Why Netflix needs to save The Village

NBC canceled The Village after one season. It’s time for Netflix to step up and save it.

The Village was introduced in the midseason, delivering a show in a similar format to This Is Us. Instead of two timelines coming together, it was about a group of neighbors in an apartment village that was more like a family. NBC canceled the series after just one season and it’s time for Netflix to step up and save it.

On the forefront, The Village could appear as just another feel-good series. However, there was something special about the bond that formed between the residents of the apartment building. They were more than just a group of neighbors. This group of people had come together as a family. Patricia even called Sarah and Katie “her girls.”

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But don’t a lot of shows offer a group of friends finding a family between them? Of course! It’s not just that that makes this show something to save. The Village writers aren’t afraid to touch on hard subjects with a slight twist.

Nick’s PTSD storyline is one that immediately stands out. Most TV shows would give him PTSD from the events of war, focusing on the time he’d lost his leg. Instead, it went all the way back to 9/11. While I found the inclusion of 9/11 a little over the top, making it the source of the PTSD was perfect.

Next comes Katie’s storyline, which was focused on her pregnancy. At first, it was a standard storyline involving a teenager, but there was something deeper to it. This was about a young woman figuring out what to do. After realizing she couldn’t abort the baby, she looked into adoption. However, it was clear she wasn’t fully committed to this idea.

We can’t also forget about Ava’s storyline, which started with her being arrested by ICE. Naturally, she had to decide whether to fight against it or be deported. As it got closer to her hearing date, she got scared. While we know what happened immediately after, there are so many questions about what could come in the future.

The Village did manage to keep storylines contained. Despite individual storylines, this was a show that managed to keep it all together. The storylines intertwined beautifully and it offered a series with hope and happiness, even through the pain. We need more shows like this.

Why Netflix? Well, other streaming services could work, but Netflix is an excellent home for a show like this. It doesn’t really have anything so close to This Is Us, so there’s a gap in the market. Even if it was just one or two more seasons of the story, we’d get answers to our questions — like did Patricia survive the surgery and is there hope for Ron and his son?

What were your questions after The Village Season 1? Would you watch if it came to Netflix? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

The Village Season 1 is available to stream on the NBC app and Hulu.