With the increasing popularity of cord-cutting, and seemingly endless options for entertainment, it’s hard out there for TV shows trying to attract an audience and then keep them long enough to prove value to the executives. This is true for both network series and streaming shows, and May was just a bloodbath of cancellations. With the ongoing WGA writer’s strike making the world of scripted programming as turbulent as ever, TV fans are craving positivity, and Pete Davidson was just the beneficiary of some good news, as Peacock announced the renewal of Bupkis for a second season.
The renewal, as reported by Deadline, is great news for fans, after Season 1 ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger, with plenty of questions about what the future holds for Pete Davidson in Bupkis' semi-autobiographical world. Susan Rovner, the chairman of Entertainment Content for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, had high praise for the comedian in explaining why ordering more episodes was a no-brainer for the streamer. She said:
Pete Davidson is a once-in-a-generation talent, and what he created with the first season of Bupkis absolutely blew us away. Pete has the rare ability to make you laugh out loud with his unfiltered brand of comedy, and then tear up with his raw and honest vulnerability.
Bupkis definitely runs the spectrum of emotion — as evidenced immediately in the premiere episode with the most cringe-y of orgasm scenarios — and its mix of comedy and honesty, along with an impressive cast apparently was the right combination for Peacock. Along with Pete Davidson, the series stars Edie Falco as his mom and Joe Pesci as his grandfather. It’s unknown which other cast members will return for more episodes, but it’s possible we might see more of that insane chemistry with rumored girlfriend Chase Sui Wonders.
While waiting for news about his series’ future, Pete Davidson has been hitting the picket lines with fellow Bupkis writers Judah Miller and Dave Sirus, delivering pizza to the striking WGA workers. Not everyone has been as lucky as the Saturday Night Live alum to get good news heading into the summer.
Netflix — infamous for canceling series after a single season — recently announced the end of Man Vs. Bee and Lockwood & Co. after their first batches of episodes, but it’s happening at other streaming services too. Apple TV+ canceled Dear Edward after its initial run and Hulu drew the ire of Johnny Knoxville when it ended Reboot after just eight episodes.
As for Peacock, it announced the end of Vampire Academy after Season 1 and One of Us Is Lying, after its second season set up a new mystery for what fans hoped would be Season 3.
On the network side of things, American Auto’s creator filled viewers in on what would have been had it gotten a renewal, and while Grand Crew and Young Rock’s cancellations weren’t unexpected, they were still disappointing to a number of NBC’s audience. In addition to scripted TV, NBC also announced the end of Dancing with Myself and The Wheel.
There are a lot of unknowns in TV and streaming right now, but at least Pete Davidson and fans of his work can celebrate this victory. If you haven’t checked out Bupkis yet, fire up that Peacock subscription so that you're ready for Season 2, then keep your eye on the 2023 TV schedule for all of the upcoming premieres.
