The Shocking Truth Behind Shannara Chronicles' Sudden Cancellation by Spike TV

Summary

The Shannara Chronicles was a fantasy series that attracted a dedicated fanbase but was ultimately canceled after season 2 due to low ratings and high production costs.

The decline in viewership can be attributed to the transition from MTV to Spike TV, as Spike TV was not recognized for its fantasy or teenage-focused programming. The fate of the show was ultimately sealed when Spike TV rebranded as Paramount Network, which emphasized more mature content. Consequently, The Shannara Chronicles no longer aligned with the network's aesthetic. Despite attempts to find another network interested in the show, it has been officially deemed cancelled. Nonetheless, there remains a potential for a future movie or television revival.

The cancellation of The Shannara Chronicles season 3 came as a disappointment to its devoted fanbase. The series, which was based on Terry Brooks' The Sword Of Shannara Trilogy, is set in a futuristic world and has garnered a strong cult following. The first season, produced by Jon Favreau, loosely adapted the story of The Elfstones Of Shannara. The show revolves around a group of characters tasked with protecting a magical tree called the Ellcrys, as its demise would result in catastrophic consequences for the world.

In contrast to the graphic violence of Game of Thrones, The Shannara Chronicles offered a more family-friendly and lighthearted approach to fantasy. However, it still managed to include shocking deaths while embracing its magical and fantastical elements, such as elves, mages, and other mystical beings. Initially, the series found success on MTV with its first season, but after the network shifted its focus away from scripted shows, the second season moved to Spike TV, which led to a decline in its popularity. Unfortunately, the cancellation of the show was announced after the conclusion of the second season.

The Shannara Chronicles Season 2 Suffered When Moved To Spike TV

The first season of The Shannara Chronicles garnered an impressive audience of over 7.5 million viewers for MTV, with consistently strong ratings throughout its run. Filmed in New Zealand, the series maintained a connection to beloved fantasy movies such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Notable actors like John Rhys-Davies and Manu Bennett, who also appeared in The Hobbit movies, contributed to the show's appeal, along with its stunning visuals. The storyline, centered around young actors Austin Butler, Poppy Drayton, and Ivana Baquero, perfectly catered to MTV's youthful audience.

Unfortunately, things took a downturn when The Shannara Chronicles moved to Spike TV for its second season. With MTV fully embracing reality TV and cutting many scripted shows, the ratings for season 2 drastically declined. Despite the show's slightly darker tone, the viewership never exceeded 310,000, a significant drop from its debut episode. Due to the combination of low ratings and high production costs, it became evident that The Shannara Chronicles would not continue for a third season. Spike TV, which was transitioning into the Paramount Network, made the decision to cancel the show after the second season concluded.

The Real Reason Why The Shannara Chronicles Was Canceled

The Shannara Chronicles may have experienced a decline in viewership when it moved to Spike, but there were larger factors at play that contributed to the show's downfall. In May 2017, it was announced that the TV series would be transitioning to Spike (formerly known as Spike TV), and season 2 was aired from October to November 2017. However, Spike was primarily known for broadcasting crime dramas, mixed martial arts matches, and reality shows centered around tattoo parlors, with little focus on fantasy content or shows targeted at teenage audiences. This misalignment made it unlikely for a season 3 of The Shannara Chronicles to be considered.

In February 2017, Viacom, the parent company of Spike, revealed plans to rebrand the network as Paramount Network. The name change officially took effect on January 18, 2018, just two days after the cancellation of The Shannara Chronicles season 3 was announced. This rebranding resulted in Paramount Network shifting its focus towards more mature content, rendering The Shannara Chronicles' young-adult appeal incompatible with their new aesthetic. Consequently, the network chose to abandon the show rather than continue investing in it while waiting for the fanbase to rebuild.

Of course, it is plausible that The Shannara Chronicles season 3 would have incurred higher expenses compared to any other project originally planned for Paramount Network. Despite benefiting from a 20% tax credit in New Zealand and tapping into the local film community, the production heavily relied on visual effects. Numerous computer-generated imagery, such as landscapes, buildings, and even characters, were produced by SPIN VFX in Canada. However, this small company had to work within a tight schedule imposed by the television show, striving to achieve top-notch quality. Undoubtedly, The Shannara Chronicles was a visual marvel, but it certainly came with a price tag.

Could The Shannara Chronicles Season 3 Still Happen?

After the cancelation of The Shannara Chronicles season 3, the show's studio Solar Entertainment made efforts to pitch the series to different networks in the hope of finding a new home. There were even hopes among fans that Netflix, the streaming platform that aired the show, would step in and save it. Unfortunately, all these efforts were in vain, and the show is now officially considered to be dead.

Despite the passage of five years since the cancelation, loyal fans are still avidly signing petitions, seeking to grab the attention of producers and demonstrate their unwavering support for the show. It is truly unfortunate that The Shannara Chronicles came to such an abrupt end, especially considering its promising start. However, considering the abundance of material within the franchise, there still remains the possibility of a future movie or television reboot.