It truly is a difficult time for fans of NBC’s Manifest.
The network pulled the plug on the high-concept drama after three seasons last week, but it seemed like the show had a chance to be picked up at Netflix.
It quickly flew to the top of the streamer’s daily chart when its first two seasons were made available for streaming.
As a result, Netflix entered preliminary negotiations to pick up the series, assessing whether it would make financial sense.
Unfortunately, the talks came to a halt on Monday night, leading to Warner Bros. TV group’s efforts to find a new home concluding.
In response, the cast took to social media to pay tribute to the show.
On Instagram, Josh Dallas, who played Ben Stone, thanked the fans for their continued support over the years.
“Well, my badass #manifesters, I’m sorry to say that it’s the end of the line for now,” he wrote.
“We are so very proud to have brought you this story over 3 seasons. We so wished we could’ve finished the journey with you. But it wasn’t in the cards.”
Dallas went on to thank everyone involved with the series, including the fans “who embraced [Manifest] and these characters and flew with us on [Flight 828].”
Melissa Roxburgh, who played Ben’s sister Michaela, shared her feelings on Twitter.
“Thank you, [showrunner] Jeff Rake, and our producers for giving us this dream. I’ll forever cherish the moments we laughed, cried, talked… convulsed in our ‘callings,’ had blood pour out of our eyes, stayed up all night in the cold of NY… Thank you to the audience who kept us playing,” she wrote.
“You guys have no idea what you’ll forever mean to me. I’ve had some of the greatest days of my life on the stages of Manifest, playing pretend with people who have seeped into my heart,” she continued.
“My word. what a ride. You guys made the last three years the best years of my life. Truly… Forever will miss this experience.”
“Thank [you Jeff Rake] for letting me bring Olive to life. She will always be a part of me,” Luna Blaise wrote.
“I will be forever grateful.”
“I will always be grateful to [Jeff Rake] for letting me be part of this amazing show,” Jack Messina shared.
“[Manifest] brought together a group of people, both cast and crew, who became a family. I learned so much and will always be ‘connected’ to them. Thank you to the amazing fans too. You rock.”
Rake took to Twitter after news broke that the show was no longer being shopped to other networks.
“Thank YOU, our fans. You became the Manifesters at Comic-Con 2018,” he wrote.
“Ever since, you’ve watched religiously, parsed every word, cried a lot, laughed a little, puzzle-solved, and never, ever, wavered in your support. I’ll never forget it.”
The series was canceled halfway through a six-season plan, but the ratings spelled renewal at NBC.
Manifest Season 3 ultimately averaging 3.2 million viewers and a 0.5 rating in the all-important adults 18-49 demo.
The series dipped 29 percent in the demo this season, but when you compare it to the erosion of other shows on NBC, a drop was expected.
Among 14 dramas on NBC, Manifest ranked No.7 in the demo, meaning that a renewal at NBC was likely.
It’s not news that high-concept dramas lose ground in the ratings as the years go on, but the erosion for Manifest was in line with the dips for the other NBC shows.
Additionally, it has consistently been a force in delayed viewing, meaning that a move to streaming would have probably been a good one.
As things stand, the series is dead and buried, but no one knows what the future holds. Many series have come back from the dead.
Netflix, in particular, is known for picking up shows like Lucifer and Designated Survivor from broadcast networks, but the streamer is in a different place nowadays than it was when it picked up those shows.
What are your thoughts on the show remaining dead?
Hit the comments below.
Remember, you can watch Manifest online right here via TV Fanatic.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.