Netflix Users Urge Service to Save Beloved Cartoon Network Series 'Total Drama'

A petition to revive the popular animated reality show parody series Total Drama, more than four [...]

A petition to revive the popular animated reality show parody series Total Drama, more than four years after the show ended, now has more than 8,000 signatures.

The petition was started last month by a fan named "TD Noahh," who was inspired by an October Reddit AMA, where Fresh TV President Tom McGillis said Netflix could renew the show.

"Any season renewal is completely up to them," McGillis wrote to one fan.

"We believe that this is the last chance we have to show the creators that there is still a huge audience for the show, and having Netflix pick it up for future seasons would be our final opportunity for the show to stay alive," the petition reads. "Please sign this petition if you don't want to see such an iconic show fizzle out."

However, in the same Reddit AMA, McGillis told one Reddit user there is "no market" for Total Drama in the "wider entertainment marketplace right now."

"There's a series called Drawn Together which inspired us when we created that show and it was an amazing parody of Big Brother, so we decided to make our own version of that show for younger kids," McGillis explained. "However, our kids grew up and went on to other things. So there is no market for a show like this right now in my opinion. And that's okay, we just needed to create something special and different for newer audiences of varying age groups."

Total Drama launched in 2007 on Canada's Teletoon and in 2008 on Cartoon Network in the U.S. The series ran five seasons until 2014, and inspired the spin-offs The Tidonculous Race in 2015 and the alternate universe series Total Dramarama in 2018. All five seasons are available to stream on Netflix, alongside Fresh TV's other series, Stoked (2009-2013).

In Total Dramarama, the characters were aged down to four years old and the writers ditched the reality show format.

"Total Dramarama is a completely new take on what is a very successful franchise," Ed Galton, the CCO and managing director of distributor CAKE, said in September. "With fresh ideas and hilarious storylines, the series is aimed at a younger demographic and we are looking forward to introducing this totally random and sensational show to a brand new audience."

Total Drama earned a cult following, with each season parodying a different reality show, like Survivor, The Amazing Race and Fear Factor. McGillis, who co-created the series with his 6teen collaborator Jennifer Pertsch, once told fans he hoped the show would run 10 seasons.

Photo credit: Cartoon Network

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