|
It's time, Legend of the Seeker (TV) fans, for the tears to flow and for "Tears" to air. That's to say that "Tears," the second-season finale will air this weekend in first-run syndication and -- according to series star Craig Horner, Richard himself -- it will almost definitely represent the series finale.
"There was a little feeling (that the end was near)," Horner told TVStar.com earlier this week during an exclusive interview. "We kind of found out towards the end of the second season that certain of our investors wouldn't be around for a third time. That created a little bit of a stir amongst us and from that moment on I tried to spend the last two months, just in case, going around to every place we went soaking up that scenery and everything about it, every person, every tree, every plant, animal, everything about Auckland. I was like, 'If this is true, if it doesn't go, then I'm really going to miss this place, because I really love it.' So there was a bit of that, and I'm glad I soaked it up while I was there."
Horner and company had already wrapped "Tears" when word reached him in his hometown of Brisbane, Australia -- as he was walking to buy a cup of coffee -- that Legend of the Seeker (TV) would not return. Horner was saddened, of course, and disappointed, not to mention suddenly jobless. But the first thought that struck him upon hearing the news was there'd be no chance to say a proper farewell to his co-stars and crew. The season-two wrap party had been held by then, and though many in attendance that night tought it might be the last time they'd all gather together, thinking that's possible and realizing that it's now a reality are two vastly different things. Horner put it quite succinctly when he noted, "There was no 'Goodbye, Seeker.'"
Once it became evident that Tribune Station Group -- the show's primary broadcaster in the U.S. -- would not support a third season, executives at the show's production company did their best to shop Legend of the Seeker (TV) to other venues, obviously to no avail. "All the heads went over to Syfy and tried to pitch it to them," Horner said. "Man, I wish they'd told me. I would have gone over there. I would have charmed them. I would have charmed the pants off of them. I'd have gone, 'Come on, guys, how can you not let this show again?' I would've shown them all the Internet comments. I would've gone, 'Come on, these people want to see this show again.' I would've done it, but they didn't tell me. But they really tried. They went over. They pulled out all the facts. They pulled out a lot of Internet results. Unfortunately, Internet results don't speak to money heads of studios. They might go great, 'Great, it's got a lot of viewers, but season three, they'll just download again.' So I think they really tried. I can't say they didn't. I know there were others, but I know they had a nice big meeting with Syfy and Syfy came very, very close."
Meanwhile, just the looming threat of cancellation sent the Legend of the Seeker (TV) fan base into overdrive in an effort to save their beloved series. They lobbied ABC Studios and the Walt Disney Company, which produced the show and Syfy, the most logical potential new home. They raised funds and took out an expensive ad in a Hollywood trade paper. "That was great," Horner said warmly. "I was so very pleased. It was so nice, so sweet. I was all for it. People were coming up with great ideas, like Syfy. They were mentioning the BBC, saying they could run it in between Robin Hood (TV) and Doctor Who (TV). That would be perfect. How awesome would that be? But I don't know. If it doesn't go again, it doesn't go again, but at least we know we had a great little community and that we had Legend of the Seeker (TV) out there for a while."
Legend of the Seeker (TV) will live on in Terry Goodkind's books. And surely Horner and his co-stars, including Bridget Regan, Bruce Spence, and Tabrett Bethell, will make the rounds on the still-thriving sci-fi/fantasy convention circuit. But, in the meantime, there's something about Horner's word choice -- "If it doesn't go again..." -- that seems to leave at least a glimmer of hope that maybe, perhaps the show isn't dead, dead, dead. And the promos for "Tears" only refer to it as a season finale, not a series finale. So, is there no chance? Should the fans stop trying to secure a renewal? "I don't know," Horner replied. "I really can't say that. My mom thinks it's going to go again. She sent me a message this morning saying, 'Big announcement.' She's a little bit of a clairvoyant. She likes to think it will (be back), but who knows?"
(Writer's Note: That's the breaking news straight from Horner. Be on the lookout next week as TVStar runs our two-part interview with Horner -- with the questions provided by you, our readers.)
