Sadly, it turns out, Legends can die. Or at least their TV shows can. The CW took an axe to its lineup of DC Comics shows on Friday, whittling the list down to three shows standing. The Flash and Superman & Lois have been renewed; Stargirl has yet to air its third season.
But Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow have aired their last.
Batwoman ran for three seasons with two leads; original star Ruby Rose left after the first season, citing unsafe conditions. Javicia Leslie stepped into the role as a different character who picked up the Batwoman mantle, and the show got two more seasons. Showrunner Caroline Dries reacted to the cancellation on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/carolinedries/status/1520142094131613697
And the Batwoman writers’ room praised Leslie, quoting her Instagram post about the experience of being on the show:
Javicia is a real life Superhero. A champion for everyone. And a protector of kindness. We will always be inspired by you, @JaviciaLeslie. And we will always appreciate you. https://t.co/tvwtC716S0
— Batwoman Writers Room (@BatwomanWriters) April 29, 2022
Legends of Tomorrow ran for seven seasons and, making the sting of cancellation even more painful, ended on a cliffhanger. Its ragtag, ever-shifting cast, earnestness, and sometimes absurd sense of humor made it feel like the little show that could, especially after its rocky first season. (I’ve never seen a show go from so rough to so outlandishly, joyfully great like this one did.)
Co-showrunner Keto Shimizu also posted on Twitter:
Well, folks. It’s been an incredible run. However, the CW has let us know that there will be no season 8 of #LegendsOfTomorrow. We are heartbroken, but also immensely grateful for the amazing work our cast, crew, and writers have contributed to the little show that could.
— Keto Shimizu (@ketomizu) April 30, 2022
The CW’s DC shows being what they are, any of these characters, from Legends or Batwoman, could appear on the still-running shows. But it won’t be the same.
Both shows are available on The CW’s streaming platform; Legends is also on Netflix.
