TV Shows That Sparked Fan Campaigns: From Outer Banks to My Lady Jane

The enthusiasm for series like Outer Banks, My Lady Jane, NCIS: Hawai’i, among others, has led to dedicated fan initiatives in response to surprising cancellations and unexpected character deaths.

My Lady Jane serves as a noteworthy example. Adapted from multiple historical novels, My Lady Jane presents a bold reimagining of Lady Jane Grey’s (Emily Bader) short reign following the death of King Henry VIII’s son Edward (Jordan Peters) from tuberculosis. In this narrative, Jane and her husband, Guildford (Edward Bluemel), escape execution, and Edward’s fate takes a different turn.

The dynamic between Jane and Guildford was an exceptional highlight in 2024. However, Prime Video chose to cancel the show just seven weeks after its June 2024 debut. Fans quickly mobilized to push for its revival, either on the streaming platform or elsewhere.

“The cast and crew have wholeheartedly invested their time and creativity into this project, producing a series that resonates profoundly with its audience. As the only show created by and for women on Prime Video, My Lady Jane is exactly what female viewers desire and deserve. Ending this story now feels not only premature but also deeply unfair,” states the mission on the campaign website. “As dedicated supporters of the show, we simply cannot and will not accept this! So, the fight begins here!”

While Outer Banks does not seem to have issues with viewership, fans united to address the disbelief following JJ’s (Rudy Pankow) shocking demise in season 4. This incident occurred right after an ancient crown was introduced in the show, purported to have the power to resurrect individuals, prompting viewers to spearhead their own fan-driven project.

Scroll down for more fan-driven TV campaigns — both the successful ones and those currently underway:

‘Outer Banks’

JJ’s death left fans reeling, transforming their anger into billboards, a petition, and various continuing campaigns to have Pankow return to the role despite the demise of the beloved character.

‘My Lady Jane’

The most surprising cancellation in 2024 goes to My Lady Jane. After giving the show only a few weeks to establish its audience, Prime Video opted against renewing it for a second season. However, My Lady Jane had a dedicated fanbase that rallied vigorously for its revival.

‘The Acolyte’

Even before the Star Wars series faced cancellation, fans were initiating campaigns due to concerns. Ultimately, Disney decided not to renew The Acolyte for a second season, despite decent viewership and critical acclaim.

‘Vampire Academy’

This adaptation from Julie Plec centered around vampires and fictional romances overflowing with exceptional chemistry should have been an easy pick for renewal. Instead, Peacock opted out after just one season, inciting the audience’s outrage. This led to multiple initiatives from fans aiming to resurrect the supernatural series.

‘iCarly’

Just as fans felt satisfied with the revival of iCarly, Paramount+ decided to take it off the air. To make matters worse, the last episode concluded with a significant cliffhanger, which galvanized an ongoing campaign. The cast and crew are supporting the efforts due to their love for iCarly.

‘NCIS: Hawai’i’

After CBS unexpectedly canceled NCIS: Hawai’i, fans took action by launching a petition to persuade the network to reconsider. Even after pulling the plug on Blue Bloods, another successful CBS series, the network maintained their decision.

‘Manifest’

NBC was the original home for Manifest until it decided to cancel the show in 2021. Both fans and creators campaigned fervently for a comeback, and Netflix ultimately answered by renewing Manifest for a fourth and final season, which quickly climbed to the top of the streaming service’s charts.

‘Lucifer’

After three seasons on Fox, Lucifer was on the verge of being canceled. However, a dedicated Twitter campaign prompted Netflix to revive the show for three additional seasons, which consistently performed well for the platform.

‘One Day at a Time’

This sitcom, a modern adaptation of the 1975 series of the same name, lasted for three seasons on Netflix before its cancellation. Viewers rallied for more episodes, leading Pop TV to bring One Day at a Time back for its fourth season.

‘Veronica Mars’

Veronica Mars was initially canceled by the CW after two seasons, but fans quickly rallied. They raised $7,000 to fly a banner over the studio, which motivated the network to provide one more season. Following that, a Kickstarter campaign amassed $2 million for a feature film, leading to Hulu’s brief revival season.

‘Timeless’

Online support prompted NBC to retract their cancellation of Timeless just three days after the initial announcement. However, the series met its end again one season later.

‘Friday Night Lights’

Another NBC series that almost didn’t receive the runtime it deserved was Friday Night Lights. Following underwhelming ratings for season 2, which were partly due to a writer’s strike resulting in inconsistent scripts, the network decided to cancel the show. However, they revisited their decision after receiving a barrage of letters from fans. The “Light’s Out” campaign, which also involved sending light bulbs to NBC, secured three additional seasons and a deal with DirecTV to premiere episodes first.

‘Arrested Development’

Fans sent bananas and letters to Fox following the cancellation of Arrested Development, which temporarily brought the show back for one more season before it was subsequently revived on Netflix.

‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’

After five seasons, Fox canceled Brooklyn Nine-Nine, triggering significant backlash on social media. The #SaveBrooklyn99 campaign resulted in NBC acquiring the show just one day later.

‘Community’

The slogan “six seasons and a movie” may not exist without Community. After five seasons on NBC, fans initiated campaigns that featured a themed art gallery and a convention. This momentum allowed for Community to receive a sixth and concluding season — with plans for a movie in the works.

‘The Expanse’

After Syfy decided to cancel The Expanse, Prime Video came to the rescue. The #SaveTheExpanse campaign saw viewers send emails and arrange for a plane to fly a banner over the studio.

‘Warrior Nun’

Two seasons were simply not enough for fans, who campaigned vigorously for Warrior Nun‘s upcoming trilogy of films.