Television

'Manifest' May Have Just Been Un-Canceled As Netflix And NBC Battle To Revive The Show

manifest cancelation
By Shania Russell

Fans of the NBC drama Manifest have united against one of the world's greatest evils — network cancelation.

Years ago, a cancelation announcement marked the end of a series' life. Hardcore fan uproar would still be loud and angry but often met by silence. Now, canceling a show is an invitation to its fanbase to organize a social media revolution, drum up excitement and inform networks that even if it's not always reflected in the numbers, the show is widely loved. Such was the case for the Fox supernatural drama Lucifer and NBC's Timeless. And now, history is repeating itself with NBC's Manifest.

Manifest tracks the story of passengers on Flight 828, a plane that mysteriously disappears for five and a half years. It's a twisty supernatural drama that has spanned three seasons and racked up quite a fanbase, who were not happy when NBC announced the show's cancelation last month.

Once again, fan outcry seems to be paying off as Deadline reports that discussions have started up about renewing Manifest for a fourth season after all. This past month, you might have noticed Manifest sitting comfortably in Netflix's Top 10 TV List. Fans have been organizing global watch parties in an effort to prove how loved the show is, and stoke interest in Netflix users. The #SaveManifest campaign is still going strong, with the shows first two seasons surging in viewership and even snagging the fourth spot in Netflix's overall US Top 10 list.

Will These Efforts Pay Off?

Since the show's cancelation on June 14, there have been been a few NBC developments that boost its chances for renewal. Season 5 of the hit crime thriller Good Girls fell through and the newest Law & Order spinoff, For The Defense, will not be moving forward. This frees up room on the NBC docket (and in the budget) for Manifest to return.

But NBC isn't the only one eyeing the show for a fourth season. Netflix was previously approached about picking the series up, similar to how they saved Lucifer from cancelation and gave the show a second life on the service. In June, they passed on Manifest but given its recent popularity, Deadline reports that they have reopened talks.

Meanwhile, the campaign continues, supported by Manifest creator Jeff Rake. His recent tweets spell out plenty of hope for the show's loyalists and may even indicate that good news is on the way.

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