Petition to save ‘impeccable’ axed TV series nears 50,000 signatures in just one week-Sabrina Barr-Entertainment – Metro

Fans are calling for the cancelled show to be renewed (Picture: Christian Black/Lucasfilm Ltd.)

A petition to save an axed TV show hailed by fans as ‘impeccable’ and ‘fresh’ has reached almost 50,000 signatures in just one week.

Just over a month ago, Star Wars series The Acolyte ended on Disney Plus, leaving plenty of fans amazed by the fates of the lead characters played by Amandla Stenberg, Manny Jacinto and Lee Jung-jae.

The eight-episode arc was set in the High Republic era of Star Wars, around 100 years before Anakin Skywalker entered the picture.

While some viewers loved The Acolyte for its unique story, compelling new characters and epic lightsaber battles, others weren’t as captivated.

The show was also targeted by a ‘review-bombing’ campaign – which saw trolls leave low reviews online with the aim of purposely bringing down its rating without even watching it.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that the series had been shelved, mere weeks after the final episode was released on the streaming platform Disney Plus.

While it began with a huge premiere for its first two episodes, its viewership declined as the weeks went on.

Despite the decline in ratings, there were many fans who were left devastated by its cancellation, with many arguing that its fanbase could have grown as time went on, while also pointing out that there was a lot of exciting potential for a second season.

On August 20, a petition was launched on change.org titled ‘Renew the Acolyte’ – and at the time of writing, it’s not far off reaching 50,000.

Started by an individual called Blue Smith, the summary of the petition reads: ‘The Acolyte opened the doors for so many Star Wars fans, new and old, to feel seen. To feel welcomed and accepted by an IP and fandom that hadn’t previously been so for anyone who didn’t check off certain boxes. Not only that, but The Acolyte became a beacon for representation that many fans have felt was lacking in the Star Wars universe for decades.

Numerous fans praised Manny Jacinto on his incredible performance (Picture: Lucasfilm Ltd.)

The Star Wars series also starred Rebecca Henderson and Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae as Jedi (Picture: Christian Black/Lucasfilm Ltd)

‘With both creators and actors that truly understood the world of Star Wars, The Acolyte quickly became a fan favourite because of the clear passion and love shown in the work, and the drive to give us something new and fresh to fall in love with. New characters with new stories that still existed within the same galaxies we cherished.’

It continued: ‘Regardless of the orchestrated review bombing by a small faction of loud trolls, and all of the other obstacles this show had to face straight out the gate, it trended repeatedly throughout and after the show aired. It has a very dedicated fanbase, willing to fight for its continuation. It’s a story that deserves to be told.’

On the page for the petition, it also outlines different ways that supporters can contribute to the campaign, including filling out a form that will be sent in a batch of letters to Disney and Lucasfilm, sending a physical letter and submitting feedback to Disney Plus online.

Several people who signed the petition also left messages explaining how passionate they felt about the cause.

Dafne Keen, who recently starred in Deadpool and Wolverine, was also in the cast (Picture: Christian Black/Lucasfilm Ltd.)

The Acolyte began with an incredible lightsaber fight scene featuring The Matrix legend Carrie-Anne Moss (Picture: Christian Black / Lucasfilm Ltd.)

‘I want to see original Star Wars material be given the opportunity to thrive. Shows with POC leads are rare and representation in an IP such as Star Wars can positively influence a generation of children,’ a fan called Brandy said.

Lisa said that The Acolyte ‘felt like the adult Star Wars content I’ve been waiting to see for years’, while Rachel added: ‘This show has such potential! It deserves a chance but has been treated unfairly by so-called “fans”.’

Donna described The Acolyte and its characters as ‘impeccable’, saying that it ‘showcased a new era of Star Wars’.

Lauren added that they ‘loved the fresh Star Wars story’, expressing how ‘desperately’ they wanted to see more of the characters.

Metro.co.uk has contacted Disney Plus for comment.

The Acolyte is available to watch on Disney Plus.

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