There is nothing worse than when a show with a small but dedicated fan base gets canceled. Feeling lost without their favorite show, some fans take the fight to the man and demand, plead, and beg higher ups in Hollywood to pick up their show, so that they may enjoy new episodes once again. With the power of the internet, folks have become more aware of these efforts by fans of shows like Sense8 or Last Man Standing as they try to save their series, but protests regarding show cancellations have actually been happening for a long time.
Case in point: the LA Times shared a story of a Caltech protest in 1968, in which students were all up in arms. While some around the nation were protesting the Vietnam War, the draft, and the establishment in general, these 200 strong students marched to the steps of NBC offices in Burbank to protest the rumored cancellation of Star Trek. The march was part of a larger nationwide effort to protest the cancellation of the show, but it's unclear how many people actually participated. Students at Caltech stood outside the NBC building with signs reading "Draft Spock," and things of that nature in an attempt to keep the network from removing the show from their programming.
Surprisingly, those 200 students got their wish. NBC added the show to its next season of programming in a dead time slot (Fridays 10 p.m.), and Star Trek lived long enough and prospered to have a Season 3. That extra season allowed for the series to enter syndication and become popular enough to continue spin-offs and films to this day. Who would've guessed back then that the series would become such a hit?
Fast forward to the present day, and 7,813 petitioners have yet to save Sense8 and Netflix seems pretty adamant that nothing will. On the flip side, 17,000+ names on the Last Man Standing petition seemed enough for the show to at least enter negotiations with CMT to continue airing the show after its cancellation with ABC (it fell through). It's hard to measure either of these two shows up against Star Trek, but networks should keep in mind the example of the show and how a series they cancel now could very well become a major money making franchise years down the road.
As for the remote-wielding warriors out there fighting for their favorite show's life, use that Star Trek story as a reminder that even a small group of dedicated and determined people can save a franchise with a little rabble rousing. Things still look pretty grim for both Sense8 and Last Man Standing currently, but who really knows what the future holds? Just be sure to take a break from fighting that good fight every so often to check out some of the exciting new programming we are featuring on our summer premiere guide. Also, lest more shows get canceled, be sure to check out our finale guide for a list of all the major finales for shows that can't be missed.
