'Kindred' Has Been Cancelled at FX
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Octavia Butler hive, rise up! After decades of being under-appreciated and under-adapted, the legendary science fiction writer is finally taking the screen by storm. Kindred has landed on FX, while adaptations of Fledgling, Wild Seed, and Dawn are also coming soon to the small screen (meanwhile, Parable of the Sower, currently in the pipeline at A24, is set to mark the author’s feature film debut).
In Kindred, Butler’s fourth and best-known novel, a Black woman named Dana finds herself violently transported back in time to the antebellum plantation where her ancestors were enslaved. Each time she pinballs through past and present, Dana’s stays at the plantation become longer and more dangerous, forcing her to confront the gruesome legacies of slavery, misogynoir, and white supremacy. (Kindred ranked fifth on Esquire’s list of the 50 Best Sci-Fi Novels of All Time). FX’s adaptation, now streaming in its entirety on Hulu, lands in a world eager for more of Butler’s prophetic wisdom. But is the series here to stay?
Is Kindred Renewed for Season Two?
Bad news, everyone: FX has officially cancelled Kindred. As Deadline points out, cancelling a series after just one season is a rare move for FX, as "the network is known for carefully curating its slate and taking time to develop projects, sometimes redoing a pilot, and most of its shows stick around for awhile." Though Kindred launched to largely positive reviews, it failed to create the word-of-mouth buzz of other FX originals like The Bear.
However, it may not be curtains for the series just yet. According to The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Branden Jacobs-Jenkins will likely shop a Season Two renewal to other networks with the full support of FX. These days, it's not uncommon for shows to be cancelled by one network and resurrected by another. After all, just look at what happened to HBO Max's Minx, which was cancelled by HBOM ax as it neared the end of production on Season Two, then saved by Starz. It's entirely possible that something similar could happen for Kindred, and Jacobs-Jenkins is ready for the challenge.
Speaking with Esquire in December, Jacobs-Jenkins said, “The writers and I are working very hard on the plans for Season Two. We have a lot planned for Season Two, Season Three, and Season Four... I always encourage people to read the book, though if you don't want to spoil it for yourself, definitely don't keep reading. But yes, there are plans for season two. Big dreams.”
What Could Happen in Kindred Season Two?
For viewers unfamiliar with the book, Season One of Kindred ends on a maddening cliffhanger: Dana’s lover Kevin is stuck in antebellum Maryland, with a frantic Dana back in modern-day Los Angeles, unsure of how to rescue him. A visit from Dana’s aunt inspires her to dig into an old family Bible, inscribed with records of their ancestors. In the Bible, Dana discovers that one of her ancestors, Alice Greenwood, will have a child with Rufus Weylin, the boy who seems to pull Dana back in time, again and again, to save his life. Suddenly, it all makes sense: Dana must keep Rufus alive in order for her ancestors to be born, and in order to guarantee her own existence.
Kindred
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amazon.comReaders of the book know that there’s much more story yet to come: Dana’s next trip back in time to rescue Kevin will see her meet an adult Rufus, while Kevin will be forced to acclimate to a long stretch of life in the past. Two made-for-TV changes could have fallout, too: no doubt Tom Weylin won’t acquiesce quietly to his wife and son escaping to Baltimore, and the reappearance of Dana’s mother in modern-day New York stands to have serious consequences.
When Will Kindred Season Two Come Out?
With Kindred waiting on a miracle, it's anyone's guess when (or if) it could return. Watch this space for updates as we continue to learn more.
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