John Legend rallies for Underground season 3 renewal after cancellation
In a post on Twitter last night after the cancellation news first came out, he asked fans for some various suggestions as to some possible homes for the show. Some names that have already been thrown out there include BET and Hulu, but there could be many more suggested or discussed by studio Sony Pictures TV over the coming weeks. This is a show that nobody wants to see over, but there are some hurdles that need to be overcome for the show to come back. For one, the budget seems to be scaring some people off, as is the sentiment that some of the original viewers from the show will bail on a new network just because they won’t realize that the show is on.
One thing that is a little bit unusual in this situation is that Underground does seem to have the full support of its former network as it looks to get another season. It wasn’t canceled because WGN America hated the show or thought it was a dud; they’re just going in another direction, one that doesn’t include scripted programming that they are creating for themselves. In making this announcement now, the network is giving the show a little bit of a chance to find a new home elsewhere before it gets so late in the process that the cast and crew aren’t under contract anymore.
As with most other shows in this position, the best philosophy to take is to expect almost nothing, but cross your fingers that somehow, someway, there is a network that comes out of the woodwork and is ready / excited to pick the show up. The biggest thing that it has going for it is that critics seem fond of the series, and it also tells a story that is important to keep front of mind: The people on the Underground Railroad are some of the real heroes of U.S. history, and they are people who did much of their work without compensation or praise by the majority of the country.
Have any suggestions for a good Underground season 3 home? Be sure to share in the comments below! (Photo: WGN America.)