‘Stumptown’ Season 2 Renewal Reversed: Can the Canceled Drama Be Saved?

Another TV show has been canceled — after being renewed — due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Stumptown will not be returning for a Season 2 on ABC, Deadline reports, but its studio, ABC Signature, is trying to find another network or streaming service to pick it up. According to the report, the cancellation is due to delays in filming and work on the scripts (related to the coronavirus) that would have meant the new episodes wouldn’t air until April.

The dramedy, based on Greg Rucka’s graphic novels and starring Cobie Smulders as private investigator and veteran Dex Parios, was originally renewed by ABC in May. Fans thought they could breathe a sigh of relief since the Season 1 finale in March had ended on quite the cliffhanger: Dex’s mother showed up at her door.

(ABC/Matthias Clamer)

That was one of several storylines teased at the show’s Comic-Con@Home panel in July with stars Smulders, Jake Johnson, and Michael Ealy, executive producers Monica Owusu-Breen (who joined for Season 2), Jason Richman, David Bernad, Ruben Fleischer, and Rucka. “For Dex, taking care of Ansel and being the rock in Ansel’s life let her put off dealing with her feelings about the abandonment,” Owusu-Breen said. “And so Mom showing up is a little bit of a kaboom into her life.”

“The nature versus nurture of it all is something we’ll get into,” Richman added. “Hopefully how she got her name. That mother-daughter story is something all the writers are anxious to get [to].” Casting had yet to be announced for Dex and Ansel’s (Cole Sibus) mother.

The first season also ended with Grey (Johnson) dealing with his previously estranged father seemingly back working with sketchy people and Miles (Ealy) handing in his badge. And there’s still the matter of the not-quite-a-love-triangle triangle with Dex, her best friend, and the former detective.

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Fans have already started a #SaveStumptown campaign, and there are shows that have been picked up by another network or a streaming service and continued on for a season or more. (Just look at Fox’s previous cancellations: Lucifer, now on Netflix, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, now on NBC.) But given the pandemic, we’ll have to wait and see if it has a chance to be saved.

Stumptown isn’t the only series to have its fate decided due to the coronavirus pandemic and the necessary changes to production as a result. I’m Sorry, I Am Not Okay With This, and The Society are among those not moving forward with additional seasons.

(ABC)

The ABC series also starred Tantoo Cardinal, Adrian Martinez, and Camryn Manheim.