When a TV show faces cancellation, fan campaigning and social media outrage rarely alters the fate if a network has made a decision. But sometimes the reaction is so strong that the plans change and a cult favorite is given a second chance.
It happened with Family Guy and Community, and now NBC’s Timeless joins that small club of shows that’ve beaten the odds.
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Just days after NBC announced Timeless would not be picked up for a second season, show creators Shawn Ryan and Eric Kripke revealed the network changed their minds and gave the OK for ten more episodes to air in 2018.
Timeless follows an unlikely team of time travelers chasing a villain throughout history who is intending to major alter events to create a catastrophe. It stars Abigail Spencer, Malcom Barrett, Matt Lanter, and Goran Visnjic.
When news initially broke about Timeless being cancelled after the first season, fans reacted passionately to the creators, the actors and NBC itself on social media.
In a series of tweets, Kripke thanked the show’s fanbase for their response and cited it as a major reason Timeless is getting a second chance.
The #TimeTeam went back 3 days, and changed history. @nbc picked us up for 10 episodes. Seriously. Airs next summer. #TimelessRenewed pic.twitter.com/SDkeShlByL
โ Eric Kripke (@therealKripke) May 13, 2017
A lot of info flying. Initially thought #Timeless would be on next summer, now it may be 2018 spring. Who knows? Just know we’re back!
โ Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyanTV) May 13, 2017
Timeless averaged about 8 million viewers per episode, performing strong with DVR numbers. The renewal adds to the case against live Nielsen numbers being the only barometer to indicate a show’s success, as DVR and streaming become more and more prominent and network executives pay attention to social media buzz.
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[h/t] Entertainment Weekly