John Cho discussed his disappointment following the cancelation of Netflix's live-action adaptation of the popular anime, Cowboy Bebop. The series is a fan favorite classic anime that came back into prominence with the release of a live-action adaptation last year.
Netflix decided to not renew Cowboy Bebop, following less than favorable reviews, lower than expected viewer ratings, and a lack of fan advocacy. The series was canceled less than a month following its premiere, leading to mixed reactions from viewers.
The series was initially one of the most anticipated Netflix series of the year but lost a lot of momentum once it was released. The show got backlash from fans, critics, and of course Netflix. Now after the dust has settled, it seems fans are becoming more empathetic to what the show went through along with its talent.
Cho, who plays Spike Spiegel, opened up during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on his thoughts about the whole situation. "It was very shocking, and I was bummed. I put a lot of my life into it ... It was just a huge event in my life, and it was suddenly over". Cho went through quite the ordeal while filming this show. It was reported that he'd suffered an injury while filming and ended up devoting himself to rehab in order to finish filming. On top of all that, his family ended up moving to New Zealand during the time of filming which is where most of the series was shot.
There are some positives though. With the new narrative of people caring about the show and the talent, Cho said that he was, "very warmed" by the fan response. "I'm mystified a little bit about how you can connect with people that you don't know doing your work," the actor continued "but I won't question it. I will value it and treasure it. I'm just really deeply appreciative that anyone would care. It's stunning to me". Instead of ridicule, it seems that more and more people are coming around to show support.
The series ratings dropped by 59% a few weeks after its premiere and received a 46% average rating from critics while audience members gave it a 54% on Rotten Tomatoes. Still to see fans come out in order to show support is a nice change of pace.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter