Why HBO Canceled The Franchise After Just 1 Season

The following contains spoilers for The Franchise, now streaming on MaxThe Franchise has been canceled by HBO after 1 season, and there are some pretty clear reasons why. Debuting in 2024, The Franchise parodied superhero franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe by focusing on the chaotic production of an in-universe superhero movie series. The latest entry in the titular franchise, Tecto: Eye of the Storm proved to be a breeding ground for bizarre creative compromises, constantly conflicting egos, and occasional filmmaking.

The Franchise's cast of characters were hilarious riffs on archetypes of the entertainment industry, ranging from the executive level down to the central focus on assistant directors. However, the show's approach to mocking its own industry ultimately couldn't find a wide enough audience. Although HBO has formally announced they won't be renewing the MCU and DCEU parody, their official response didn't include specific reasons why the show has ended. However, there are some likely economic reasons the show couldn't continue, despite the show's strengths and growing potential.

The Franchise Has Been Canceled After 1 Season

The Franchise Ends On An Emotional Cliffhanger

The cast of The Franchise look closely at the camera

The Franchise has been canceled by HBO after 1 season, which makes sense from a financial standpoint but is still a blow considering how good the characters were becoming and how cutting the satire had become. A collaboration between Jon Brown, Armando Iannucci and Sam Mendes, The Franchise was a self-aware poke in the eye towards the current state of blockbuster filmmaking. The show made fun of the exorbitant costs, bizarre decisions, and petty people who are behind the scenes of Hollywood's biggest productions.

The Franchise ending with season 1 is a surprise from a narrative stand-point, as the story teases up a clear follow-up season. "Scene 117: The Death of Eye" saw the in-universe superhero movie Tecto: Eye of the Storm elevated to a tentpole film, while 1st Assistant Director Dan was set up to become a more dedicated foil to his director Eric. The season's cliffhanger ending, which left Dan considering whether to stay on the production or finally spend time with his son, now effectively serves as the final beat in the show.

The Franchise Was Too Expensive To Produce Easily

The Franchise Likely Cost HBO A Lot More Than Some Smaller-Scale Comedies

While the official statement from HBO offered no clear explanation for why the network didn't renew The Franchise, there are some likely factors that explain the decision from a business stand-point. The clearest reason is likely the cost of the show, with The Franchise's parody of blockbuster filming likely requiring a matching budget. The show featured plenty of expansive locations and sequences to reflect the subject matter, even blowing up a bridge in the season's penultimate episode as part of a gag about the crew's ineptitude.

The Franchise Main Characters	Cast
Daniel	Himesh Patel
Anita	Aya Cash
Dag	Lolly Adefope
Eric	Daniel Brühl
Adam	Billy Magnussen
Peter	Richard E. Grant
Steph	Jessica Hynes
Bryson	Isaac Powell
Pat	Darren Goldstein

On top of the natural cost of making a show that required its own unique superhero sets, costumes, and special effects, The Franchise's large cast of in-demand actors also likely amplified the costs. The show featured nine main characters who had prominent appearances in each episode. The sheer scale of that cast allowed for a lot of different comical set-ups, with plenty of contrasting characters bouncing off one another and causing chaos on the set. However, this likely also contributed to the cost of The Franchise, making it a more difficult show to produce.

The Franchise Wasn't Popular Enough To Keep For Season 2

The Franchise Was Well-Liked But Couldn't Find A Big Enough Audience

The Franchise Martin Scorsese Comments 1

Another aspect of The Franchise's cancelation was likely the reception to the show. The Franchise earned a 74% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating it was well-liked by critics but not universally so. Many reviews noted that while they enjoyed the show, The Franchise wasn't revolutionary enough to deserve oversized attention from the TV viewing audience. That audience also didn't turn out for The Franchise, with Deadline reporting that the show was never among Nielsen’s Top 10 streaming rankings.

While the show received a relatively good response from critics, Screen Rant's Mae Abdulbaki gave the show a 9/10 in her review of The Franchise, describing it as "excellent."

Part of the problem for The Franchise is the show's very specific subject matter. The show was deeply rooted in poking fun at the world of filmmaking, mocking everything from actor egos and negative fan reception to the costly mistakes that a studio can make while producing a potential blockbuster. Movies and shows about the making of movies and shows can be a hard sell with general audiences, making The Franchsie far from the only example of a entertainment parody failing to find the viewership it needed to justify further seasons.

The Franchise Isn't The Only Armando Iannucci Show HBO Canceled

The Franchise's Early Cancelation Is Even Harsher After Avenue 5's Abrupt Ending

Billy Magnussen's Adam in his superhero suit on set in The Franchise

The Franchise ending after one season makes it the second Armando Iannucci comedy to suffer a similar fate in less than five years. Before The Franchise, HBO aired two seasons of Avenue 5. Centered around a futuristic sci-fi luxury cruise through space that suffers a number of technical difficulties that severely complicate the flight, the show was a similar dark comedy that blended bizarre character beats with a harsh satire about the monetary and ethical compromises made in life. Avenue 5 also boasted an impressive cast of comedy stars, led by Hugh Laurie and Josh Gad.

Avenue 5 debuted in 2020, and was canceled after two seasons in 2023.

While both shows benefited from Iannucci and his collaborators' dark sense of humor, neither show ultimately reached the popularity or longevity of the Italian satirists' more successful HBO show, Veep. Avenue 5 and The Franchise both had great scripts, solid characters, and some really good potential for long-running success. However, the apparent cost and slow start to the shows gave HBO reason to cancel them even when their narratives were clearly setting the stage for more stories. It's a frustrating development too, given that Veep proved how good The Franchise (and Avenue 5 for that matter) could have become.

The Franchise Deserved Another Season — But Could It Come Back?

The Franchise Had Real Potential And Was Getting Stronger With Each Episode

The Franchise Christopher Nolan Tom Cruise 2

The Franchise was a very solid show that steadily developed its riffs on filmmaking archetypes into compelling characters across the first season. One-note concepts like the difficult director or the anxiety-riddled actor were developed into comically pathetic but strangely engaging characters. Himesh Patel's Daniel was a particularly compelling character, a witty but genuinely talented filmmaker with a love for the superhero genre whose personal ambitions and dry wit cause more problems than they solve.

There is always the chance that HBO could renew [The Franchise] down the line, but the network's focus on expanding other IP makes that unlikely.

Given further time and depth, Daniel could have become a great entertainment answer to Selina Meyer from Veep. Sadly, the show's cost and lack of early audience means The Franchise won't get the chance to expand Dan and the rest of the cast into their full potential. There is always the chance that HBO could renew the series down the line, but the network's focus on expanding other IP makes that unlikely. It's a shame, because The Franchise showed real promise across its biting and frequently hilarious season 1.

Source:Deadline

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