The OA and star Brit Marling broke her silence on the show’s sudden cancellation after two seasons. Marling, who co-created the science fiction series with Zal Batmanglij, posted a long statement on Instagram mourning the show. The series’ Season 2 cliffhanger will go unresolved, even though the show was praised by Netflix Monday.
“Zal and I are deeply sad not to finish this story. The first time I heard the news I had a good cry. So did one of our executives at Netflix who has been with us since the early days when we were sketching out Hap’s basement on the floor of our production office in Queens,” Marling wrote. “It’s been an intense journey for everyone who worked on and cared about this story.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
Later, Marling wrote that she and Batmanglij are “proud” of the 16 episodes they created thanks to the fan response.
“While we cannot finish this story, I can promise you we will tell others,” Marling continued. “I haven’t figured out any other effective coping mechanism for being alive in the Anthropocene. And maybe, in some ways, it’s okay not to conclude these characters. Steve Winchell will be suspended in time in our imaginations, infinitely evolving, forever running after and finally reaching the ambulance and OA.”
The OA was an under-the-radar series at Netflix that slowly gained critical acclaim. The show’s first season debuted in December 2016, but fans had to wait more than two years for Season 2, which was not released until March 22.
Marling starred as Prairie Johnson, a mysterious woman who resurfaces seven years after going missing and can now see, despite being blind when she went missing. She calls herself the “OA” or “Original Angel” and recruits five strangers for a secret mission.
The series also starred Emory Cohen, Patrick Gibson, Jason Isaacs, Ian Alexander, Phyllis Smith, Brendan Meyer, Brandon Perea, Will Brill, Sharon Van Etten, Scott Wilson, Alice Krieg, and Paz Vega.
“We are incredibly proud of the 16 mesmerizing chapters of The OA, and are grateful to Brit and Zal for sharing their audacious vision and for realizing it through their incredible artistry,” Cindy Holland, vice president of original content for Netflix, said in a statement. “We look forward to working with them again in the future, in this and perhaps many other dimensions.”
The OA’s cancellation came as Netflix has become increasingly picky when it comes to renewing shows, even critically acclaimed series. The animated series Tuca & Bertie only lasted one season, while Trinkets was renewed for a second season that will be its last.
Both seasons of The OA are still streaming on Netflix.
Photo credit: Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix
