COVID-19 gets ‘GLOW’ canceled before Season 4 even began

All those physically intimate, Lovely Girls of Wrestling will not be heading back again into the ring in Year four immediately after all.

Netflix abruptly canceled its Emmy-nominated comedy “GLOW” on Monday, dropkicking the sequence immediately after Year three and previously than envisioned, The Occasions has confirmed.

The sequence had earlier been renewed for a fourth year, which had presently long gone into generation ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic halted its progress.

“We’ve built the tough decision not to do a fourth year of GLOW owing to COVID, which makes shooting this physically intimate present with its huge ensemble cast specially difficult,” a Netflix spokesperson reported in a Monday statement to The Occasions.

The ensemble sequence presented a fictionalized account of the nineteen eighties present “The Lovely Girls of Wrestling,” a ragtag group of women and a few of gentlemen who attempt their finest to make it in the entire world by faking it in the ring. The significant-generation present and the increasing charges of shooting securely built it far too high priced to carry on producing.

In a individual statement, “GLOW” co-creators Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch lose extra light on why the present had to be canceled and urged lovers to sign up to vote in the presidential election.

“COVID has killed true individuals. It is a countrywide tragedy and need to be our concentration,” Flahive and Mensch reported. “COVID also seemingly took down our present. Netflix has made the decision not to end filming the final year of GLOW.”

The creators lamented staying “handed the inventive freedom to make a complex comedy about women and inform their tales. And wrestle. And now which is long gone.”

“There’s a whole lot of s— things taking place in the entire world that are a great deal even larger than this ideal now. But it nonetheless sucks that we don’t get to see these fifteen women in a body with each other yet again,” they added. “We’ll overlook our cast of weirdo clowns and our heroic crew. It was the finest position. Register to vote. And please vote.”

“No a lot more GLOW,” tweeted Marc Maron, 1 of the show’s stars, soon immediately after the information was announced. “Sorry. Stinks.”

Manufacturing on “GLOW’s” fourth and final year resumed in Los Angeles in February, The Occasions has acquired. Only 1 episode was completed and generation commenced on a 2nd episode ahead of stay-at-dwelling orders went into result in L.A. County, shutting down generation on “GLOW,” which is shot fully in L.A.

Its ensemble cast of about 20 actors and the bodily demands required to simulate wrestling probable created significant threat degrees, straight exposing the cast and crew to probable coronavirus infection.

It is unclear if Netflix strategies to air that lone completed episode or how creators could button up lingering storylines in yet another ability. Year three, which commenced streaming in August 2019, ended on yet another present-resetting cliffhanger that saw the women depart their Las Vegas life style driving with numerous characters going their individual ways.

Final summer time, Flahive and Mensch informed the Hollywood Reporter they “have a full story to inform and irrespective of whether or not we’re idiots for not supplying ourselves an ending this year remains to be observed.”

Reps for the sequence did not right away react to The Times’ request for even further comment.

Obtaining huge-scale productions back again on observe in L.A. has been gradual and difficult. Principles of engagement have been fluid as Hollywood has struggled to reopen. In September, Hollywood studios and leisure unions agreed to a new established of protection protocols and pay for Tv set and movie crews need to they grow to be contaminated with the coronavirus even though working.

Given that the sequence resumed generation and was forced to shut down, its sequence regulars have been compensated for the year in full, The Occasions has acquired.

The earliest air date for the present would have been 2022 — a lot more than 2½ a long time due to the fact Year three commenced streaming. The considerable hold off and elevated generation charges for the duration of the pandemic could not have yielded a huge plenty of viewers to justify Netflix’s expense either.

“GLOW” has received various Emmys for generation layout and stunt coordination. Stars Alison Brie and Betty Gilpin have also been regarded with Golden World and Emmy nominations in the performing categories.