Netflix announced this past weekend that it will pick up NBC’s cancelled Manifest for a fourth and final season which brings resolution to an extended campaign to save the series that spanned across the globe (more on that at this link). And while the fact that this one topped the Nielsen Streaming Rankings for acquired shows for seven weeks in a row certainly influenced the streamer’s decision to revive it, the fan efforts played an important part as well. They staged watch parties which helped boost its viewership numbers on Netflix, and they also got the show trending on social media worldwide. And this is not the first time the fans have come out in force to save a cancelled sci fi/fantasy show. Over the past five years, there have been three notable campaigns that successfully resulted in cancelled shows getting an extended lease on life. And going further back there are even more examples of how the fans were able to help their shows, proving that when they come together they can influence the decision-making of network execs. (You can read more about what fans can do to help struggling and/or cancelled shows at our Call to Action page.)
The Expanse (2015)
Cancelled by Syfy after three seasons but picked up by Amazon for three more season.
This space-based series, which follows the novels by James S.A. Corey, premiered on Syfy in 2015, though it never proved a huge hit ratings-wise for that cable network. That was in part due to the fact that genre fans were wary of the cabler which had previously turned away from serious sci fi and which had a reputation for not supporting its own shows. And Syfy did in fact cancel the show after three seasons despite the fact that it was one of the network’s higher-rated originals at that time. The true size of the show’s following became apparent after that, though, as a global campaign got it trending on social media for several weeks after the cancellation. Fans even paid for an airplane to fly over Amazon Studios requesting that Prime Video pick up the show. As it turns out, Jeff Bezos happens to be a fan of The Expanse, and Amazon did indeed step up and save the series. That streamer has produced two seasons so far with a six and final on the way later this year. Fans might have hoped that Amazon would keep adapting the books (the ninth is due out this Fall), but at least the show was not left on the cliffhanger ending where Syfy cut it off and it will have the chance to wrap up its storylines.
Lucifer (2016)
This fantasy dramedy based on a comic book character created by Neil Gaiman aired on FOX for three seasons and had actually performed quite well for the network. But its numbers slipped some in its third year (though not to disastrous levels), and FOX decided to pull the plug on the show. But this one had developed quite a following over its three-year run and fans immediately took to the social networks. They successfully focused on getting hashtags like #SaveLucifer and #PickupLucifer trending worldwide and series star Tom Ellis put his support behind the campaign as well. After weeks of trending on social media, Netflix played the role of savior and picked up the show for a fourth season. That was eventually extended to a fifth season, then a super-sized fifth season, and then a sixth and final season. Lucifer has since turned into quite a hit on Netflix, proving that FOX was wrong to cancel it in the first place, and spin-offs or other continuations could follow after the sixth season wraps.
Timeless (2016)
This time travel series debuted on NBC in 2016 and quickly managed to build up a loyal and very vocal following. It drew only modest ratings, though, and typically lost a fair amount of its lead-in audience from The Voice. But fans were active in supporting it and staged watch-parties that boosted its digital viewership. At the end of its first season, NBC cancelled the show, but the fan outcry caused networks execs to reverse that decision within a week. When the show returned for a second season, the linear ratings slipped even further, but fans continued to support it with watch-parties and by keeping it trending on social media. Despite that, NBC cancelled it for a second time, but another outpouring of support led the network to agree to produce a two-hour finale for the show. So even though fan efforts did not keep this one going for multiple seasons, it at least got an extended lease on life and was given the chance to wrap up its storylines.
Jericho (2006)
This post-apocalyptic series debuted in 2006 before social media had become as prevalent, but fans still found a means to use the internet to influence its network. Jericho pulled decent ratings during the first half of its first season, but a meandering storyline and an extended Winter hiatus worked against it, causing the numbers to drop when it returned in Spring of 2007. CBS decided to pull the plug on the show, but its very loyal fanbase immediately took that as a call to action. Spurred by the line “Nuts!” in the season finale, which was a response to a neighbouring town’s call for surrender, fans started buying nuts online and sending them to the CBS offices. Tons of nuts were purchased (and ultimately donated to food banks), and CBS conceded to bring the show back for a shortened second season. That consisted of only seven episodes, and the show was subsequently cancelled after that, but it was given the chance to wrap up at least some of its storylines, and it continued in comics for a few more years.
Farscape (1999)
In one of the last of the great write-in campaigns, this space opera from the Sci Fi Channel was saved from ending on a cliffhanger and given a mini-series to wrap up its storylines. The network had decided to end Faracape after its fourth season due to increased production costs and declining ratings. But that left the story hanging on a rather grim ending, and fans lobbied for the show to return for at least a one more season. The network was deluged with letters and emails, and even uber-geek Jason Fox from the popular FoxTrot comic strip joined the campaign. The fan efforts convinced European backers to come onboard which helped co-creator Brian Henson to secure the rights to the property and move forward with the Peacekeeper Wars mini-series. That gave the show a proper conclusion, and there are still talks today that Farscape could be revived with more adventures to come.
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