Netflix turned cancelled TV show into one of its most watched series in the world
Netflix is truly the knight in shining armour of the streaming service landscape.
After getting the chop from NBC in 2021, supernatural mystery thriller Manifest was left in limbo after three seasons, but just like it did for Lucifer in 2018, Netflix played the role of resurrector.
The show's narrative followed a group of strangers that boarded a plane to New York from Jamaica. When it touched down on American soil though, five years had bizarrely passed by, meaning all of the passengers were presumed dead.
Contending with the mystery of their journey as they attempt restart their lives, they go on to experience odd visions and phenomenons.
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Manifest season 3 concluded with an agonising cliffhanger for fans, but NBC was merciless in its decision-making.
Just a few days later, Netflix rode in on that heroic horse of theirs, adding all previous seasons of Manifest to its library and producing a two-part fourth season that completed the story.
Addressing the streamer's saving of the show, Michaela Stone actress Melissa Roxburgh admitted she 'couldn't believe it' when she first spotted Manifest beside the likes of Ozark, Better Call Saul, and The OA.
"I texted [showrunner] Jeff Rake and told him to turn on his TV," she told The Hollywood Reporter.
"We were both like, where did this come from? We just couldn’t believe it.”
Never in their wildest dreams did they think Manifest would then be transformed into one of the world's most-watched programmes.
Roxburgh, whose CV also boasts Star Trek Beyond and The Tomorrow People, went on to recall shooting the third season during the pandemic.
"It was honestly horrible because it was still during peak Covid, so we couldn't do a wrap party or anything," she shared with the publication.
"So we just sort wrapped the season and that was it. If we had ended the show there, we all would have been a little bit depressed — I'm happy that Netflix brought us back, not only to finish the story but to give everyone a proper goodbye."
Better still, it was later confirmed that Manifest had reached Netflix's top spot globally, with an X announcement reading: "It's official: Manifest is the #1 series on Netflix worldwide with over 57 million hours streamed."
One excited fan replied in the comments: "SO WELL DESERVED!!"
"Manifest is the best show rn i love that show fr!" was another reaction.
Topics: Netflix, TV and Film, Entertainment
Dan Seddon