Alan Cumming Responds To CBS' Cancellation Of 'Instinct' After Two Seasons
- By
- On Top Magazine Staff
- | August 19, 2019
CBS has canceled Instinct after two seasons.
According to Deadline, CBS in May postponed a renewal decision on the drama series.
The cancellation was announced on Twitter by Instinct creator and executive producer Michael Rauch.
“I’m very sad to relay the news that @instinctcbs won’t be renewed for a 3rd season,” Rauch tweeted. “Thanks to our incredible crew, cast, writers, producers & all who helped make our show, with respect, talent & kindness. And a giant thank you to our diehard fans for your love, loyalty & excellent taste (is it too soon to ask for a reboot?).”
The show starred Alan Cumming as a reluctant CIA agent searching for a serial killer. Since leaving the agency his character has successfully built a “normal” life as a professor and writer. But he gets pulled back into the CIA when his unique talents are needed to crack the case.
The series made history as the first network drama with an openly gay lead character.
Cumming, who is bisexual, reacted to the cancellation in an Instagram post.
“While I’m sorry I won’t be getting to play with @bojnovak and the rest of the amazing cast and crew again, I’m grateful for two seasons of fun and gore and feeling like a dandy thanks to @danlawsonstyle’s costumes, and selfies with corpses and vegan options at catering and Lala’s occasional guest appearances in the police station when she got bored in her basket beneath my desk,” Cumming wrote. “I’m also proud to have played the first-ever leading character in a US network drama who is gay. Yes, really. Because of @instinctcbs millions of people will have seen a same-sex marriage portrayed for the first time and I hope we changed and opened some minds in the process.”
Cumming, who married graphic artist Grant Shaffer in New York in 2012, has previously praised CBS for “having the courage” to broadcast the show at a time when President Donald Trump “is actively condoning, by his silence, violence, and persecution against the LGBT community.”
“[It's] all that more important we should have a character with a healthy same-sex marriage,” Cumming added.
The show's second season finale airs Sunday, August 25.