Shining Vale was cancelled after two seasons when Starz failed to support it, but now it has a chance for a resurrection on Max.
What Is It?
This show follows the dysfunctional Phelps family as they move into a seemingly idyllic old mansion in the small town of Shining Vale to escape their troubles. However, things take a darkly comedic turn when Pat Phelps, a writer struggling with creative block and marital issues, starts experiencing eerie occurrences in the house. As Pat becomes convinced that the house is haunted by a 1950s-era ghost named Rosemary, she begins to question her own sanity, especially given her history of mental illness.
Aired: Starz, 2022-23, 2 Season Totaling 16 Episodes
Starring: Courteney Cox, Greg Kinnear, Gus Birney, Merrin Dungey, Dylan Gage, Mira Sorvino
Created By: Jeff Astrof, Sharon Horgan
Why Was It Cancelled?
This supernatural dramedy debuted back in March 2022 but never found much of an audience, in part because Starz did little to promote it. The first season averaged only a 0.02 rating (two-one hundredths of a ratings point) based on same-day viewing for the 18-49 demographic. Then when it returned for its second year–again with little promotion–it slipped further to 0.01 score, barely even registering in the ratings. The premium cable channels do not pay as much attention to the same-day numbers because they are not beholden to advertisers, but those are a leading indicator that the show was not drawing much viewership. The lack of exposure from Starz definitely did not help as Shining Vale pretty much disappeared in the Peak TV glut of programming, and the second season renewal was actually somewhat of a surprise. But the network did little to help the show find an audience, and co-creator Jeff Astrof had the following to say bout the cancellation:
Given all the real heart-breaking news going on in the world right now, it would be inappropriate for me to say I’m heartbroken about Starz not picking up Shining Vale for a Season 3. However, I have no problem saying I am crushed and deeply saddened by the news. For the actors, it has been a year since we wrapped, but I have been working on writing Season 3 up until I heard the news last week.
Shining Vale was removed from streaming on Starz at the end of 2023 and was shopped around to other venues. Max has since picked up the first two seasons for an encore run, and there is some potential that the show could continue for a third season on that platform (see below).
Can the Show Be Saved?
The series began streaming on Max on January 1, 2025, and according to Deadline it jumped up to Number 3 in viewership on the platform within the first 24 hours. That is definitely an encouraging sign and indicates that Shining Vale did develop somewhat of a following even if the original Nielsen ratings numbers did not suggest that. I did not notice much of a fan effort to save the show after the cancellation, and an online petition posted at that time only gathered a little over a hundred signatures. But if there is a fanbase for this one, now is the time for a Call to Action.
The first thing they should do is to continue watching it on Max to get it into the Nielsen Streaming Rankings. They should also get a campaign going on social media to get the show trending and bring it more attention. That should include a drive to get people to subscribe to Max to watch the show which will get some attention from the execs at the streaming service because it will impact the bottom line. My guess is that Shining Vale is not too expensive to produce, and that is the type of scripted original that streaming services are looking for in the post-Peak TV era. So if this one remains on the viewership charts and can bring in notable subscriptions, Max may very well have an interest in moving forward with a third season. That service already has the rights to the first two seasons, so tacking on one or two more is not that much of a stretch. But fans will need to make an effort to bring this one more attention for that to happen.
Where Can You Watch It?
As mentioned above, both seasons are streaming exclusively on Max, and that is where fans should focus their attention for a campaign to revive the show. It has not been released on physical media yet, but you can purchase it VOD at places like Amazon.com.
Did you watch Shining Vale and would you support efforts for a revival? Chime in with your comments below.
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