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'This show EXISTED?': DC fans wonder how 'Pennyworth' 'got this far' as HBO cancels show

'Pennyworth' was originally an Epix series released back in 2019 and later migrated to HBO Max

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: It seems like HBO Max has put the brakes on yet another DCU series. This time, Alfred, Batman's butler, is out of business as HBO has canceled 'Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler' after three supposedly successful seasons. The show was originally an Epix series released back in 2019 and later migrated to HBO Max, where the title changed from 'Pennyworth' to 'Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler'. Obviously, the idea was to attract a much wider audience among superhero fans while retaining loyal DC fans. 

That said, HBO Max's announcement that the series would be discontinued hasn't exactly left fans disheartened. Considering critics praised the series and the audience adored it - it has a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes - this comes as a rude surprise to the franchise. 

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The series' storyline is set in London and follows Alfred Pennyworth (Jack Bannon), who opens his own security firm in the 1960s after serving as an SAS soldier and starts his long employment with the well-known Wayne family. Ben Aldridge and Emma Paetz starred as Thomas and Martha Wayne respectively, along with Paloma Faith, Ryan Fletcher, Dorothy Atkinson, Ramon Tikaram, Harriet Slater, and Simon Manyonda. The star-studded show was, however, roasted on social media after its cancellation was announced.

'Someone tell me how it got this far'

"Not the best show, and it does not fit in with the fantastic and exciting future of DCU," an unimpressed viewer wrote without mincing words. "Now someone tell me how it got this far," another quipped. 

"This show existed?" someone else asked. Meanwhile, some questioned the authenticity of the series and bashed the show that allegedly lacked the biggest wow factor of them all. "Why keep making Batmanless shows anyway?How Gotham stayed on TV for as long as it did was a mystery to me. Instead of making a new movie ever other year ,why not make a modern show about… well… Batman!"

However, not every opinion was as scathing. A particularly charitable tweet read, "A show about Batman's butler shouldn't really have worked but it did. It had a fantastic cast and it was something totally different. Definitely a DC Elseworlds thing. I'm not surprised it's been cancelled because every other current DC has been axed as Gunn & co begin a new era."

Cancellation to make way for James Gunn's new plans?

'Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman's Butler' isn't alone as other prominent DC offerings have also gotten the ax over the years. 'Stargirl' and 'The Flash' were canceled as David Zaslav took over as President and CEO of Warner Bros Discovery. Pennyworth's cancelation is especially significant as it comes in the wake of James Gunn's ascension and his plans for a clean slate in order to create interconnected films and series for the DCU. 

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