How Fan Campaigns Have Saved (and Almost Saved) Cancelled Shows
When a beloved show gets cancelled, some fans don't just accept it — they fight back. Here are the fan campaigns that worked, the ones that almost worked, and what it takes to save a series.
In the streaming era, fan campaigns have become a legitimate force in television. When a show is cancelled, passionate fanbases take to social media, launch petitions, and even fund billboards — all in the hope of convincing another network to pick up their favourite series.
Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. Here are the most powerful fan campaigns and what they achieved.
The Wins
Lucifer — Saved by Netflix
Fox cancelled Lucifer after three seasons in May 2018. Fans immediately launched the #SaveLucifer campaign, which became the #1 trending topic on Twitter worldwide. The cast and crew joined in. Warner Bros. began shopping the series to other platforms. Within a month, Netflix picked it up for a fourth season. The show ran for three more seasons and earned a proper ending. The penultimate episode of season 4 was even titled "Save Lucifer" in honour of the campaign.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine — Saved by NBC
Fox cancelled Brooklyn Nine-Nine after five seasons on May 10, 2018. Within hours, #RenewNineNine was trending. The cast posted emotional farewells. Then — just 30 hours after the cancellation — NBC announced it had picked up the series. The speed of the save was unprecedented. The show ran for three more seasons and concluded properly.
Manifest — Saved by Netflix
NBC cancelled Manifest after three seasons in June 2021, leaving a massive cliffhanger. The first two seasons had recently hit Netflix and become the most-watched show on the platform, with 25 million accounts watching within 28 days. Fans launched petitions, trended hashtags, and made noise for months. In August 2021 — after initial negotiations had reportedly failed — Netflix reversed course and ordered a 20-episode fourth and final season.
The Expanse — Saved by Amazon
Syfy cancelled The Expanse after three seasons in 2018. A massive fan campaign, supported by the show's cast and creator, made enough noise that Jeff Bezos personally became aware of the show. Amazon Prime Video picked it up for three more seasons, allowing the story to reach its planned conclusion.
Warrior — Saved by HBO Max
Cinemax cancelled Warrior after two seasons in 2020. Fans launched a petition that gathered over 68,000 signatures. In April 2021, HBO Max picked it up for a third season — though the show was ultimately cancelled again after that season aired.
The Almost-Saves
The OA — The Campaign That Almost Changed Everything
When Netflix cancelled The OA in August 2019, fans refused to accept it. #SaveTheOA trended globally. Fans crowdfunded a Times Square billboard. They sent drones over Netflix HQ. A small group even staged a hunger strike outside Netflix's headquarters. The campaign was one of the most creative and passionate in television history. It wasn't enough — Netflix never reversed the decision. But the campaign proved that fans would go further than ever before for a show they believed in.
Teenage Bounty Hunters — Too Fast, Too Soon
Netflix cancelled Teenage Bounty Hunters less than two months after its release — while critics were still publishing positive reviews and new audiences were still discovering it. The fan campaign was passionate but small, and Netflix never acknowledged it. The show remains one of the most painful one-season cancellations in recent memory.
1899 — The Campaign That Ran Out of Time
When Netflix cancelled 1899 in January 2023, fans launched a campaign modelled after The OA's efforts — including petitions and social media pressure. But Netflix had already written off the show as a tax loss. The creators moved on to other projects. The campaign fizzled without ever getting a response from Netflix.
What Makes a Campaign Work?
Looking at the successes, a few patterns emerge:
- Timing matters. Brooklyn Nine-Nine was saved in 30 hours because NBC saw an immediate opportunity. The longer a show stays cancelled, the harder it is to revive.
- Streaming data is power. Manifest was saved because Netflix saw the numbers — 25 million accounts watched it in 28 days. Hard data is harder to ignore than tweets.
- A network needs a reason to say yes. Lucifer and The Expanse found new homes because another platform had a strategic reason to acquire them — a gap in their lineup, a proven audience, a star attached.
- Celebrity support amplifies everything. When the cast of Brooklyn Nine-Nine joined the campaign, it went mainstream.
For every show saved, there are dozens more that fan campaigns couldn't rescue. That's why we believe every cancelled show deserves a proper ending — whether the network provides it or the fans do. Browse our fan-written endings for the shows that left too soon.