TV Upfronts: ‘Cristela,’ ‘Forever’ Stars and More React to Cancellations

For all the stars and creators who get the good call from TV executives saying that their shows are getting renewed or picked up to series, there are just as many — if not more — that get that other call: the one saying their shows are not getting picked up or renewed.

In the week leading up to the upfronts, social media has been filled with reactions from both parties. But it’s the reactions from those who aren’t in New York this week presenting their series that have been the most poignant, funny and sometimes just angry.

TV Upfronts: Who’s Up, Who’s Down, Who’s Desperate

In a lengthy blog entry posted Monday, Cristela star and creator Cristela Alonzo penned an emotional but upbeat letter about her sitcom’s cancellation exactly a year after she learned it had been picked up to series. “This past weekend, I’ve also gotten messages from people that told me how much my show inspired them to do something with their lives. People told me that they decided to go to college for the first time, others told me they’re going back to school. I have people telling me that their Latino kids are joining the drama club at their school. I have to admit, I cried at some of those messages. It took me by surprise. I cried because it made me so happy,” she wrote. “If these people made these changes because of Cristela, then the show has served its purpose.”

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Alonzo ended the note by saying: “Trust me, Cristela the show might be done … but Cristela the person has just started.”

Forever star Ioan Gruffudd, whose rookie ABC series also got the ax, posted a reflective and heartfelt thank you to fans on Instagram. “It was you guys who held me up when I thought I could no longer go on. (Those days were LONG!) You made me smile when you pointed out the little things I did onscreen that I thought had gone unnoticed,” he wrote. “You gave me confidence when I accidentally found myself reading less-than-shining reviews. You were always with me, every step of the way, waving your flags, shouting your support for the show.”

Friday was a good news/bad news day for Hart Hanson. His long-running drama Bones will be back for season 11. However, his rookie drama, Backstrom, was canceled.

Very happy for Bones, very bummed about Backstrom, the polarized feelings cause vertigo so I have to go lie down and crazy-man laugh-cry.

— Hart Hanson (@HartHanson) May 8, 2015

“So wanted to share good news. But no: Fox is NOT picking up #StudioCity,” Eric McCormack tweeted last week after he found out his Fox drama was not getting ordered to series. “America, you’d have LOVED this f**king show.” McCormack since has deleted the tweet, now that there are talks of retooling Studio City.

However, the project’s creator, Krista Vernoff, had a more lighthearted reaction to the news.

Thank you for all the sympathy, you guys. But I survived MY CHILDHOOD. I’ll survive Hollywood decision making.

— Krista Vernoff (@KristaVernoff) May 8, 2015

Selma director Ava DuVernay was more concise about her legal drama, For Justice, failing to get a series order at CBS.

RT @andresflava: @AVAETC was for justice picked up? (Nope. Onward.)

— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) May 9, 2015

Rather than a lengthy blog post, one of the best reactions to a show cancellation was an image The Mindy Project star and creator Mindy Kaling shared after news broke that Hulu is in negotiations to pick up the series after it was canceled by Fox.

 

A photo posted by Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) on May 8, 2015 at 9:30pm PDT