Batwoman had been a regular on The CW for nearly four years before the network decided not to renew it for a fourth season. Why wasn’t it renewed for a fourth season?
Batwoman was The CW’s final mainstream Arrowverse show. Set in the same universe as predecessors Arrow, The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, and Black Lightning, it’s well-known for introducing a member of the Bat-Family to the decade-old world of DC heroes.
It debuted to massive ratings in 2019 when The CW revived its Sunday night slot, following the debut of its original title character Kate Kane (played by Ruby Rose). While its ratings dropped steadily for a while, it eventually found a solid core audience that watched every week.
Batwoman overcame a lot of adversity during its run, from surviving a dubious debut trailer to thriving even after its original lead left after the first season. Unfortunately, neither that nor the fact that the third season of the Javicia Leslie-led show was its best yet saved it from cancellation.
What Is the Story of This TV Show?
The Batwoman TV show, which airs on The CW network, stars Javicia Leslie, Rachel Skarsten, Meagan Tandy, Nicole Kang, Camrus Johnson, Victoria Cartagena, Robin Givens, and Nick Creegan. The show is based on the DC Comics character and initially focused on Kate Kane (Ruby Rose), a strong woman who had no intention of becoming Gotham City’s new vigilante — Batwoman.
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Kate vanished, and Ryan Wilder (Leslie) found her Batsuit and took up the mantle. In season three, Ryan works to protect Gotham’s underserved communities, and she and the Bat Team are tasked with locating Batman’s scattered trophies — a collection of objects seized from Gotham’s most infamous villains — before they fall into the hands of evildoers. Ryan is also dealing with Alice’s (Skarsten) revelation that her birth mother is still alive.
Why did they stop making Batwoman?
So, what was the reason for the cancellation of Batwoman? Was it the ratings? Performance? Departures from the cast? If you’re familiar with The CW, you’ll recognize that the answer is none of the above, as the network is known for renewing the majority, if not all, of its shows. What eventually got to Batwoman was a string of unfortunate events from which it couldn’t grapple hook its way out.
With the sale of The CW looming, the network was forced to make difficult decisions, canceling half of its programming. The irony is that consistent DC performers like Batwoman and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow were willing to accompany the network into its new era, but were reportedly prevented from doing so by Warner Bros.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, The CW intended to renew both Batwoman and Legends, thus continuing its relationship with the Arrowverse shows, but Warner “no longer wanted to pay the studio space leases.” That explains why The CW announced the cancellation of both shows before canceling any other shows on its schedule.
While the creative team did their best to prepare for the worst, with an ending so satisfying that it mostly serves as a series finale, it goes without saying that the show deserved better. Given the mountains that Javicia Leslie’s Scarlet Knight traversed, Batwoman should have aired for as long as the cast, crew, and CW desired.
How Batwoman could survive after its cancellation
Of course, Javicia Leslie and her co-stars could return for brief cameos or guest appearances on other Arrowverse shows. However, as previously stated, that universe has begun to shrink rapidly on screen, making these opportunities less and less likely.
However, this does not rule out the possibility of a fourth season of Batwoman appearing elsewhere. In fact, there’s little stopping HBO Max from renewing the show because the streaming service is owned by Warner Bros., which also owns The CW alongside ViacomCBS.
Of course, that could change, and there could be some legal wrangling involved, but there is some precedent for this. Following the demise of DC Universe, HBO Max acquired several of its originals, including Doom Patrol and Harley Quinn. Given the strength of the DC roster, a new Batwoman season, or even a single final film to wrap things up, could be a perfect fit for HBO Max.
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FAQ:
When was Batwoman Cancelled?
March 2, 2022
How many seasons of Batwoman are there?
3 season
