Y: The Last Man Season 2 Not Moving Forward
Y: The Last Man showrunner Eliza Clark shares on Twitter that the series won’t be picked up by another network following its cancelation by FX on Hulu. Following its first season, Y: The Last Man was abruptly canceled by the network due to budgetary concerns, declining to extend the actors’ contracts after having already extended them due to COVID-19 related shutdowns. Changes in showrunner and cast during the elongated production cycle also contributed to the high cost of the first season.
Based on the comic series of the same name, Y: The Last Man follows the world after a cataclysmic event that kills every mammal with a Y-chromosome on the planet, except for character Yorick Brown, the last cisgender male on the planet. Meanwhile, Yorick’s mother, the acting President of the United States must contend with the new world order in an effort to restore society. Clark had previously discussed plot points for Y: The Last Man season 2, including the introduction of astronauts with Y-chromosomes that were unaffected by the event.
In a Twitter thread, Clark announced that her efforts to move the show to a new network have failed, the reason being the monumental effort and money needed to move a series. She goes on to thank the efforts of the cast and crew that made the show, and how the abrupt cancelation has been difficult to deal with. She concludes by saying it’s time for her to write her next project, but Y: The Last Man will always be the one that got away. Read the thread below:
For those of you who have been asking me: we tried really hard to get another platform to pick up season 2 of Y. But sadly, it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. It is always incredibly difficult to move a show, and in recent years, it has only gotten harder. (thread)
— Eliza Clark (@TheElizaClark) January 14, 2022
So many of you have been so supportive of the show, and I am so grateful to you. I love the group of artists who made Y truly, madly, deeply. It was the best creative work environment I’ve ever been a part of. I am immensely proud of the work that we did.
— Eliza Clark (@TheElizaClark) January 14, 2022
I’ve always been pretty good at managing my expectations in a fickle business. But I will say that this one hit me pretty hard. We had a lot more stories to tell, & a kick-ass pitch for s2, that included new twists on some of the best stories from the book (astronauts anyone?)
— Eliza Clark (@TheElizaClark) January 14, 2022
But there are many shows that don’t make it past a season 1, and even more that never get made. I am grateful for the time we had. I love our show, and I have lifelong collaborators and friends who I will do EVERYTHING IN MY POWER to work with again and again.
— Eliza Clark (@TheElizaClark) January 14, 2022
I got to adapt my favorite comic. I got to have a show on TV. I met some of my favorite artists and people in this world. It has all been a net positive. I hope you will still watch the show. That you’ll still tell your friends to watch it.
— Eliza Clark (@TheElizaClark) January 14, 2022
While it doesn’t end the way we would have ended the series, I still think there are complete stories told, and performances that are pretty fucking brave and exciting.
— Eliza Clark (@TheElizaClark) January 14, 2022
I wondered whether to tweet this at all. It feels a little self important to announce that your canceled show is still canceled. But it’s the beginning of a new year, and it’s time for me to write the next thing. I’ll always love Y. It’ll always be the one that got away.
— Eliza Clark (@TheElizaClark) January 14, 2022
Upon its release, Y: The Last Man received positive notices from critics, with many citing the performances and unique premise. However, despite good reviews and ratings, the troubled production history of the series is what ultimately led to its cancelation, with development starting way back in 2015. That, and the high budget of the series due to its dystopian setting all contributed to the show’s end and inability to be picked up by another network.
With so many post-apocalyptic shows on tv, it’s not surprising that some will slip through the cracks. Y: The Last Man was able to stand out due to its unique take on the genre through the lens of gender, as well as having a mostly female cast and crew. Even though Y: The Last Man was canceled before it could even find an audience, the effort of its creators will not be forgotten, and will hopefully encourage networks to see the value of shows that fly the same flag.
Source: Eliza Clark
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