A massive hurricane is currently tearing up the ocean just off the coast of Mexico, and the surf here in Southern California is huge. Waves between fifteen and twenty feet have been common, and on Wednesday, Anne and I went down to the beach to see them for ourselves, and take a long walk along the sand.
School has just started, so there weren’t many people down there. Parking was easy, and after a quick walk across the hot sand, we got to the edge of the water. We stood there for a few minutes and watched enormous waves explode into foam, before the ocean seemed to completely flatten out into deceptively serene beauty between sets.
We walked about four miles down the sand, and another four miles back. We shared a meatball sub for lunch, and a little after 2pm, we got in the car to head home.
We were about a quarter mile from our house when my cell phone rang. I vaguely recognized the number, so I picked it.
“I have [Syfy Network Executive] for you,” a disinterested assistant said.
“Okay,” I said. The line fell silent, and I knew that my work with Syfy was over.
“How are you?” He asked me.
“I’m fine,” I said, honestly. “I just got back from a nice long walk with my wife, and it’s been a pretty great day.”
“Well, I’m about to make your day less great,” he said. Then, he told me that Syfy will not be ordering more episodes of The Wil Wheaton Project.
He assured me that it wasn’t the quality of the show. He told me again and again how much he loved it, how funny he thought it was, how much he liked me, how much he wanted to find other things to do together.
Ultimately, he told me, the executives in New York just didn’t think we had enough viewers to justify more episodes. I didn’t say anything about the total lack of promotion off the network, or point out that our ratings were on par with The Soup, or that ratings are always lower in summer than the fall. I didn’t bother saying any of that, because I know he knows that. I was reasonably confident that he made those arguments with New York when he was trying to get the show renewed. I presume he fought hard for us, but ultimately couldn’t sway executives in New York who never seemed — in my opinion — to really understand what kind of show we were doing, who I was and why I was hosting it, and how to engage with and promote to the audience who would like it.
I thanked him for the call, thanked him for the opportunity to do a show that Syfy had never tried before, and sincerely thanked him for all his creative support. He’s a good guy in an industry full of bad guys, and I genuinely enjoyed working with him. I know that he’s trying really hard to put the sci-fi back into Syfy, and if anyone can do it there (which is going to be incredibly difficult, I think), he’s the guy who can make it happen.
I hung up the phone, and told Anne that we weren’t being renewed.
“How do you feel about that?” She asked me.
“I’m really okay with it,” I said. “I’m super sad that I won’t get to work with my writers and producers, and I’m sad that we don’t get to keep writing jokes, but I did everything I could to help the show succeed. I promoted it the best way I could, I worked hard to write stuff that was funny, and I tried so, so, so hard to get the network executives in New York to understand how they could help the show succeed.
“I can only do so much, and we didn’t get a lot of promotional support. I did everything I could, and I’m proud of the work we put on the screen. On the one hand, it’s a shame that they stopped us right when the show was hitting its stride, but on the other hand, we went out with some great episodes.”
I’m disappointed that I won’t get to keep working with people I really like and respect. I’m sad that we won’t get to do more silly segments like How Will They Bite It? and Skeletor Reads Angry Tweets. I’ll miss the scarecrow most of all.
I’m grateful, though, to the people at Syfy who believed in us and gave us a chance to succeed. I’m grateful for the creative support we got, and I’m grateful that I got to spend my summer working with wonderful, talented, funny people. I grew a lot of levels in comedy writing over the last 18 weeks or so, and I owe it all to the amazing people I got to work with.
I had made a decision the day we wrapped the show, that I was going to be okay whether Syfy picked us up, or not. I can honestly say that I am really okay with where I am today. I’m looking forward to doing Tabletop and our upcoming RPG show. I’m looking forward to writing more stories, getting excited, and making more things.
Thank you to everyone who watched our show. Thank you for your kind words, and for being part of a pretty great summer.
Until next time: Play more games!
Oh, and let me just stop this before it starts: we nerds have a penchant for letter-writing campaigns and stuff to try and save shows we like. Please don’t do that here. It’s not going to happen, and we should instead put that energy into something else, like getting #butts to trend.
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Bit gutting. I wonder what the chances are of more people grouping together and starting their own channels. Goodness knows there’s nothing to watch any more on most of the current ones.
With ya there! Just don’t tempt me because I might just try and I do not have Wil’s talent. Maybe the opportunity to revive it will come back someday… stranger things have happened.
Do you have a spare $500,000,000 lying around to start up a new network? Wait, why am I asking, of course you don’t. Even if all your pals and buddies sold everything and took out double mortgage you’d have less than a million. That you’d even suggest such a thing shows how little you know, which is actually nothing about the massive costs involved with starting a brand new tv network using just you and your pals money.
Well I’m glad you are OK with it. I’m kinda pissed, and sad. Mostly sad I guess…I thought you were great and every episode was better than the one before…You Rock Wil, so ROCK ON!
Well, I’m glad you put that last bit in there, because I was seriously opening another browser tab to go and tweet SyFy about this.
/sigh.
I am sincerely sad we won’t get more WWP, but I’m glad you’re ok with the outcome. =)
This makes me so sad. I agree that the show was just starting to get really great and I could see so much potential for the future. I wish you nothing but the best Wil.
