Popular Television Series ‘Outsiders’ Has Been Officially Cancelled
Two weeks before the season 2 finale of the WGN America hit series Outsiders, Tribune Media dropped a major bomb on fans of the popular show. Through a statement from the interim CEO of Tribune Media, the network announced that the series Outsiders would not be renewed for a 3rd season. Fans of the series were in complete shock and, it appeared as if the cast was also surprised by the announcement.
Just one week prior to the Tribune Media announcement, WGN America had boasted its best ratings in network history thanks a powerful showing from this show. Outsiders not being renewed just didn’t seem to make any sense. Why would Tribune Media cancel its highest rated show on the WGN America network?
Tribune Media announced that the series wasn’t renewed however, the series was not dead yet. Pre-production was still taking place in hopes that Sony Pictures could find a new home network for the series in time for filming to begin. Armed with this knowledge, immediately, fans banded together to help by launching several online campaigns including a petition which earned over 11,000 signatures in an effort to find a new home network for the series. Fans worked together to partake in “tweet storms” organized by the fan group Farrell Territory using the hashtag #ShayMustStay. Even cast members, like Ryan Hurst (aka. Li’l Foster or also aka. Opie from Sons of Anarchy) got in on the tweeting action using the hashtag and promoting the online petition. Each time the petition reached a new goal, select networks were automatically notified with updates regarding the series’ popularity. It seemed that the movement was gaining momentum and that the series had a real shot of being picked up by another network until an announcement came from executive producer Peter Tolan via twitter on Tuesday night.
In a series of tweets, Tolan announced that the fight for the mountain was officially over:
Apologies to our great, supportive fans, but we could not find a new home for the Farrells. GGY Forever!#OutsidersWGN #OutsidersWGNFan
— Peter Tolan (@realpetertolan) May 3, 2017
1) This was an extremely unusual situation that had nothing to do with ratings (obviously), and everything to do with… #OutsidersWGN
— Peter Tolan (@realpetertolan) May 3, 2017
2) business and timing. Tribune, WGN’s parent company, is looking for a buyer. The company is not sure if a new owner… #OutsidersWGN
— Peter Tolan (@realpetertolan) May 3, 2017
3) will want to be in the business of producing content, so they cancelled our show. And in terms of a new home… #OutsidersWGN
— Peter Tolan (@realpetertolan) May 3, 2017
4) very difficult because the actor’s contracts came up for renewal, but without a new home in place, those contracts… #OutsidersWGN
— Peter Tolan (@realpetertolan) May 3, 2017
5) could not be renewed without serious financial exposure by Sony. So it was business and timing that did us in. #OutsidersWGN
— Peter Tolan (@realpetertolan) May 3, 2017
6) But God bless you all for caring so much. Really. It makes all the work so worthwhile. Bless you all, and GED GED YAH!
— Peter Tolan (@realpetertolan) May 3, 2017
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “Reports emerged this week that 21st Century Fox may be in talks with investment firm Blackstone Group about making an offer for Tribune’s TV stations, competing with an offer made by Sinclair Broadcast Group. In either scenario, the fate of WGN America, considered a non-core Tribune asset, remains to be seen.”
So, cousins, it’s been a wild and amazing ride with all of you for these past two season. Special shout out to the incredible cast (David Morse, Ryan Hurst, Gillian Alexy, Kyle Gallner, Christina Jackson, Thomas M. Wright and so many others), the crew, the creators and everyone who worked on this series. This is work to be proud of and will, forever be one of the best shows! I want to give an extra special shout out to Krista Meyers Gill of the Farrell Territory Fan group who led numerous online movements in an effort to save the series. As a Farrell Fan Family, we never gave up and kept fighting for the mountain, right to the end. Once a Farrell, always a Farrell!
So, for one final time, cousins, let me hear ya!! GED-GEDYAH!
A karaoke obsessed, craft beer enthusiast and lover of all things pop culture, Denise enjoys all facets of entertainment from Broadway to box office blockbusters. In her spare time, she enjoys photography, concerts (lots and lots of concerts), volunteering, reading and playing with her rescue kitten, Samantha (who rescued who, right?).