Manifest is the ideal fictional show for conspiracy enthusiasts, tying in missing flights, time travel, and fantasy. After three seasons on NBC, however, Manifest found a new home at Netflix, where it would air its final chapter.
You must be wondering, why did NBC cancel it in the first place? And why did Netflix not renew it for additional seasons?
NBC canceled Manifest after Season 3 due to reduced viewership and budget constraints. Netflix picked it up only for the last and fourth season, giving the show an opportunity to deal with S3’s cliffhangers and end the story neatly.
Manifest’s premiere episode is beyond compelling. We journeyed with characters who took a seemingly normal flight but landed into a world where time had moved five years ahead.
Season 1 did well because it unraveled this very mystery and kept the audience hooked until the end.
However, after S1, NBC noticed that the viewership was declining. Noting that this is an expensive show to make, the network may have not wanted to invest in a venture that’s not profitable.
This is why, in June 2021, NBC canceled Manifest after Season 3, despite series creator Jeff Rake having a six-season vision. What’s worse is that Season 3 ended with a number of cliffhangers, leaving loyal fans distraught.
So how did Manifest end up with Netflix? First of all, Netflix has a penchant for picking up canceled shows with the hope that a global audience would give it a better turnaround.
They initially entered negotiations with Rake that fell through. A little later, aided by massive fan campaigns to save the show, Netflix agreed to renew the show for one final and fourth season.
Netflix also gained distribution of all three previous seasons, but sadly, they did not do well on the streamer. Had Seasons 1-3 performed well, there is a slight possibility that Netflix would’ve renewed Manifest beyond the initial Season 4 agreement.
Manifest S4 consisting of 20 episodes will be airing in two parts: Part 1 is to be aired on November 4, while Part 2’s release date is yet to be announced.
Having the grace of Season 4 is better than nothing at all, especially because leaving it at Season 3 would’ve itched fans for years to come.
So, even though this will be the last we see of Manifest, at least we can rest assured that the show will have a proper ending—a novelty not given to all shows.
About Manifest
Manifest is an American supernatural drama television series, created by Jeff Rake, that premiered on September 24, 2018 on NBC.
It stars Melissa Roxburgh, Josh Dallas, Athena Karkanis, J. R. Ramirez, Luna Blaise, Jack Messina, Parveen Kaur, Matt Long, and Holly Taylor.
The series centers on the passengers and crew of a commercial airliner who suddenly reappear after being presumed dead for more than five years.
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