Aw man! I’m glad you’re okay with it but I’m still offering this HUG because there is no such thing as too many hugs.
Wil,
I am truly sorry for you and those you worked with. The show got better each week and deserved a better fate. Another 12 episodes airing during the fall tv season would have been golden for all of you, but alas.
Keep doing what you do. Tabletop has brought my family to gaming, and my kids wanted to ride in the car with me this week just to listen to your narration of Fuzzy Nation (I have moved on to Lock In, and I am enjoying the story and your work immensely.)
That really stinks. I am looking forward to the next season of TableTop and the new RPG show. Good luck with those upcoming endeavors.
SUPER GREATFUL that the creations went on air! I’m glad you put your 100% cause you are right – we can only do so much…and then itz tosses hands in air! 🙂 My hubby and i really enjoyed it – in fact we just saved most of the episodes in the DVR in case we get inspired to re-watch and giggle even more!!! <3 I really appreciate you using your creative gifts of all kinds to make us laugh and do all the things that YOU do. Thanks for being you!!!! So, go be you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Much love
and thanks a bunch for ALL the #photoshopwilwheatons this has truly been a blast!!!!!
I think one of the best days I had this year was on a day where I was looking forward to a new episode of your show while listening to a new Weird Al song, and I thought that if I traveled back in time and told that to my 13 year old self, 13 year old me would have punched me in the face for getting her hopes up that the future would be great.
So basically, even though it only lasted a summer, you made now pretty great for me and a lot others, and I think you’ll continue to make great things with tabletop and whatever future adventures you get in to. 😀
I’m sad it’s over, but thank you for creating something that brightened up an otherwise sucky summer!
Sad to hear that it didn’t get picked up, but it sounds like you’ve got at least one Syfy exec on your side. Here’s hoping that it leads to something even more awesome in the future.
That sucks. Even my wife, who’s not into Syfy type shows, loved your show.
Boo. That’s too bad. I hoped somehow it would just keep going. I’ll miss tweets from skeletor.
I told Z though, and she didn’t take it well.
another good show bites the dust, another day to watch eureka rewind…
Damn it! Just when my weeks were getting hilarious. Well, your fans love you even if New York doesn’t.
The greatest achievement for anyone making a show is getting it cancelled by syfy, syfy prides itself on cancelling anything good and not renewing quality programs.
Ah, this sucks. It’s probably not really a surprise but it still sucks. I would have loved to support the show but not being from the US I couldn’t.
Anyways: So long and thanks for all the fish, The Wil Wheaton Project!
Sorry they did not pick up more episodes, found something to enjoy in every episode. The spouse and I both commented that it was a bummer you didn’t get to have an episode after the new Who as that would have been fun to see your review/take on. Shout out to YOU!
Never stop trying to get #butts to trend.
Sorry about the show not getting picked up, Wil. It was awesome, and I loved every minute of it. After a pretty long hiatus of not watching the See-Fee channel (that’s how you pronounce it, right?) It drew me back into the network. The hiatus begins again, as, in my opinion, there’s really nothing worth watching there anymore.
Anyway, you’re on to other things. I pitched in for TableTop Season 3, and as a life-long table-top gamer, I’m really excited about the RPG show. Recently, my gaming group expressed an interest in starting some sort of podcast based on the crazy, and sometimes hilarious (at least, to us) stuff that we talk about while we’re waiting for someone to dig through various rulebooks. It’s in no small part inspired by shows like Tabletop.
So, thanks for everything you do. Sorry the show didn’t go on longer, I really enjoyed the hell out of it (and I know all my friends did too!). But all you can do is move on and find something else to throw your creativity at.
(And yes, I plan on playing more games)
Well, that was not what I wanted to hear on this glorious Friday afternoon. I’m so sorry that SyFy doesn’t understand their own content. You are brilliant and I just know that there is something even more amazing for you to share with us.
BTW: I tweeted, “#butts” for ya.
I’m sorry to hear this. My husband and I, and two friends, were audience members for one episode, and had an absolute blast (we were your “theatre nerds”). What I really respected was how you interacted with the audience, especially how you took the time to shake each person’s hand as we were leaving and sincerely thank us for coming.
I loved the show, and I’ll miss it. I’m glad you have exciting projects ahead!
Tell Fillion you got Fireflied. He’ll understand.
Sorry you didn’t get a renewal. I liked your show. One can be sad for getting only 1 season, but you got 12 episodes, which is what Ricky Gervais got for the original The Office(+ a x-mas special). Keep writing up new ideas! My all time favourite gag was your “Cosmos on…” bits.
Mr. Wheaton, I am so sorry that you will not be continuing to make your show. I know it is purely selfish of me, I really enjoyed both the show and having you ‘visit’ in my home. I think you are very talented and maybe more important in the industry you choose to work in, very likable. It is a mark of your skill as an entertainer that I feel as though you are a friend. I’m not trying to be creepy here, I know you don’t know me, but I feel as if you did, we could be friends. That ability to connect is your strength. I hope those execs notice this soon.I’m sure that now that your schedule is freer you will have time for that next, greater project. Good Luck, you deserve it.
