Abhiroop Das
Created by Jami O’Brien, ‘NOS4A2‘ is set in a magical world where the chosen few, called Strong Creatives, wield extraordinary abilities that can bend space and time. Victoria “Vic” McQueen, a young artist seemingly capable of teleportation, eventually finds herself face to face with an immortal named Charlie Manx, who spells trouble everywhere he goes. In the first season, Vic battles Charlie on both a real and philosophical front, and while things seem to cool down in the aftermath, the town is only left with more questions than answers. The sophomore season follows her tackling things from the source, attacking the supernatural structure that gives Charlie his strength in the first place. However, Vic and her loved ones are still not free from danger, as more obstacles lie in wait at every turn. Despite its groundbreaking take on the Fantasy Horror genre, the show was canceled by AMC and will not be returning for a third season. SPOILERS AHEAD.
NOS4A2 Season 3 Was Likely Canceled Due to a Plunge in Viewership
Shortly after the season 2 finale hit the screens, showrunner and executive producer Jamie O’Brien took to social media, announcing that production for the third season had been canceled. She stated, “Well, friends, I heard from AMC last week. We won’t be making a 3rd season of #NOS4A2. It’s a bummer, but I’m grateful we were at least able to finish adapting the storyline from Joe Hill’s terrific novel (…) I will miss seeing everyone back in Little Rhody this year, but I’m awfully proud of all we’ve done together.” Following the message, AMC confirmed the show’s end with an official statement: “Christmasland may live forever, but NOS4A2 will come to an end with the conclusion of season two…” Although no official reason has been provided as of writing, ‘NOS4A2’ was likely canceled due to a decline in viewership and ratings, as well as the budget demands of the expansive production.
Although the show’s inaugural season garnered a relatively high viewership across its ten episodes, the second season saw the numbers get roughly slashed in half. Despite the simulcast release of the episodes on both AMC and BBC America, Nielsen Live+3 reported an average of 800,000 total viewers per episode. As such, the series most likely didn’t match the network’s expectations. Moreover, given its supernatural premise, ‘NOS4A2’ frequently relied on groundbreaking visual effects, prosthetics, and intricate setwork to create the perfect immersive effect. Over time, the compounding effect presumably led to a huge budget, further affecting the production. With all these factors in mind, the production seemed to have become unsustainable for the network, leading them to make the definitive decision of shelving the show.
While viewership and production hurdles are both potential reasons for the show being canceled after two seasons, one important thing to remember is that the second season completes its adaptation of the original book by writer Joe Hill. Though there are marked differences between the source material and its television counterpart, the fact that its primary narrative is wrapped up by the second season finale might have played a part in the network’s decision to cease production. Although O’Brien expressed a desire to continue the story further on numerous occasions, developing an original script likely came with challenges of its own, especially for a narrative as high-octane as this. In a way, it fits that the show’s journey ends at roughly the same point as the novel, and at the very least, the creators didn’t leave any plot threads from the original story hanging.
NOS4A2 Season 3 Would Have Traced Millie Manx’s Journey as Her Father’s Successor
Season 2 of ‘NOS4A2’ ends with a series of cliffhangers, some of which are more subtle than others. The most notable addition to the story comes with Millie Manx’s seeming corruption arc in the absence of her father, Charlie, as the story’s unbridled antagonist. As the only remaining child from Christmasland who is still holding on to their supernatural edge, Millie serves as the perfect character study of how trauma can nestle in a person’s psyche and affect every single choice they make. Vic’s son, Bruce Wayne, provides a similar, if not more oblique, perspective on the theme, given his longing for the joys of Charlie’s Inscape, despite acknowledging the horrors it is capable of generating. As such, a potential sequel would have continued these dual trajectories and let them clash with each other. Vic, who is still struggling with alcohol addiction, could also add to the drama, completing the spectrum from childhood to adulthood.
Alongside Vic, Maggie also sets out on a path of self-discovery in the final moments of the season, and her descent via a seemingly magical elevator could have led to several new possibilities for the show. As one of the few Strong Creatives thus far without an imagined construct as their Inscape, Maggie has the most room to grow as a character. As such, a sequel could have followed her first steps into new realms, tracking her interactions with fellow practitioners of the craft. One cannot deny the probability of Charlie Manx returning to life either, which could either spell yet another cycle of doom and despair, or something brand new for the immortal man and his proteges. Although the show’s bag of storytelling tricks appears to have no end, we might never know what twists and turns the creative team envisioned for the future.
Read More: NOS4A2 Season 2 Ending Explained: Is Charlie Dead for Good?
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