‘Legends Of Tomorrow’ Cancelled

It seems the Arrowverse is moving that much closer to its zero hour.

Late on Friday, word broke (via TVLine) that DC’s Legends of Tomorrow is joining the list of cancelled CW programs alongside Batwoman, which was also give the axe earlier that day. In a post to Twitter, Legends co-showrunner Keto Shimizu wrote, “We are heartbroken, but also immensely grateful for the amazing work our cast, crew, and writers have contributed to the little show that could...”

And, to be honest, we needed the weekend to process the cancellation. Even in its rough spots, Legends celebrated misfit camaraderie in a way rarely seen on television. As we learned late in the first season, the team was assembled precisely because they didn’t fit in or cause great ripples in the time stream. Of course, that turned out not to be true as they did in fact alter the course of history many, many times across the program’s seven seasons. The show also put forward more obscure DC Comics characters, a handful of new characters like Spooner (Lisseth Chavez), and wildly goofy ideas with bravery and confidence. Some may not have cared for the show’s goofier edge, but that was part of its strength even as it returned to more serious ideas in later seasons.

It also gave space for a committed LGBTQ+ relationship to flourish, a pair of Muslim superheroes to not just exist, but thrive, and to introduce the notion of asexuality into primetime genre TV. And it did all of that while weaving season-long plots and redeeming characters initially set up as antagonists (eg: Ava Sharp and Astra Logue). But that’s all part of the show’s real point: anyone can become a Legend.

The removal of Legends and Batwoman from the schedule leaves on The Flash and Superman & Lois as the only programs taking place in the Arrowverse — although the latter’s status in that universe is up to debate. With The CW up for sale, it makes a sad sort of logic to wind down the series spun off from Arrow and call the characters home to a Warner Bros. Discovery platform. Granted, the next time we see White Canary (Caity Lotz) or John Constantine (Matt Ryan), they will be quite different. But at least we had time with them when they were doofy misfits who, nevertheless, became family.

Also, it should be said, that leaving the Legends in limbo thanks to the actions of Booster Gold (Donald Faison) is an oddly appropriate way to send them off.