hoping fans might rally to save the show. It could have become a regular Summer entry for The CW. But it appears that this unique and quite excellent series will sadly be one-and-done.