Orphan Black was always billed a five season story, and the BBC America clone drama was granted its wish earlier this year, with a fifth and final season renewal allowing it to end on its own terms in 2017.
Speaking to Variety, the show’s bosses explained the benefits being able to “cancel yourself than to get cancelled” and knowing the endgame well in advance:
“We sort of had five seasons in mind, and the thing that we just didn’t want to do is get kind of soft around the middle,” said executive producer and co-creator Graeme Manson. “We think that it’s better to cancel yourself than to get canceled, than to peter out.”
Manson and fellow co-creator and executive producer John Fawcett said there is a set ending that they and the writers are working toward.
“As much as planning the final season is bittersweet, the fun is knowing the ending, because we’ve known it for a really long time,” Fawcett said.
Nikki Lentz says
I don’t understand the mentality of “cancel yourself than to get cancelled.” I thought the name of the game was to make money. If you have a product that people want and are willing to buy, Why not give the people want they want?
RenewCancelTV says
Surely it’s better they tell an organic story than drag it out and have the quality and passion behind the show diminish? In fairness to them, Orphan Black could only survive so long before it got cancelled, so it makes sense to stick to their original five-season plan.
Nikki Lentz says
You point is well taken. I guess my problem is that I hear this concept brought up a lot lately with shows. One example would be Game of Thrones. Some reports I have read claim they only want to go x amount of time; which in that case no one could convince me GOT should stop in the next couple of years and that shorter seasons make sense. It has so many ways to go, that it could go on for a long time. Oh course having spin offs maybe what their planning. However, after reading your reply I now think your right in this case of Orphan Black.
LindsayDD says
I think they want to leave it on a high note. Some shows get dragged out so long that they just get to be dumb. Not that I agree with it for OB. I think it could go a lot longer. Especially with all the new clones appearing each season.