Not too long ago, I was met with the sad news that Prime Video’s Wheel Of Time had been canceled after the third season. This is a show that’s very much loved, with fans all over the world. So many people love the show, and many of us were following it religiously. And even at that, despite having a substantial amount of viewers, it still got canceled.
When I heard the news, I almost couldn’t believe it. However, from the look of things, the decision has been made, and we might never get a season 4 of the beloved show. And honestly, it’s just heartbreaking, because due to the way the third season ended, I was looking forward to the 4th season. However, it’s beginning to look like that may not happen.
From what I read online, they’re attributing the cancellation to the fact that the show is not making as much money as it’s costing the studios to make it. So, despite the hype and all the fans, despite the millions of views, they’re not making as much money from the show. And when you watch it, you’d know that a show like that would be very expensive.
Not just from paying the actors, but also the effects. It’s a fantasy show, so they made use of a lot of effects, and for locations that couldn’t be made with 100% CGI, they had to film them in specific locations. So yeah, that must have cost a lot of money for them.
This is why incredible shows like this usually get plugged, because many times, they don’t break even. And if the showrunners decide to cheapen their processes, it could ruin the experience. There are so many notable shows that had to be cut off, even when they were still in their peak. Shows like Legend Of The Seeker, Warrior Nun, High Fidelity, and the list goes on.
I know that the producers of the shows are basically businessmen and they’re definitely in it for the money, but it’s still painful. Having a strong fan base is no longer enough to save a show from getting canned. As long as it’s not getting enough money, it’s going. It’s an understandable reason, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less because it shows that these days, priority is placed on profits over the actual story that is being told.
That’s why shows with major effects don’t usually last too long. If you see shows that have lasted ten seasons and above, you’d find out that they don’t do much with regard to effects. CGI costs a lot of money, so many shows tend to avoid it. That’s why comedies, romantic shows, and the usual thriller can go on for long seasons. If such shows get canned, it’s either because the actors are done with it or the fans are done with it.
The simpler the effects, the higher the possibility of the show living long. And that’s why you can’t compare the effects in Vampire Diaries to the effects in Wheel Of Time, nor can you compare it to the one in Shadow Hunters.
Although this doesn’t happen only with fantasy, it’s also usually the case with high sci-fi or futuristic shows. That’s also why, despite having numerous shows under their belt in Marvel, only a few went past the first season.
And however we look at it, this will keep happening. More shows will get canceled. Whether for profits or scandals, or simply because of the fan’s tastes. But it is what it is. They’re the show runners, so they can only give us what they believe will benefit them. It is what it is.
