Max is disembarking from the bus.
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| Melissa Benoist, Carla Gugino, Christina Elmore and Natasha Behnam in 'The Girls on the Bus.' NICOLE RIVELLI/MAX |
The streaming service, backed by Warner Bros. Discovery, has decided not to renew "The Girls on the Bus" for a second season. The drama, produced by Warner Bros. TV, initially developed for Netflix and The CW, concluded its 10-episode run on May 9.
"Although Max has decided not to proceed with a second season of 'The Girls on the Bus,' we are appreciative of our collaboration with the immensely talented Amy Chozick, Julie Plec, Rina Mimoun, as well as the teams at Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television. We are extremely proud of this compelling narrative of found family and the celebration of journalism in all its facets. We thank them and our exceptional cast for their outstanding work and partnership," Max stated in a message to the Morfeli team.
Based on a chapter from journalist Amy Chozick's book "Chasing Hillary," "Girls on the Bus" brought together executive producer Greg Berlanti with his former "Supergirl" star Melissa Benoist. The series followed four female journalists who closely tracked the movements of various flawed presidential candidates, discovering friendship, love, and scandal along the way.
Berlanti collaborated once again with his longtime friend and frequent collaborator, Julie Plec, on the show. Plec, along with Chozick, wrote and executive produced the series, joining Berlanti and his Berlanti Productions partner Sarah Schechter, as well as head of TV David Madden. For Plec, the series was a result of her previous overall deal with Warner Bros. TV, with the former "Vampire Diaries" showrunner having a carveout for the show as part of her current overall pact with Universal TV.
"Girls on the Bus" premiered in March to mixed reviews. The Hollywood Reporter's chief TV critic, Daniel Fienberg, noted in his review that the show's "superfluous thriller elements derail the likable dramedy." Currently, the series holds a 55 percent score from critics and a warmer 86 percent rating from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes. Carla Gugino, Christina Elmore, Natasha Behnam, and Brandon Scott also starred in the series.
The bus brought prolific producer Berlanti back to the political forum, reminiscent of his USA Network limited series "Political Animals," which featured Sigourney Weaver in a role akin to Hillary Clinton. This project also marked Plec's latest collaboration with Berlanti, a friendship that began during her sophomore year at Northwestern University. Plec, who officiated Berlanti's wedding, also worked with him during her time as a development executive for Kevin Williamson on "Dawson's Creek." Together, they executive produced The CW's short-lived "The Tomorrow People."
The cancellation of "Bus" is the latest in a series of cancellations at Max, following "The Flight Attendant," "Rap Sh!t," "Julia," and "Our Flag Means Death," as networks and streamers reassess their programming rosters and reduce costs after the decline of the Peak TV era.
Berlanti, TV's most prolific scripted producer, has felt the impact of the reduction in scripted programming, with "Superman & Lois" in its final season on The CW, "You" concluding at Netflix, and the cancellations of "Gotham Knights" and "Kung Fu" at The CW. The last remaining U.S.-produced scripted shows on the Nexstar-owned network are both Berlanti's: "All American" and its "Homecoming" spinoff. Both are on the bubble, and it's expected that at least one, if not both, will be canceled as Nexstar reshapes the network.
Berlanti strongly advocated for "Bus" to move to Max while The CW was in the midst of sale talks with Nexstar, a process that ultimately led to significant changes at the network. Originally ordered at Netflix in 2019 after a competitive bidding war, the show was quietly dropped by the streaming giant in 2020. Despite having a production commitment and starting to cast, the project was abandoned due to the streamer's change in leadership from Cindy Holland (who greenlit it) to Bela Bajaria (who axed it).
Sources suggest that the series' political theme played a role in Netflix's decision to pass on the project. The CW picked up the series in September 2021 and planned to redevelop it for its youthful audience, even though nearly a full season's worth of scripts had already been completed.
In addition to "Bus," Berlanti also has "Dead Boy Detectives," originally a Netflix series that transitioned to Max, awaiting news on its future after premiering in late April. He is also set to release season two of NBC's "Found" next season, along with the Zachary Quinto-led medical drama "Brilliant Minds." On the development front, Berlanti is gearing up for a live-action "Scooby-Doo" series for Netflix.
