Missing plane drama Manifest has finally landed on Netflix following the resurrection of its Lifeboat, and even now, it seems too good to be true. The former NBC drama was canceled by the network just days after Manifest’s cliffhanger-filled Season 3 finale, and after a very long summer, Netflix opted to save the series for one more season. Now, star Melissa Roxburgh is opening up about the differences between making a show on a network and a streaming service.
Melissa Roxburgh plays 828 passenger Michaela Stone on Manifest, and in a new interview with THR, she opened up about the initial cancellation and what it was like coming back on a new platform. Manifest Season 4 seems like a good fit for Netflix, and Roxburgh discussed the distinct differences between being on network television and being on streaming, saying:
I noticed that we had more freedom. Netflix bought us for a reason, and it felt like they trusted those creatives on the show to keep doing what they had been doing. They had their input, but there was just a lot more trust and freedom from Netflix as opposed to NBC. I also think that cinematically the show looks a bit heightened as well. I’m curious to see what the fans think if people can notice these differences because we felt them so much on our end, but I’m not sure if you can sense creative freedom onscreen in that same way.
When a show jumps platforms, it’s always interesting to see, or at least read, some distinct differences that there are. Obviously, going from network to streaming, there would be some differences added to the fact that the episodes are a tad longer. It is nice to hear that they were able to have more freedom, even if there are only 20 episodes instead of the intended final three seasons.
Manifest is not the first show to move from network TV to streaming, nor will it likely be the last. Similarly, SEAL Team showrunner Spencer Hudnut opened up about how the military drama moving from network to Paramount+ impacted the show’s direction, which also included having more creative freedom and the ability to dig into deeper and darker storylines. So while it isn’t always the plan that is in mind, it definitely seems to work better in the end.
Even with the first footage of Manifest Season 4, it was already proven that this season was going to be different from the previous three. From the cinematic touches to the storylines and, of course, creative control, it should be interesting to see how the season shapes up, especially with the time jump.
Meanwhile, with the time jump in Season 4, one major issue on Manifest will be Cal’s sudden age increase after returning following his connection to the Tailfin. There is also the issue with 828 disappearing once again, as well as the fact that passenger Angelina took baby Eden Stone after stabbing her mother. But with the first batch of episodes finally on Netflix, hopefully, fans will finally be getting some answers.
As of now, there isn’t a set premiere date for Season 4 Part 2 of Manifest, but at least fans finally have the first 10 episodes of the season! Be sure to watch Season 4 Part 1 of Manifest on Netflix with a subscription, and check out the Netflix 2022 TV schedule to see what else is coming to the streamer soon.
