Travelers' Creator Tried And Failed To Revive The Sci-Fi Series

Netflix was a major innovator in the modern era of media. Not only were they the godfather of streaming as we know it, but they also shifted the paradigm by getting into original programming with shows like "House of Cards" in 2013. In the years since, Netflix has spent literally billions on various movies and TV shows. Some of them, beloved though they may have been by certain viewers, have fallen through the cracks and fallen victim to the sheer volume of things to watch on the service. Such was the case with the sci-fi series "Travelers," which debuted in 2016 and ran for three seasons before being canceled in 2019. The show's creator did try to bring it back from the dead, albeit unsuccessfully.

Series creator Brad Wright did an AMA on Reddit in 2022. It was more of a general conversation about his career in sci-fi. As he also co-created long-running and beloved shows like "Stargate SG-1" and "Stargate Atlantis," there was much to discuss. But one fan inevitably asked if there was any hope of a "Travelers" revival. While Wright didn't rule anything out for the future, he did reveal that they tried — and failed — to make that happen already.

"I think 'Travelers' is going to be thought of as a cult hit eventually, but I don't think we ever reached the numbers that would make Netflix want to revisit. [Executive producer] Carrie [Mudd] and I did try, and Eric was all aboard to continue. But never say never. I love the world and the stakes and would love to make a version 2 some day."

Netflix isn't big on letting shows run for more than a few seasons, with stuff like "Stranger Things" serving as the exception rather than the rule. There are many reasons for that but, typically, shows get more expensive as they get older because people want to be paid more. Whatever the case, the math didn't make sense for Netflix anymore in this particular case.

"Travelers" takes place hundreds of years in the future and focuses on the last surviving humans who discover a method to send consciousness back in time, allowing them to use people in the 21st century as vessels of sorts. These "travelers" assume the identities of seemingly random people while secretly working to save humanity from a terrible future. The series was led by Eric McCormack as Grant MacLaren, Mackenzie Porter as Marcy Warton, Patrick Gilmore as David Mailer, Jared Abrahamson as Trevor Holden, Nesta Cooper as Carly Shannon, and Reilly Dolman as Philip Pearson.

The series originally aired on Showcase in Canada, with Netflix coming aboard to produce the third season. But that proved to be a one-and-done prospect for the streamer. Perhaps the viewership wasn't there but "Travelers" certainly had critics on its side. The show still boasts a perfect 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is quite impressive. That's rare air for sci-fi, shared by classics such as James Cameron's "The Terminator."

Whether or not this show has enough of a following to justify a continuation in 2024 and/or beyond remains to be seen. The streaming wars have reached a point where most companies are trying to cut costs, and reviving a once-beloved show like this seems less likely than it once was. Then again, stranger things have happened.

"Travelers" is currently streaming on Netflix.