Freeform issues apology to Shadowhunters fans for ‘mistake’ message
As you can read over here, a the network basically used a pop-up during the movie’s broadcast (one that was supposed to be used for fun and for witty commentary) to mock Shadowhunters fans trying to save the show. It was something that came across as cruel, unnecessary, and heartless — the series had already been canceled and even if they have no intention of bringing it back, there’s no reason to pour salt in the wound. That’s especially the case when you think about all of the good Shadowhunters fans have done for others during their #SaveShadowhunters campaign, in addition to the good that the movement has done for the people themselves. This has been a chance for fans to rally together from all over the world, make friendships, and find something positive to fight for in the midst of what can be a pretty negative time in history.
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We imagined that at some point, the network would try to put out an apology — and they did that early this afternoon. Writing in a post on Twitter, they had the following to say in a short statement: “This was a mistake. We never intended to disrespect the Shadowhunters fandom. We apologize for this.”
If you want to parse this statement further, though, there are two different questions to wonder about the meaning of the word “mistake.”
1. Is the network saying that they knew the comment was going to air during Toy Story, and are now just realizing that doing so was a bad idea?
2. Is this the network saying that it wasn’t supposed to be included in the broadcast in the first place?
Either way, it’s not a good look given that someone chose to write it in the first place and, on some level, that reflects the feelings of at least one person who was working in some capacity at the network. Even if they don’t speak for everyone, the network has oversight to keep these sort of things from happening.
Ultimately, the best thing to do moving forward if you’re a Shadowhunters fan is to keep enjoying the series and trying to spread some good in the world. What happened this weekend is a sad reminder of the differences between viewers of a show and the network that broadcasts it, but nothing can take away from your own passion or how a show makes an emotional impact on your heart.
What do you think about Freeform’s statement in response to all of this controversy? Be sure to share some of your thoughts in the attached comments. (Photo: Freeform.)