Syfy's 'Deadly Class' Is Dead, Fails To Find Home At Another Network

Earlier this month, Syfy cancelled Deadly Class, its adaptation of the Image Comics title about a homeless teen who's recruited to a private school where the world's top crime families send their heirs to prepare to take over the family business. And though there was a tiny sliver of hope that the show could find another home at a different network, that hope has now been extinguished.

Rick Remender, the writer/executive producer of the show and the writer of the comic on which it's based, took to Twitter to confirm the sad news for fans: Deadly Class is dead.

There you have it: Deadly Class is over, but the comics will continue in their ongoing monthly format, so you don't have to say goodbye to these characters forever.

Admittedly, I am part of the problem here because I didn't make the time to check out the first season of Deadly Class when it aired on Syfy. But /Film's Jacob Hall, who knows the comics well and who did tune in to the series, sent me his thoughts about why the show never quite worked as well as its source material:

"The comic is intensely nihilistic and unsetting, placing you squarely in the heads of the characters and allowing their inner narration to keep you above water even as they drown in despair. It feels personal, like someone is spilling their guts out to you. The show never captured that horrifying intimacy. And while the comic is beautifully drawn and stylish, it never felt 'cool,' and the show's insistence on that aesthetic felt like it was at odds with the actual message."

Despite Remender's deep involvement with the series and the huge name recognition of Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo as executive producers, the series just couldn't generate enough interest to stay alive for more than a season. I'm sure it didn't help that the showrunners were replaced before the show debuted because of a clash in creative vision, and the trouble continued because a streaming deal for the show was never put in place, and those types of deals not only help offset the costs of a show like this, but allow new viewers to easily catch up with what they've missed on another platform and then be along for the ride in real time in subsequent seasons. Rest in peace, Deadly Class.