Cancelled Too Soon: Roar (1997)

1997’s Roar, which starred a young Heath Ledger, had the promise to turn into an epic fantasy series, but it was cut short by its network.

[Updated]

What Is It?

This series takes place in Ireland in 400 AD and focuses on one man’s attempt to unite his people and drive out the Roman conquerors.  To do that, he must summon up the “roar” of his people, a voice that represents the power and life of every living being (sort of like the Celtic version of the Force).

Aired: FOX, 1997-2000, 1 Season Totaling 13 Episodes

Created By: Shaun Cassidy, Ron Koslow

Starring: Heath Ledger, Vera Farmiga, Sebastian Roché, Lisa Zane, John Saint Ryan

Why Was It Cancelled?

Not to be confused with the 2022 anthology show of the same name, this fantasy series debuted on FOX in July of 1997 when that network was trying to expand its programming to the Summer months.  It was created by former teen heartthrob Shaun Cassidy (who was also responsible for the fan-favorite American Gothic, more on that one at Cult-SciFi.com) as well as Ron Koslow (who gave us 1987’s Beauty and the Beast). While not a genre classic, Roar definitely had some good moments and showed promise of developing into a decent fantasy entry if given the chance.  FOX had noted the success of Hercules the Legendary Journeys an Xena: Warrior Princess in syndication at that time and had tried to develop something along those lines.  Roar had less of the tongue-in-cheek of those shows and worked more towards delivering a fantasy epic (though on a 90’s television budget).  Most interesting about this series is the fact that it gave a young Heath Ledger one of his first starring roles when his career was just getting started.  Other notable players in this show included Vera Farmiga (Orphan, Bates Motel) and Sebastian Roché (Odyssey 5, Vampire Diaries).

Unfortunately, the ratings for the show were not to FOX’s liking and it was probably on the higher end budget-wise, so they cancelled it after only eight episodes had aired (though the final five eps eventually made it to the schedule in Summer of 2000). After the cancellation, two novels were written to tie in to the series, the prequel Roar: The Novel as well as the continuation of the story Roar: The Cauldron (both are now out of print). But no additional stories related to the series have appeared since then. The show has essentially become a footnote in sci fi / fantasy television, primarily for Heath Ledger’s involvement, but it could have turned into a sleeper genre entry if given the chance.

Should It Be Rebooted?

The 2018 British series Britannica has a similar premise though with a bigger budget and an R-Rated direction, though sadly that one was cut short after three seasons (it is still worth checking out). Personally, I would love to see a reboot of Roar or a continuation of some sort. A great way to pick it up would be to restart the series with a new lead taking up the “Roar” from the efforts of Ledger’s character who may have died in battle. That would preserve the original series, and Ledger’s work, as part of the show’s cannon, and allow it to continue from there. But a complete reboot would work as well, especially since the original series was never given much of a chance when it first aired. But seeing as this one never developed much of a following, it seems unlikely it would find itself in the revival queue. Unless, of course, Shaun Cassidy were to get behind it and try to get something moving forward. He has not been too busy lately, so perhaps he could be coaxed back to the property.

Where Can You Watch It?

The complete series has been released on DVD, but it has since gone out of print and is now fetching pretty high prices from third-party sellers. It is currently available to stream for free in 4K UHD on YouTube.

Read about more Sci Fi TV shows cancelled too soon at this link.

Be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site  for breaking news and updates. And for the latest news and discussions on sci fi and fantasy television, follow r/SciFiTV

Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and you can see the premieres for all the upcoming genre entries at this link.