The end draws near for Netflix’s Bloodline, it seems, after The Hollywood Reporter revealed today that the company’s brooding family drama will conclude with a third and final season.
Not only that, but THR’s report goes on to note that Netflix has now notified Sony that the show’s final bow will consist of just 10 episodes, down from the series norm of 13. That’s a surprising change of tact, particularly if you recall that back in July, Netflix brass exuded an air of confidence that suggested Bloodline had a long future on the streaming platform – heck, lead star Kyle Chandler joked recently that the Rayburns, the warring family at the heart of the drama, harbored enough dark secrets to fuel the Netflix Original long into the 2020s.
As THR points out, series creators Todd A. Kessler, Daniel Zelman and Glenn Kessler had stated initially that they predicted Bloodline could run for upwards of five or six seasons: “When we pitched it and we thought about it, we were thinking five to six seasons down the line because we wanted to make sure it could hold that much material. So we certainly have ideas for where everything could go and hopefully where everything will go.”
Fast forward to today and we’re looking at a very different, more sombre proposition. Here’s what Cindy Holland, Netflix VP of original content, had to say in an official statement.
“Bloodline season three will be the show’s final season. Todd A. Kessler, Daniel Zelman and Glenn Kessler (KZK) are thoughtful and visionary storytellers, who lead a prestigious cast, that includes Kyle Chandler and Ben Mendelsohn, who have both garnered two Emmy nominations for their roles on the series. Together, with our collaborative partners at Sony Pictures Television, they created a seductive show that Netflix viewers worldwide love and continue to discover. We are looking forward to the exciting climax KZK have in store for the series conclusion in May 2017.”
Netflix tends to be notoriously guarded with its viewing statistics, but the online giant has clearly seen something in the tea leaves ahead of Bloodline‘s third season. The onus is now on Sony to decide whether it plans to shop the family drama around in the hopes of securing a new studio. Either way, we’ll be keeping track of this one as it develops.
