In May, Netflix debuted BoJack Horseman alum Lisa Hanawalt’s own animated series Tuca & Bertie. Led by the voice acting talents of comedians Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong (among many others), the series was met with critical acclaim — and deservedly so. For not only was Tuca & Bertie a wonderfully creative and concise example of television’s more recent ability to combine elements of comedy and seriousness, but it also celebrated the “gross glory” of female friendship in a way that, as Vanity Fair argued, most other shows weren’t.
Sadly, the first season of Tuca & Bertie is all Hanawalt, Haddish and Wong will be getting to do, as Netflix decided to cancel it and the rescued ABC drama Designated Survivor. The news of the programs’ cancellation arrived on the heels of the streaming giant’s recent quarter report detailing its first major loss of subscribers, which resulted in a loss of $24 billion in six days. In a statement, Netflix declared that Hanawalt had “created a relatable yet whimsical world in Tuca & Bertie“:
“We’re grateful to Lisa, and her fellow executive producers Raphael Bob-Waksberg, Noel Bright, Steven A. Cohen, and EPs/stars Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong, along with all of the writers and animators for sharing the funny and dynamic female bird duo of Tuca and Bertie with the world. While Tuca & Bertie won’t have a second season, we’re proud to feature this story on Netflix for years to come.”
The streamer wouldn’t say whether or not its recent losses had anything do with its decision to cancel either program. Even so, as The Hollywood Reporter notes, Netflix also canceled other original programs like She’s Gotta Have It and Chambers. They also canceled the celebrated One Day at a Time reboot, though that was ultimately saved by cable channel Pop TV.
Meanwhile, Hanawalt took to Twitter to comment on the show’s cancellation and thank the fans who supported it.
https://twitter.com/lisadraws/status/1154150750001348608
https://twitter.com/lisadraws/status/1154151095582806021
https://twitter.com/lisadraws/status/1154152335276273666
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)
