You know it’s serious when Beebo, a furry toy turned Viking deity, requests for assistance. When it appeared like the show’s future was at risk, the unofficial mascot for Legends of Tomorrow did precisely that.
Even this sweet plea to #RenewLegendsOfTomorrow didn’t help in the end. It was revealed only a few weeks after The CW renewed series like The Flash and Riverdale that Legends of Tomorrow will not be joining them for a final season.
Showrunner Keto Shimizu commented on the cancellation on Twitter as soon as the Waverider was decommissioned for good, writing:
“We’re devastated, but we’re also appreciative for the incredible effort our actors, crew, and writers put in on the little show that could. Thank you to our fans; your support and enthusiasm for our odd band of misfits have made every break, every screenplay, every daily, every cut, and every mix worthwhile. You’ll always have a spot on the Waverider because we see you, we love you, and we’ll always see you.”
These heartfelt emotions were quickly expressed by the whole cast and crew. The writer’s room for Legends of Tomorrow praised the project as “a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all of us,” while series lead Caity Lotz — the show’s lone original cast member — expressed her gratitude on Instagram Stories:
“I’m disappointed. And I’m depressed. It will be sorely missed. I’ll miss our incredible cast and crew, but I also recognize how fortunate I was to be able to portray Sara Lance for so long. Working on Legends has been incredible, and it’s been such a journey, for which I am eternally thankful. So, to all the Legends of Tomorrow lovers out there, thank you. We adore you and have had a great time with you.”
View this post on Instagram
The following post by actress Tala Ashe is one of the most memorable of the many poignant sentiments given by those who worked on Legends of Tomorrow:
“For a little period, I had the opportunity to portray a superhero (the first Muslim-American live-action superhero, no less!). There are so many different eras, clothes, tales, and laughter to choose from. So much laughter, God. This event really transformed my life, and I will cherish the friendships I formed for the rest of my life. I’m disappointed that we didn’t get to say our last goodbyes to the Legends family, but I’m glad for the time we spent together. It’s a good reminder that nothing is certain.”
We’re also “gutted,” since Legends of Tomorrow deserved a dignified send-off, not this last-minute announcement weeks after season seven ended. But where did things go wrong? Is it possible that someone tampered with the timestream, or is the show’s tragic demise due to a more normal reason?
What caused Legends of Tomorrow to be canceled?
Legends of Tomorrow is unlike any other show. What began as a ragtag group of C-list heroes who constantly f**king up evolved into one of the most lovable and original perspectives on DC comics and superheroes in general.
Legends of Tomorrow, although not having the greatest ratings in the world, did quite well for The CW, attracting more viewers than Riverdale and nearly as many as Kung Fu. In fact, despite its extended run, Legends was one of the few series to have a recent increase in popularity. Even though both of those other series were renewed, Legends was not.
So, what’s the deal? Well, it’s safe to say that the Arrowverse has been in peril for a time now due to a general lack of enthusiasm. Following the conclusion of Arrow, Supergirl, and Black Lightning, additional spin-offs were canceled before they could even begin, leaving some significant holes in The CW’s superhero lineup.
Following the cancellations of both Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow, the Arrowverse now consists of only four shows: The Flash, Naomi, Stargirl, and Superman & Lois.
Let’s face it: Season nine of The Flash is almost certainly going to be the show’s final season. So there are just three more superhero series on the network, each of which operates independently of the rest of the Arrowverse’s interconnected universe. When you add in the fact that Naomi has yet to be renewed, it appears that the Arrowverse as we know it will be drastically altered shortly.
While no official reason for the Legends cancellation has been offered, it appears that The CW’s forthcoming sale had a factor in the decision. Nexstar, a media business, is in discussions to buy a controlling interest in the network.
Read More:-
- In Treatment Season 4 Release Date: Does Paul Appear in This Season?
- Emily in Paris Season 3 Release Date, Cast, Plot, Trailer | All Update!
Because of this, as well as the leadership changes at Warner Bros. following its acquisition by Discovery, pricey superhero series like Legends of Tomorrow may have just been a victim of cost-cutting in these uncertain times.
What might Season 8 of Legends of Tomorrow have looked like?
The termination of Legends of Tomorrow was especially devastating because of the season seven finale — the final episode! — ended on a major cliffhanger. Fans are understandably furious, although to be fair, the network had nothing to do with that particular finale.
“The cliffhanger isn’t the fault of the CW. It’s all mine “Following the cancellation, showrunner Keto Shimizu took to Twitter. “I lost a game of chicken with the pickup. Hopefully, the narrative will be continued in some other way. Is this a TV movie? Is it a comic book? Is it going to be broadcast on the radio?”
Sure, our heroes were held by the Time Police for their regular timeline shenanigans in the cliffhanger in question. But it was the major announcement that Scrubs actor Donald Faison had been covertly portraying Booster Gold the whole time that made this so memorable.
Booster Gold is a major thing for DC, as comic book readers know, and it’s more than probable that he would have joined the squad after Nate’s departure.
Sara’s pregnancy, which was finally disclosed after the season, was maybe even more significant. Caity Lotz deserved a fitting send-off for her character as the first and only original cast member remaining on board, and a wonderful arc as a new mother with Ava may have been the perfect way to do so.
How many LGBTQ superhero pairings have you seen on a genre program like this?
How Legends of Tomorrow may be resurrected after its cancellation
Of course, Sara’s and the other Legends’ story could be carried over to other Arrowverse shows, albeit in a reduced capacity. Following all, Booster Gold made an appearance on The Flash exactly one week after his Legends debut.
But, as the Arrowverse shrinks at a rate quicker than the Atom himself, additional stories involving our favorite Legends are becoming increasingly unlikely.
Besides, all of our favorite time criminals heroes, anyway, deserve more. And it’s for this reason that we’re hoping for an eighth season, or even just one final film, on HBO Max.
Yes, it’s a distinct network, but the streaming service is presently owned by Warner Bros., which also owns The CW with ViacomCBS. There would be some legal difficulties to address, but this isn’t the first time HBO Max has stepped in to salvage a DC show.
When DC Universe’s streaming service shut down, HBO Max stepped in to save shows like Doom Patrol and Harley Quinn from cancellation. What’s keeping them from doing something similar for Legends of Tomorrow? To be honest, our heroes have faced considerably tougher odds.
They won’t be able to accomplish it on their own. But, happily, Legends of Tomorrow has one of the most devoted fan groups on the air right now, so if you want to watch more episodes, we recommend you join the battle and keep the hashtag #SaveLegendsOfTomorrow trending on social media.
If there’s enough demand, maybe someone will step in and rescue the day by giving the Legends another chance, whether it’s through a TV movie, comic book, or even a radio play, as Shimizu quipped before.
At the very least, there’s potential for a comic book continuation of this narrative. After the television series ended, both Buffy and Smallville remained in the source material, and with the Legends’ recent comic book début in Earth-Prime: Legends of Tomorrow #3, this tradition may be perpetuated.
Read More:-
- The Mandalorian Season 3 Release Date: When Will It Return on Disney+?
- Suspicion Season 2 on Apple Tv+ Renewal Status Update
It may not be the spectacular climax that some fans had hoped for, but when it comes to the Legends, we’ll take anything we can get. What other program is as bizarre, genuine, inclusive, and warm-hearted as this one? You might look through the whole history of television and never find a show as wonderful and unique as this one. So, what do you think? Why don’t we do everything we can to #SaveLegendsOfTomorrow?
