Why NBC’s ‘Powerless’ is the saddest 2017 cancellation of all
Photo by: Evans Vestal Ward/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
We’re saying goodbye to plenty of shows from 2016-2017, but no goodbye is as sad as the one we must say to NBC’s Powerless.
Honestly, when I heard that Powerless was finally cancelled, I wasn’t that surprised. The show hadn’t even got the chance to finish its season on the air. It was a little fish in a big pond, with absolutely no support from the top.
But that’s what makes it so sad. It was a show that had amazing potential, but it never had the chance to shine. It had a semi-decent timeslot, if it wasn’t for the fact that ABC airs Grey’s Anatomy at 8pm on a Thursday night and The CW moved Supernatural to that same timeslot from January.
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Powerless was up against two big one-hour drama players, but it was an excellent timeslot for fans of half-hour comedies on their Thursday nights. I’m a huge fan of Grey’s and Supernatural but I will always DVR them. Thursday became my The Big Bang Theory and Powerless nights. I looked forward to having a laugh and not having to think or follow a particular storyline. I have enough of that on Mondays and Tuesdays with Quantico and NCIS.
But it wasn’t the timeslot that failed Powerless. It was the lack of support. I’ve said it before and I will continue saying it. NBC killed its own show. It knew that it wasn’t going to do that well live, but failed to support it for its streaming possibilities.
Photo Credit: Powerless/NBC Image Acquired from NBC Media Village
This was a show that had a complete premise change before it aired. It was supposed to be about an insurance company and instead became about a gadget creation company. That didn’t take away the complete potential. There were so many directions the show could have gone.
Okay, so the writing wasn’t exactly stellar and the storylines needed work, but they didn’t kill Powerless. They could have been worked on.
NBC killed the show when it first postponed an episode. There was an expected one-week break that turned into a last-minute, shocking two-week break. From that point, fans were angry and disappointed at the network. Some tuned out knowing the show wouldn’t have a future with a network that didn’t appreciate it (or its fans).
Related Story: What happened to NBC's 'Powerless' this week?
By cancelling Powerless, many networks will have the opinions that a DC comedy program doesn’t work. We won’t get to see something with such an original premise for a long time. And it certainly means we can’t trust NBC with any new comedy show in the future.
You can't be surprised #Powerless was cancelled. I was excited when it was announced but it failed badly @_DCWorld @MulStu @BatmanNewsCom pic.twitter.com/12ZTXbGEcm
— Stoirmx (@stoirmx) May 12, 2017
It’s also sad that reality TV is continually renewed without a doubt, but scripted, unique shows aren’t given a chance. That statement admittedly comes from someone who doesn’t really enjoy reality TV. I don’t care about finding new talent for the radio and I’m not interested in a rich bachelor finding his perfect mate. Chefs battling it out between them could do that without the need for it all to be filmed and publicized. I want something unique on the TV. I want something that will make me laugh and entertain me with originality. Powerless had that chance and now I’m one superhero show short during the week.
Out of all the shows that have been cancelled this season, NBC’s Powerless is the saddest. It’s one of the easiest to guess, but still the saddest. The show just didn’t have a chance and now we may never get to see the final two episodes.
Next: How NBC made it impossible for 'Powerless' to secure a renewal
Unless the show is streamed in full, we may never get to find out just how Adam West appeared on the show or if Bruce Wayne was ever seen in the office. We’ll never find out if Van would find out if his cousin was Batman (and not The Flash as Ron believed) or if Jackie would ever get her degree and the chance to no longer be Van’s assistant. At least all the other shows that have been cancelled either aired their finales or will get to air them later this month. Powerless has been completely left out in the cold.
Netflix, we can trust you to stream the full season, right? NBC, you better give the episodes to us in some form and not just through your app.