Abhiroop Das
CBS’s ‘Extant‘ follows Molly Woods’s return from space after a 13-month solo program, which takes a strange turn when she is revealed to be pregnant. With her unborn child bearing extraterrestrial elements, Molly comes into the spotlight for many powerful figures. With the help of her husband, John Woods, and her son Ethan, who is an AI android, she makes her way through a pile of secrets and realizes that her conflict is with an extraterrestrial entity. However, the more time passes, the more it becomes apparent that they are merely a species that wishes to survive. With this, the definition of who her enemy is changes, and the protagonist begins her quest to save the world. The unique premise created a sufficient buzz, and while it ran for two seasons, CBS ultimately decided to axe the show in 2015. SPOILERS AHEAD.
A Dwindling Viewership Led to Extant’s Cancellation
Despite numerous attempts at revitalizing public interest in the show, CBS ultimately cancelled the third season of ‘Extant’, most likely due to its poor viewership. In an official statement, CBS Entertainment president Glenn Geller said, “CBS, Halle Berry, and the producers have decided to conclude the Extant story after last season’s exciting and fitting conclusion. Extant played an important role in expanding CBS’s lineup of original scripted programming in the summer. We are proud of the show’s success on the network, as well as its popularity on Amazon Prime Video. We also want to thank the incomparable Halle Berry for her commitment and support for the series, and look forward to working with her on our next project together.” The show’s cancellation did not come out of the blue; instead, the creators made sure the show had wrapped up most of its key points before pulling the curtains.
While ‘Extant’ was directly greenlit for a thirteen-episode first season in large part due to the star power behind it, the show had viewership troubles from the very beginning. It is speculated that this led to many creative decisions, such as rescheduling and even two episodes being clubbed together, in the hope of catching people’s attention. Notably, CBS’s deal with Prime Video meant that episodes were up on the streaming platform four days after airing on cable, and this meant that the show was still minting enough money. However, the sheer drop in viewership likely indicated that ‘Extant’ was not a sustainable project. For season two, the series was the lowest-rated of three CBS original dramas airing alongside it, averaging 6.35 million viewers overall according to a report by Nielsen. Thus, the show’s failure to bring in big numbers prompted an early axing.
Another possible reason for the cancellation of ‘Extant’ might be that CBS had already moved on to a new collaboration with the show’s lead actor, Halle Berry. Reportedly, the actor was set to take part in a CBS legal drama titled ‘Legalese,’ in collaboration with writer Steven Lichtman. It is possible that this decision was informed by the performance of her previous show, with a shift in genre serving as a fresh attempt to connect with the audience. However, that show was scrapped before hitting the screens, leaving the fate of ‘Extant’ firmly sealed. The show’s creator, Mickey Fisher, went on to work on ‘The Strain.’ Following this, he penned another science fiction show called ‘Reverie,’ and has long since parted ways with ‘Extant.’
Extant Resolved Most of its Plot Threads Before Ending
The fact that ‘Extant’ was axed does not mean that most of its narrative was left unfinished. On the contrary, the creators trod carefully, ensuring the show had a satisfactory conclusion, whether it got a sequel or not. To begin with, one of the overarching mysteries of the show, John Woods’s death, is answered by the reveal of the grand antagonist, the AI system named TAALR. With a virus threatening to eradicate all hybrid life, Molly, along with her team, runs against the clock to stop the crisis. In the end, she defeats TAALR by harnessing her hybrid powers and successfully activating a kill switch that disrupts its connection with the Humanich army, before shutting down entirely. While the final sequence teases the idea that TAALR has taken a Humanich form, the immediate stakes of the show are dealt with, and all harmful Humanichs are dealt with.
Additionally, Molly reunites with her son, Ethan, who survives the Humanich death due to an in-built firewall protecting his system. Together, the family heads out of TAALR’s complex, safe and victorious. The protagonist does not stop there and decides to make the recent conflict about aliens, humans, and hybrids public knowledge. In a resounding speech delivered to many world leaders and the press, Molly makes a case for how Hybrids just want to lead a peaceful life in co-existence with humans. She also sheds light on government conspiracies, preparing the stage for a new chapter in human and hybrid relations. Thus, the show gears up for an optimistic ending with the larger conflicts of the story addressed.
The season finale also marks a new chapter in Molly’s character arc, as she comes to terms with her own Hybrid nature and uses that experience to guide her larger actions. Additionally, her wish to find a family is granted with the entry of JD into her life. With this, she can face all the future adversities in her life as part of a family. This serves as the direct culmination of the arc that has been building up for two seasons, and this fact is acknowledged by the actor herself. In her official statement, Berry stated, “I am so proud of what we accomplished on Extant. This season seemed such a natural place to end Molly’s journey that I, along with CBS, felt it best served the story to leave it there. I’ve loved this experience working with such a talented cast and creative team. It was my first foray into episodic television, and I’m excited to continue my relationship with CBS.”
Read More: Extant Season 2 Ending Explained: Is TAALR Still Alive? Who is the Man at the End?
