‘Rebel’ Boss Confirms Katey Sagal Series Won’t Return for Season 2

Meaghan Darwish August 16, 2021, 5:15 pm

Rebel, Season 1 - Katey Sagal — ABC/Scott Everett White

After exploring the possibility of bringing fan-favorite Rebel back to TV for a second season on another platform or network following its ABC cancellation, series showrunner Krista Vernoff is confirming the series will not return after all.

Vernoff, who also helms Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 for ABC, shared the sad news with fans via Twitter where she wrote, “THANK YOU to the fans behind the #SaveRebel campaign. Your passion was incredible.”

THANK YOU to the fans behind the #SaveRebel campaign. Your passion was incredible. We have learned there won’t be a Season 2, but we truly hope Rebel & the extraordinary @ErinBrockovich will continue to inspire you to fight the good fight in your communities and in your lives.

— Krista Vernoff (@KristaVernoff) August 16, 2021

“We have learned there won’t be a Season 2,” she continued, “but we truly hope Rebel & the extraordinary @ErinBrockovich will continue to inspire you to fight the good fight in your communities and in your lives.”

Debuting earlier this year in April, Rebel ran for five episodes before ABC canceled the program following Katey Sagal‘s titular blue-collar legal advocate. Despite lacking a law degree, Annie “Rebel” Bello fights at all costs to defend the people she loves.

(Credit: ABC/Raymond Liu)

The show’s first season ran the rest of its 10-episode order, concluding on June 10 with some hope that Rebel might return elsewhere. The last rumblings suggested it could land at IMDb TV, but Vernoff’s tweet confirms fans’ worst fears.

Results: Which Canceled Show Do Readers Most Want Saved?

Rebel was executive produced and inspired partly by real-life legal figure Erin Brockovich whose story inspired the Academy Award-winning film featuring Julia Roberts. Along with Sagal, Rebel costarred John Corbett and Andy Garcia among others.