Starz show axed even before airing in new spate of cancellations
NetflixFour Starz shows have been announced as being scrapped from the streaming platform – including one series that never even made it to air.
Hope to bring its viewers “captivating original series,” Starz is possibly best known for hosting shows such as Outlander, Minx, Gaslit, and The Serpent Queen.
However, its back catalog has now lightened its load, with four original series either being brought to an end or cancelled outright.
Heels, Run the World, and Blindspotting are each left with their most recent season being their last, with The Venery of Samantha Bird no longer moving forward.
The Venery of Samantha Bird axed before airing on Starz
According to Variety, the production of The Venery of Samantha Bird was shut down after only having two episodes of Season 1 left to film.
The series was supposed to star Katherine Langford in the leading role, with the official synopsis reading: “Samantha, while visiting family in New England, reconnects with her childhood sweetheart and falls headlong into a seemingly perfect storybook romance. But the couple’s picture-perfect love story isn’t as sweet as it seems on the surface.”
Production for The Venery of Samantha Bird had reportedly first shut down at the beginning of May amidst news of other shows – including Unstable, Hacks, and Cobra Kai – closing down when WGA strike action first began. The series was shooting in Montreal.
Langford is best known for her role as Hannah Baker in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, although is also known for not having the best of breaks when it comes to her career.
“13 Reasons Why Katherine Langford didn’t make it big after being on a global hit show?” one fan commented on the show’s cancellation announcement, while another agreed, “No one has worst luck in Hollywood than her.”
No further comments about the scrapping of The Venery of Samantha Bird have been made at this time.
Three continuing shows brought to an end at Starz
Blindspotting, Run the World, and Heels are each being brought to an end after all recently airing their second seasons. Run the World followed friends living in Harlem while navigating life and relationships (starring Amber Stevens West, Bresha Webb, and Corbin Reid in lead roles), while Blindspotting was airing as a continuation of the 2018 film of the same name. Jasmine Cephas Jones was reprising her role as Ashley.
Heels looked at the professional wrestlers of the Duffy Wrestling League, which is a small independent promotion in Georgia. The series starred Alexander Ludwig, Chris Bauer, Mary McCormack, Kelli Berglund, and Allen Maldonado.
Lionsgate TV had also been involved with each of the productions.
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