Netflix responds to petitions to renew Wachowski Sisters’ Sense8 with heartfelt thanks to fans, but remains firm on decision to cancel the show.
On June 9th, Netflix released a statement on the Sense8 Facebook page confirming that in spite of petitions by fans, the show would not return for a third season.
Netflix cites low viewership as reason for the cancellation, although fans have circulated rumors of legal trouble. The fan response to the news of the show’s cancellation has been overwhelming with hashtags like #RenewSense8 and #BringBackSense8 flooding Facebook and Twitter.
The fandom’s cries haven’t fallen on deaf ears, though. The show’s creators and show runners acknowledged the outpouring of support in the studio, but ultimately decided against renewal.
"The reason we’ve taken so long to get back to you is because we’ve thought long and hard here at Netflix to try to make it work but unfortunately we can’t.Thank you for watching and hope you’ll stay close with your cluster around the world.#SensatesForever"
Although Netflix’s message to fans was short and sweet, one of the show’s stars, Brian J. Smith, took to Twitter to share a long and thoughtful message to fans thanking them for their support.
Dear Sense8 Family
— Brian J. Smith (@BrianJacobSmith) June 9, 2017
Read: https://t.co/mOmNYMmxP0
In his letter, Smith candidly addresses the open-ended nature of an unfinished show. He laments the loss of future viewership stating that they would “never pick up a story they know has no resolution.” However, he offers up a tender thank you to the fandom for providing their own conclusion to the show.
"Please know that the fight you all put up in trying to save something that you loved will forever be the “final season” of Sense8. YOU have given the show the ending it deserved. Even if that fight didn’t have a happy ending, it meant something. Don’t ever forget that."
News of Sense8‘s cancellation comes right at the beginning of LGBTQIA pride month. This strikes a chord with fans. The show features multiple queer characters and two of the most famous trans women at the helm, so the cancellation of the show resonates even more.
As one of the only shows on television to prominently feature queer themes and characters, a lot rides on the show’s success or failure. Representation is important to younger generations of queer kids finding their paths and learning who they are. Seeing well developed queer characters in fiction goes a long way to that end, but more so seeing actual queer people in the real world get the chance to tell their stories goes even further.
Half of the Internet stamps their feet for representation, but in the end low viewership killed the show. The lesson here is pretty simple. Representation is out there. People like the Wachowski sisters are making the art that represents us. It’s the audience’s responsibility to seek out these artists and support them. It doesn’t matter how loud you shout if there aren’t any ears around to hear you.
Next: Marvel is getting its own Funko line of exclusives at San Diego Comic-Con
A consequence of a show like Sense8, one of Netflix’s most expensive properties, being canceled is more trepidation on the studio’s part. If a very expensive show featuring queer themes doesn’t do well, they are less likely to invest in what is, in their eyes, a demographic of consumers. The less we watch, the less we’ll see. So go out and watch these shows. Support matters.