Lucifer lead star Tom Ellis reveals his first thoughts after the series was initially cancelled by Fox after just three seasons.
Netflix’s hit fantasy drama Lucifer may be going strong with its fifth season, but the series could have been much more short lived. Series star Tom Ellis has shared his reaction to the show’s original run being cancelled by Fox.
‘Lucifans’ are currently on the lookout for the second half of season five to arrive on Netflix.
While the adventures of Lucifer Morningstar (played by Tom Ellis) have never been more popular, the series has faced cancellation a number of times over the years.
Although Ellis and the cast are currently at work on the sixth and final season, Lucifer was expected to come to an end with season five as recently as this year.
Moreover, the fanbase was previously thrown into turmoil back in 2018, when original network Fox pulled the plug after just three seasons.
Devoted fans were somewhat content with the lengthier instalment, including two bonus episodes after the initial run, but many were left furious by the unjust cancellation.
Reactions to the news were furious, and fans began a campaign to save Lucifer, which eventually got the attention of streaming service Netflix.
Before the show’s second wind of success, Tom Ellis opened up in an interview with the Guardian about his heartbroken reaction to Fox’s decision to axe his star-making series.
Ellis recalled: “I’d just come off stage doing my Q&A with the audience. And then the call came through. I was at my lowest ebb when I found out about it.”
The star revealed he got the call first before the news went public the following day and fans almost immediately got to work on the #SaveLucifer campaign.
Warner Bros., who have produced all six seasons of Lucifer, got Ellis in touch with Head of TV Peter Roth, who confirmed they were looking for a new home for the series.
Meanwhile, Tom Ellis stayed true to the fans, and even appeared on Newsnight to spread the word and get Lucifer rescued for its fourth season.
The star explained: “It was a strange time, because I was putting myself out there against my better judgment.”
“Against the advice of some of my team, even. Everyone kept saying: ‘It’s very, very unlikely that this will happen.’ And I’m still going: ‘So you’re saying there’s a chance?’”
His efforts certainly paid off, and shows like Lucifer have spearheaded a recent shift in the attitudes of TV fans.
No longer satisfied with unsatisfying endings, audiences have since become more vocal when networks feel compelled to cancel shows with infuriating cliffhangers.
A similar furor recently broke out when Netflix’s comedy-drama GLOW was cancelled in the middle of filming its fourth season, with star Marc Maron campaigning for a feature film to wrap up its unresolved finale.
In the wake of Lucifer’s revival, streamers are more hopeful when it comes to campaigning for their favourite shows to be saved.
Not only was Lucifer picked up for a two-season deal by Netflix, their renewal proved so successful a sixth season was finalised earlier this year.
Known for its dark and potentially controversial subject matter, Tom Ellis admitted he can’t quite wrap his head around Lucifer’s staggering international popularity.
He reasoned: “The show is really, really popular in Catholic countries. I think it’s just a general fascination with the devil himself, as opposed to just the show.”
Even though a sixth season is in the pipeline, fans haven’t stopped their campaigning, and there are still calls for the final instalment to be lengthened to bring Lucifer to a grand total of 100 episodes.
Source: express.co.uk