Netflix and Disney Plus may typically be the main focal points whenever the conversation turns to the excessive cancellation of original shows – some of which are then exiled from streaming entirely – but it would be remiss to ignore The CW given its recent spree.
As well as whittling the once-mighty Arrowverse down to its bare bones, the network also drove a stake through the heart of the entire Supernatural universe after axing spin-off The Winchesters following a single season, and it turns out the creative team behind Nancy Drew only found out they were on the chopping block by happenstance.
Producer Larry Teng showed his support for the fandom following the recent series finale, which marked the reboot’s 62nd and final episode, but not before regaling his followers with the tale of how a chance phone call ensured he wouldn’t be completely caught off-guard by Nancy Drew‘s time on the airwaves coming to an end.
“And so CBS Studios made a call to The CW. Right around the time we were in prep on Episode 410. And asked the president of the new CW when we would find out about a pickup so we could make scheduling decisions. And it was then, he said to us “Oh, we’re not picking you up, the show is too expensive.” Had our Studio not made that call, who knows if we would’ve ever been told.
At that point in the season there were only four episodes left to shoot and the writers were already breaking the finale. What a f*cking sh*tty way of telling us we were getting canceled. Thank God the Studio called. Because you all deserved the most proper ending possible. That’s why I praise the writers for pulling it together at the end. It was so glib.”
Understandably, Teng described The CW’s decision to not inform the people responsible for Nancy Drew that it was on the way out as “just plain f*cking disrespect,” which is entirely fair when it was a callous move to drop the bombshell on a conversation that may not have even happened under different circumstances.
