Why One of Hulu’s Biggest Shows Was Really Canceled

Hulu subscribers were left in a state of shock in November when the streamer abruptly announced that its hit middle school comedy PEN15 would end after its second season. The announcement was made just days before the second half of Season 2 dropped on the Disney-backed streamer, and while many initially believed the decision came down to the impact COVID-19 had on production of the popular show, creators Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle, who play 13-year-old versions of themselves on the comedy, recently opened up about the real reason for PEN15‘s cancellation.

Opening up about the show coming to an end on this week’s episode of the Just for Variety podcast, Konkle acknowledged that while “from the outside” it certainly looks the ongoing pandemic was to blame, that did not factor into the decision. Rather, Konkle and Erskine shared that they decided to end the series, which they have been working on for nearly a decade, long before the cancellation announcement was made. According to Konkle, she and Erskine previously talked about the show being three chapters long, and while the final season is formatted as 2A and 2B, it really acts as two separate seasons, bringing the count up to three.

“It was something that we talked about for a bit, a while ago, of it being three chapters,” Konkle shared. “And the confusing part is that this is unfortunately called 2B, which is not our choice. In our minds, it’s a Season 3. So chapters is the term. And parts 2A and 2B were always supposed to be separate before COVID happened.”

Debuting in 2019, PEN15 is set in 2000, with Erskine and Konkle playing fictionalized versions of their adolescent selves, seventh-graders Maya and Anna, acting out all the awkwardness of middle school as if they aren’t adults. Erskine’s mother Mutsuko plays her mother on the show, with Home Improvement alum Richard Karn as her musician father. Meanwhile, Taylor Nichols and Melora Walters play Anna’s bickering parents. The remainder of the cast is played by age-appropriate actors.

The series has been a massive hit for Hulu. The series has earned several awards nominations, including earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series earlier this year. The show also has a pretty impressive Rotten Tomatoes score, with critics giving it a 97% while the audience gave it an 86%.

While Erskine and Konkle are walking away from the show for now, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are completely closing the book. Konkle teased that while “it’s time” to end PEN15, “if we feel inspired in the future, then we’ll do more.” PEN15 Season 1 and Season 2 are streaming now on Hulu.