TheQuartering [7/5/2021]
HBO continues to fail with their woke programming.
Despite strong reviews and Emmy nominations on the horizon, HBO confirmed late Friday, July 2, that the network would not be renewing “Lovecraft Country” for Season 2.
“We will not be moving forward with a second season of ‘Lovecraft Country,’” HBO confirmed in a statement. “We are grateful for the dedication and artistry of the gifted cast and crew, and to Misha Green, who crafted this groundbreaking series. And to the fans, thank you for joining us on this journey.”
Given how long it took for the news to break (“Lovecraft Country” aired its finale in October 2020), the cancellation isn’t a complete surprise, though it also wasn’t a sure thing. On one hand, the first season covered most of the source material in Matt Ruff’s novel of the same name, while featuring multiple deaths of significant characters.
“Lovecraft Country” focused on Atticus Black (Jonathan Majors), who embarks on a road trip across 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father. In Season 1, he was joined by Leti (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) and his Uncle George (Courtney B. Vance), but [spoiler alert] Atticus and Uncle George did not survive Season 1. The fantasy-horror series is filled with magic, so the characters could have returned despite their apparent demise, but if not, HBO may have been less interested in a follow-up season without two of its top-billed stars.
Still, unlike other one-and-done book adaptations like “Big Little Lies,” “Lovecraft Country” was always intended to continue, as evidenced by the multiple storylines left open in the finale, multiple interviews about plans for a second season, and one tweet sent out by showrunner Misha Green post-cancellation, teasing a sweeping expansion.