Prodigal Son star Lou Diamond Phillips says he’s “gutted” by the show’s recent cancellation. The Fox procedural premiered in September 2019 and was picked up for a full season 1 shortly after. Season 2 began airing in January 2021. Prodigal Son centers on Tom Payne as Malcolm Bright, the titular character. Malcolm is a former FBI profiler who begins working for the NYPD under the guidance of Phillips’ character, Lieutenant Gil Arroyo. Malcolm is greatly affected by the crimes of his father, Martin Whitly (Michael Sheen), a serial killer he’s forced to let back into his life.

Prodigal Son also focuses on others who work with the NYPD, as well as Ainsley Whitly (Halston Sage), a TV news reporter and Malcolm’s sister, and Jessica Whitly (Bellamy Young), a businesswoman and their mother. Though the series has accumulated a vocal group of fans in its two seasons on air, viewership has largely been down in season 2, leading Fox to cancel the series just ahead of its finale, which is set to air May 18.

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Soon after the news broke, Phillips shared his reaction on Twitter and indicated he was surprised by the cancellation. The actor also took time to praise Prodigal Son‘s viewers for their commitment to the show. Take a look at Phillips’ comments below:

Considering Prodigal Son‘s ratings, the cancellation news doesn’t come as a huge shock. However, the show did get a little more buzz in season 2, leading some to hope Fox may renew it. It’s worth noting there’s an outside chance this may not be the end of Prodigal Son. Though not likely, fan campaigns for other series have worked in the past, as have renewals at rival networks or streaming services. NBC famously saved Brooklyn Nine-Nine from cancellation at Fox, and it will have run another three seasons there by the time its final 10-episode run concludes.

It’s understandable Phillips is disappointed by Prodigal Son‘s cancellation, especially because it sounds like he didn’t expect it. It’s worth noting cancellation and renewal decisions often come down to the wire; things can look promising one minute and less so the next, which may be what happened here. Luckily, it seems Phillips still has a positive association with the show and its fans despite the cancellation news. As the season 2 finale will now be the series finale, it remains to be seen if Prodigal Son will come to a satisfying conclusion. Hopefully, that’s what happens when the last episode airs on May 18.

Source: Lou Diamond Phillips

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Rebecca VanAcker
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Rebecca VanAcker is a trainer and news editor at Screen Rant. In the past, she’s written TV recaps for Screen Picks and reviews for Yahoo. She enjoys covering all things superhero, especially the MCU and Arrowverse.

A graduate of Michigan State University, Rebecca got her teaching certificate before falling in love with writing and the entertainment industry. She has a B.A. in English and can often be found ignoring everyone in favor of a good book. Her other hobbies include baking, anything Disney, and exploring with her dog, Beckett.

You can follow Rebecca on Twitter @BecksVanAcker, or contact her directly at rvanacker23(at)gmail(dot)com.

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