Why was Manifest cancelled? Fans campaign to save season 4
Fans have been using #savemanifest in an attempt to save the NBC supernatural plane drama.
Manifest has officially retired its wings for good, after the supernatural missing-plane drama was cancelled by NBC earlier this June.
Series creator Jeff Rake envisioned the series to have six seasons, but the premature finale of season three means fans will be left with some permanently unanswered questions.
The series followed the passengers of Flight 828, who upon landing, learn that five years have passed since they boarded the plane. As they reintegrate into society, they experience changed dynamics with loved ones and supernatural visions.
Cut short in the middle of its intended run, the season three finale left viewers with some pretty hefty cliffhangers. Ben (Josh Dallas) and Grace’s (Athena Karkanis) son Cal (Jack Messina) reappeared but significantly aged. Flight 828 Captain Bill Daly was also glimpsed in the rebuilt wreckage of the plane, before disappearing once more.
Read on for everything you need to know about why Manifest was cancelled, and whether it could be picked up by another network.
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Why was Manifest cancelled?
In June 2021, it was revealed that NBC had cancelled Manifest, and the show would not be renewed for a fourth season.
Since season one of Manifest, ratings have declined steadily. The second hour of the finale reached 2.6 million viewers live and on the same day, which was a series low.
Beyond ratings, production costs can also contribute to a series cancellation. If a show is expensive to produce and not enough people are watching, then the network might not see it as worthy of renewal.
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Will Manifest be picked up?
Hopes were sky-high after the show’s initial cancellation. The first two seasons shot to the number one spot of US Netflix when they started streaming on Thursday 10th June. Fans were hopeful that Netflix would save the show much like they saved Lucifer.
However, after a week-long campaign, talks with Netflix fell through and stars of the show began to share their disappointment with fans on social media.
Dallas Tweeted: “Well, my #manifesters, I’m sorry to say that it’s the end of the line for now. We are so proud to have brought you this story over three seasons. We so wished we could’ve finished the journey with you. But it wasn’t in the cards.”
What is the #savemanifest campaign?
After news of the cancellation, creator Rake tweeted: “My dear Manifesters, I’m devastated by NBC’s decision to cancel us. That we’ve been shut down in the middle is a gut punch to say the least. Hoping to find a new home. You the fans deserve an ending to your story. Thanks for the love shown to me, cast, and crew. #savemanifest”.
The hashtag gained traction, but after a week-long campaign, the decision remained the same.
Still, #savemanifest currently remains active and a change.org petition, addressed to NBC and Netflix, currently has over 21,000 signatures.
“After three seasons, Manifest was cancelled by NBC after ending on a cliffhanger. It was one of the worst decisions NBC has ever made, one that me and my fellow Manifesters aren’t happy about. Manifest is a show that had a large following, it is a show that everybody in the fandom loved and [held] close to our hearts,” Alexis Sullivan, the creator, writes.
Fans remain hopeful, but only time will tell.
Manifest airs in the UK on Amazon Prime. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide.
