Sunnyside fans are furious after NBC canceled the comedy series in favor of moving up Will & Grace‘s final season premiere. The network announced Tuesday that the Kal Penn-led Sunnyside would air one final episode on television before moving the show strictly to the NBC App, NBC.com and other digital platforms. The show’s 9:30 p.m. ET timeslot on Thursdays will instead be filled by Will & Grace, which was originally set to premiere in early 2020.
Fans of the freshman series took to Twitter along with star Joel Kim Booster to complain about the news. “To find out our show is getting pulled and replaced with an all-white cast ON Columbus Day? You can’t write this stuff folks. Our time slot literally got colonized!!!” Booster wrote.
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He quickly clarified that the show will continue to air on digital platforms, and asked fans to tune into the show’s final televised episode and continue to support it digitally.
I’m actually really upset at @nbc about this. Sunnyside was one of the few new comedies I actually enjoyed. This is just the beginning for you 💜
— Cody Wilshire (@MissCWilshire) October 16, 2019
Damn. Was really enjoying this show and could tell it was going to continue to pick up momentum. I’ll keep watching online! (Also HOW was Will and Grace deemed funnier than your Glenn Close line?)
— Caitlin Eichorn (@CaitlinEichorn) October 16, 2019
GAH I’m so EXASPERATED. Sunnyside is so GOOD and streaming it is DOABLE but also I’d rather watch it on my DVR. @nbc done messed up.
— Bloody Mary (@asianagrande1) October 16, 2019
Some Twitter users called out NBC for canceling a show with a more diverse cast than its other hits. “As an immigrant, it was refreshing to watch a show that reflected an aspect of my experience,” one Twitter user wrote.
Others offered words of encouragement to Booster, writing that the cancellation and move to digital is “just the beginning of your hot streak. It will be something you mention in interviews as a ‘cult classic,’” one user said.
“You and the rest of the cast deserve better, this show was finally telling stories that had been cast aside by Hollywood for so long,” another said. “I’m so sorry.”
“We live in dumb times. I’m sorry,” another wrote.
“I loved your character so much. I hope this leads to something else,” someone else said.
Sunnyside centered on a former New York councilman played by Penn, who finds his calling when he starts helping immigrants find their path toward citizenship and the American dream. Booster plays Jun Ho, a member of a wealthy Asian family. The series also starred Diana-Maria Riva, Kiran Deol, Poppy Liu, Moses Storm and Samba Schutte. The series will air its final episode on TV Thursday at 9:30 p.m. ET. on NBC.
Will & Grace will take over the timeslot on Oct. 24, securing an early premiere after the show had originally been held for midseason.
Photo credit: Evans Vestal Ward/NBC
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