Cowboy Bebop star John Cho has spoken out about the show prematurely getting canceled. After spending year in development, the live-action Cowboy Bebop series finally premiered on Netflix in November. By December, it was reported that Netflix had canceled the show after its one and only season, leaving those happy with the new series disappointed to see it not moving forward.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cho addressed Cowboy Bebop getting the boot. The actor was particularly disappointed to see it end so soon, especially after he'd gotten injured on the series and had worked so hard to get back to work and complete the first season. He felt good with himself as well as how the series had turned out, but just as quickly as the Cowboy Bebop hysteria had begun, it had come to an end.
"I put a lot of my life into it. I’d gotten injured shooting that show and so I took a year off because of the surgery and devoted myself to rehab, came back and finished the show. It was this huge mountain for me to climb, healing from that injury. I felt good about myself as a result. We also shot the show in New Zealand, so my family moved there. It was just a huge event in my life and it was suddenly over."
Cho was just as surprised as the fans that Netflix had given them the axe. Because the cast didn't know it would be a one-and-done series, they also didn't have the opportunity to all formally say farewell to one another after the work they had invested into season 1. The silver lining is that the fan support that came about as a response helped lift his spirits and he has said how appreciative he is for the fans.
"It was very shocking and I was bummed. But I was very warmed by the response. I wish I could have contacted everybody and gotten hugs. You can’t do that now, but … I don’t know what this is. I’m mystified a little bit about how you can connect with people that you don’t know doing your work, but I won’t question it. I will value it and treasure it. I’m just really deeply appreciative that anyone would care. It’s stunning to me."
Cowboy Bebop Fans Tried to Save the Series With a Popular Petition
When Cowboy Bebop was canceled in December, fans were quick to launch a petition hoping to save the series. It picked up more than 146,000 signatures, though it doesn't seem to have convinced Netflix to order more seasons of the show. Cowboy Bebop may have to be a one-and-done series which is unfortunate given its potential.
Christopher Yost developed Cowboy Bebop for Netflix, with the series inspired by the anime of the same name. Along with Cho, it starred Mustafa Shakir, Daniella Pineda, Elena Satine, and Alex Hassell. It follows a ragtag group of bounty hunters chasing down criminals across the solar system.
You can watch every episode of Cowboy Bebop on Netflix.