Cowboy Bebop, the iconic neo-western sci-fi animated show, amassed a solid cult-like following after its one-season run over twenty years ago. For the first time since fans were rewarded with Cowboy Bebop: The Movie in 2001, Spike, Faye, and Jet returned last year in a live-action adaptation of the Japanese anime for Netflix. While many fans loved the show, its run was cut short by the streamer, and now actress Daniella Pineda – a.k.a. Faye Valentine herself – has clued us in as to her feelings on the cancellation, as well as her hopes to return in a possible spinoff.
Daniella Pineda also stars as Dr. Zia Rodriguez in the new blockbuster Jurassic World: Dominion. We caught up with her at the red carpet premiere of the film, where we asked if her incarnation of Faye could return in some capacity. She told us this:
I would love for Faye to have her own spinoff. That was such a crazy experience, and I really wish that we were given a chance. You know, a lot of shows, they find their own footing, that’s just the truth of it. You find your footing even from the pilot episode into the season. And then Season 2, Season 3, you grow. You develop and you figure things out. I think it's unfortunate that we didn’t get the chance to do that. But you know, we’ll see. Who knows? Maybe Faye will come back around. It was a really fun character to play.
It’s clear that Daniella Pineda is still feeling the disappointment from the show’s cancellation, and even though she seems to be admitting that the live-action Cowboy Bebop wasn’t perfect, she wishes they would have been given the opportunity to grow and improve. Not only that, but she’s holding out hope for a Faye Valentine spinoff! Does it make sense for a show to be cancelled in this capacity and then return, but centered around one character? We shall see.
Although Cowboy Bebop wasn’t perfect and many elements were changed from the original anime, many fans agreed that it accurately captured the spirit of the original show, and they certainly wanted to see more. Some even believe there were elements that improved on the original, and as Pineda said, if given the chance they could have found “their own footing.”
While the animated series had a short run as well, that wasn’t due to a cancellation. The show ran for a whopping 26 episodes, and the creator wrote it with a finite ending. That is, until the follow-up film that came a few years later. Obviously, live-action is a bit more pricey, and the Netflix show didn’t make it past its 10-episode debut season.
In the final episode of Season 1, we caught a glimpse of fan-favorite character Ed, who likely would have gotten way more screen time in Season 2. Fans seemed to think it was a rather important missing element, and it looks like we’ll never be able to see the show reach that full potential.
But as Daniella Pineda told us, “who knows?” Maybe we’ll see more Cowboy Bebop down the line. In the meantime, you can find both the original series and the live-action adaptation on Netflix! If you've already watched the shows, check out the other binge-worthy options the streamer has available.
