CONSPIRACY THEORY: Is Fox canceling its biggest shows because Disney is going to buy the company soon?
Over the past few years, The Walt Disney Company has been on a buying spree and they have managed to acquire many big production companies like Marvel, Pixar, and Lucas Film Ltd. The latest company that they are eyeing is 21st Century Fox and all the assets that come with it. This will include Deadpool, the X-Men franchise and the Planet of the Apes franchise.
Now as a layman in the situation, one will always think that film studios and TV networks do what they have to do sometimes because it's just business but this strange situation got me thinking. What of the network is canceling its biggest shows just so that Disney does not have the rights to them when they finally buy Fox?
It sounds crazy, I know but hear me out.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine was doing extremely well for Fox and has fans across the world for taking the typical police precinct/crime drama and turning it on its head by adding a ton of comedy. The show is endearing and brought in a lot of ratings for the network. It was extremely odd, however, when Fox decided to cancel the show just after five seasons.
The show revolves around Jake Peralta, a talented detective, along with his diverse but carefree team who struggle when a new commanding officer, Ray Holt, is appointed to their precinct as chief. Thankfully, NBC swooped in and saved the day. The show was originally theirs and now they own the rights for it again.
The chairman of NBC Entertainment, Robert Greenblatt, said in an interview after the network bought back the rights for the show from Fox: "Ever since we sold this show to Fox I've regretted letting it get away, and it's high time it came back to its rightful home."
"Mike Schur, Dan Goor and Andy Samberg grew up on NBC and we're all thrilled that one of the smartest, funniest, and best cast comedies in a long time will take its place in our comedy line-up. I speak for everyone at NBC, here's to the Nine-Nine!"
Dan Goor, the writer for the show, tweeted on May 18 night: "Hey everyone, just wanted to say no big deal but .... NBC JUST PICKED #BROOKLYN99 UP FOR SEASON 6!!! Thanks in no small part to you, the best fans in the history of the world! Nine-nine!!!!!!!!!"
Fox announced that it was renewing Last Man Standing for Season 7. Tim Allen, the main star of the show, even said: "Hell yes, I'm excited!" when the news came out.
Heartbroken fans were in for another surprise from the network when they decided to cancel Lucifer after its third season. The show was doing pretty well for the network (not as well as B99 but more or less like it) and this decision to cancel it was just more or less the weirdest thing that happened to TV recently.
Fans of Lucifer mobilized just like the fans of B99 and social media was immediately filled with posters with the hashtag #SaveLucifer. Although the fans have put in all the effort they can to save their beloved show, the decision lies solely with the other networks and streaming services who may want to pick it up. Will the social media campaign work? We'll just have to wait and see.
Fox then announced that they will air two "bonus" episodes and that it will air on May 28 which is exactly two weeks after the season finale aired on the network.
As Vox puts it if the deal goes through, all of Fox Television’s other assets — including its studio and attached cable networks, of which FX is the most prominent — will belong to Disney. There is not much reason for the Fox TV network to keep airing almost everything in its lineup if it won’t be collecting revenue from those shows via other means, like international sales or streaming sales.
But the real question still remains: What is Fox up to?
Why is the network on a rampage with canceling shows that they know do really well? The whole thing doesn't make any sense and this can't be as simple as a grudge against Disney...
Or is it?