Sigh, Time Team. By now you’ve all heard the heartbreaking and upsetting news that NBC cancelled ‘Timeless.’ However, NBC’s loss can be another network’s gain. Since SONY also owns the beloved time travel drama, producers are shopping the show to a new network. Phew! All hope is not lost.
‘Timeless’ co-creator, Eric Kripke tweeted this statement:
Its true. NBC canceled #Timeless. We’re surprised & upset. Get you a longer response later. Odds are long, but trying to find another home.
— Eric Kripke (@therealKripke) May 10, 2017
Moments later, Shawn Ryan disclosed a few more details:
1. Learned a lot about TV biz in last few days. A lot of things to argue for a #Timeless renewal but $$$ flows in mysterious ways in tv now.
— Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyanTV) May 10, 2017
2. As @therealKripke mentioned, Sony will look for another outlet. Don’t know the viability of that, but know there’s intense fan love.
— Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyanTV) May 10, 2017
3. I’ve been inundated with #Timeless love by non show biz people more than any other show I’ve ever done. I feel bad for all of you today.
— Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyanTV) May 10, 2017
4. So thanks to all of Team Timeless for your passion and ❤️ for the show. We’ll try to keep it alive. #ResucitateTimeless
— Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyanTV) May 10, 2017
5. Want to add I got a classy call from Bob Greenblatt and Jen Salke from @nbc who are heartbroken about the financially driven decision.
— Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyanTV) May 10, 2017
6. Appreciate Bob, Jen and NBC giving us the canvas to tell 16 fun stories with our amazing cast. #ResucitateTimeless
— Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyanTV) May 10, 2017
So the head honchos at NBC were fans of the show, they just couldn’t put their money behind it because of BS showbiz politics. Some fans even boycotted ‘Taken’ (which was renewed) in an effort to save ‘Timeless,’ but it would not have made a difference. ‘Taken’ is an “in-house” NBC show, which costs less to produce than ‘Timeless.’ It is very disappointing to learn that finance takes precedent over quality television. But there is no use whining about it. The time has come to look forward. We still have hope that some network will come to our favorite show’s rescue.
So, which network will be the best (or most likely) option to save ‘Timeless’? Let’s break down our options…
Since SONY and NBC financed ‘Timeless,’ producers may pitch the show to affiliates first. Universal is the studio behind NBC, SyFy, USA and Hulu. Solid arguments can be made for each one and in all cases, the ratings ‘Timeless’ received on NBC would be a gold-mine for any of the aforementioned networks.
- SyFy is a genre network that comes with a loyal fan base that probably already loves ‘Timeless.’ I’ve noticed that in recent years, the channel’s shows have become darker and grittier. To be honest, I used to watch more shows on SyFy (‘Merlin,’ ‘Alphas’) than I do now (‘The Magicians’). But it would still be a reliable place for a time travel series fueled by Rittenhouse conspiracy theories.
- USA has always been supportive of character driven shows. Remember their slogan? “Characters welcome.” Well, ‘Timeless’ has a stellar cast of riveting characters. The network also appreciates hourlong dramedies that don’t take themselves too seriously. In the past few years I was sad to see USA drift away from fun-filled shows like ‘Monk,’ ‘Psych’ and ‘White Collar.’ They even aired ‘The 4400’ for years, showing an interest in the sci-fi genre. Now that we know there will be a ‘Psych’ holiday movie airing this December, maybe USA is going back to its revolutionary roots. There could definitely be room for a new show full of charismatic characters on their roster.
- Hulu has been streaming ‘Timeless’ from the start and the show’s popularity has been reflected in their ratings. The network saved the day for ‘The Mindy Project’ in the past and gave the writers more creative liberties. Perhaps ‘Timeless’ will provide the fuel Hulu needs to one-up Netflix in the streaming service race. Plus, more viewers are beginning to turn to streaming networks over broadcast TV and Hulu knows ‘Timeless’ would bring over a bunch of new subscribers.
We covered the Universal family, but we still have a few more viable options left.
- Since we’re on the subject of streaming, Netflix would be a great home for ‘Timeless’ because the network understands and appreciates the genre. It would also be cool to see how much more freedom the writers could have with the drama. For example, some series on Netflix have episodes of varying lengths and formats. They’ve already shown how they support fan-favorite shows by reviving oldies but goodies like ‘Gilmore Girls’ and ‘Fuller House.’ Maybe they’ll be happy to save ‘Timeless’ before it is too late. (Amazon Studios and SONY’s streaming service, Crackle, could work too.)
- TNT knows drama and ‘Timeless’ is one helluva drama. The network airs re-runs of genre shows like ‘Supernatual’ and ‘Grimm’ alongside side fun dramedies like ‘Castle.’ Their original programming has been full of clever and adventurous dramas like ‘Leverage’ and ‘The Librarians,’ so we could easily see ‘Timeless’ making itself at home with like-minded shows that deliver exciting tales with a twist.
- Last, but certainly not least, there’s Kripke’s old stomping ground: The CW. ‘Supernatural’ will enter it’s 13th season this Fall, so clearly the network loves his vision. I know they already have an awesome time travel show in ‘Legends of Tomorrow,’ but ‘Timeless’ is different. Besides, they kind of had another time bending drama in newly cancelled ‘Frequency,’ which leaves an opening in the schedule for a refreshing new drama that caters to the network’s loyal and genre loving audience. I mean, how could CW execs say “No” to the man who gave them the gift that keeps on giving?
We’re waiting for Kripke and Ryan to give us a green light on which network to target, so that we can show them our passionate support for this unique and wonderful series. The #RenewTimeless campaign has become the #SaveTimeless campaign. We’ll always keep fighting for our show. Stay tuned for updates!
What do you think, Time Team? Which on of these networks do you believe will best suit ‘Timeless’? Share your thoughts below!
