On April 17th, 2022, Showtime and Paramount Pictures released The First Lady all over the globe. Created by Aaron Cooley and consisting of 10 episodes, the drama told interconnected stories of former first ladies and boasted a star-studded cast.
Following dull and colorless reviews, Showtime has announced that the anthology series The First Lady will not be returning for a second installment. There was the hope that, if the initial outing was a success, the show might then be able to examine a wide range of first ladies and the people that impacted their lives.
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Showtime Cancels The First Lady After One Season
Despite viewers wanting more of the one-hour drama anthology series, The First Lady will not be picked up for a second season with Showtime. The decision against moving forward with the star-studded series comes a little over six weeks after its Season 1 finale aired on the network.
The First Lady received a lukewarm response from critics. The high-profile production was not a favorite of the Television Academy come Emmy nominations morning, receiving three craft nods across all categories. It struggled from the jump, however, with multiple reviews expressing how the series often unfolded like a well-acted Wikipedia summary rather than an engrossing example of episodic television.
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Fans Blame Viola Davis For Show’s Cancellation
Some viewers said Davis was overly pursing her lips, with many complaining her facial expressions were distracting and insulting.
Many people said that Davis was “mercilessly ridiculed” and drew attention to a plethora of critical tweets. One viewer called Davis’s “exaggerated” portrayal “unnecessary and borderline insulting”.
Oscar-winning actress hits back at the critics saying, “it is incredibly hurtful when people say negative things about your work.”
Fans’ Reaction Towards Cancellation Of The Show
Here are some of the tweets from the fans that loved the show:
Didn’t think I’d enjoy #TheFirstLady so much. Watched political dramas that was sensational & sometimes starved of facts but this isn’t-it shows 4 First Ladies in an honest & historically accurate way. Love that I’m learning more about the women behind powerful men in US history. pic.twitter.com/S2ftZvbydH
— ya (@seanab876) July 25, 2022
Oh hell no they canceled #TheFirstLady on showtime after one season?!!!! That show was honestly good! I am so upset rn.
— rai (@raipleitez) August 3, 2022
This is so disappointing. I thought #TheFirstLady was great. I had no idea how awesome #BettyFord was until I watched it. I wish @Showtime had renewed it. https://t.co/Zap4cleO7t
— Ron Klopfanstein (@RonKlopfanstein) August 2, 2022
I really am upset that they canceled #TheFirstLady like it was such a good show 😫🙄
— 🤎✨️Cozy Gworl ✨️🤎 (@TessyB) August 3, 2022
@violadavis I am stunned and sorry to hear @Showtime canceled #TheFirstLady! Also surprised to read that y'all got negative reviews, you in particular.
I thought your performance as Michelle was spot on!
Fuck the critics and anyone else who didn't appreciate this great show.— Benjamin (@Benwe65) August 3, 2022
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Viola Davis and O-T Fagbenle in The First Lady