I’m really bummed that I never got to watch it! I’m a cord cutter and there was no legal way for me to see it. Usually I can at least access something through Hulu or by buying a season pass on Amazon, but I couldn’t even do that for WWP. That made me sad. I hope that networks start to realize that they aren’t helping themselves by making it hard to access their content that creators work so hard on.
I’m really sorry that it didn’t work out. I think you and everyone involved did a great job! And I’m sorry that the rest of the world (I’m from germany) had and has no way of raising your viewer numbers in any way. The Wil Wheaton Project hit the right niche and reached the right group of people, but “we” watch less and less TV what makes it that more difficult for you guys to succeed.
Anyway, I enjoyed every minute of your show and more then ever look forward to your new projects for the next years to come.
Best wishes,
Fabian
This is so sad 🙁 Is there a good way for me to watch the show in the UK?
Disappointing to hear about your show. Life is a balance and for every door that closes there are tabletop 3s, RPG shows, trending butts, etc. You being OK with it is true progress. Much love and support. Be well.
Now that Kari, Tory, and Grant are out of work as well, you should totally team up with them to do a show called, “We’ll Make Our Own Damn Show”.
Damn. Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn. Your show was a cut above the usual reality crap on Syfy. I’d like to see one of the other networks pick it up; maybe Comedy Central. It’s not you, Wil; it’s them.
On to something bigger and better!
xxxooo
Laurie
I am sad your show wasn’t renewed. I thought it, and you, were brilliant! But I am very excited for the new season of Tabletop. Thanks for being awesome!
I’m glad you are okay and know it is them not you, The Wil Wheaton Project was perfect in every way and will be missed. My 13 year old son is not into television that much he basically watches reruns of Friends, The Big Bang Theory, and The Wil Wheaton Project. I looked forward to your show each week and watching you make him laugh. His response when I told him was that everything else on Syfy sucks and you should do your show online. Know that you have made people happy and will continue to.
I love Wil, huge fan of his work on Eureka, Big Bang Theory, His books, and blog. However I watched all episodes of Wil Weaton Project., and I didn’t really enjoy it. It appeared awkward, disjointed and not very funny overall. Which is a shame, we all know Wil is extremely funny.
It seemed to me the audience did not laugh at most things. Although Skeletor reads tweets was awesome!
I can see why it didn’t get picked up, and I hope this cancellation will free Wil up to do something better. How about a sitcom (not reality show) about the daily life of Family Wheaton?
Let the post bashing commence.
Wil, I gotta say: personally, I think very highly of you, but I don’t think The Wil Wheaton Project is where your true talents lie. I didn’t care for the show and didn’t think it was the best vehicle for your abilities. There was a certain “talk show host faux cheeriness” necessary for the part which just — admittedly I say this just as my opinion — didn’t suit you, your reputation, or your personality.
Your true talents? Some have been discovered and documented, and I’m sure many haven’t. I can say that I think you’re one of the best, most heartfelt memoir writers I’ve ever read and I feel like your memoirs should’ve resided on the NYT best-seller lists for weeks on end, and I think you’re one of the few people who’s managed to completely turn around the thinking of the monolithic geek hivemind when it comes to their opinion of you (when it comes to the dislike of Wesley versus the immense like of Wil Wheaton the person).
You and your wife’s frank talk about your issues with anxiety and depression have made a personal difference in my life and, no doubt, a very significant difference in many, perhaps hundreds, of your readers’ lives.
And that’s not even touching upon the immense difference you’ve made as a husband to Anne and a father to her children.
You’ve done amazing things and I’m certain that you have amazing things lying in your future. Mourn “The Wil Wheaton Project”, but I personally don’t think it was the best vehicle to show your strengths.
I’m sorry to hear this. I watched every episode every time it was aired and enjoyed it every time. I always found something I missed on the first go round. I pretty much don’t watch SyFy anymore, but your show was a treat among the oddness the channel has become. On a side note, I’m looking forward to new episodes of Tabletop. Oddly, I don’t play games but I thoroughly enjoy each episode. Good luck on new endeavors. Maybe this means something even better is down the road!
I am sorry that the show was not picked up. I enjoyed watching it and I’m glad I got to attend the taping of the final episode. I look forward to more Tabletop and whatever other Wil Wheaton Projects come our way in the future!
In response to the actual title of this post: try sitting on top of your refrigerator. As for the show, I kept looking for more the past few weeks before remembering it wasn’t on and then got sad. But you should be okay with them not renewing it, because you know you have a loyal fan base that will follow you to whatever your next project will be and you will enjoy making that and we will enjoy watching it as well.
Sorry to hear it won’t continue. I enjoyed watching it. Perhaps there might be a way for it to resurrect in a different form as a web series with a bit less budget?
Good luck on the next phase, and can’t wait for Tabletop season 3!
Who owns the rights to the show? Could you get together with them and take the show elsewhere? Netflix? Make it part of Geek&Sundry? The latter would most likely mean a much larger audience.
It’s a shame because by the end of it, you had found your groove and the show felt like a complete concept rather than a collection of bits.
Then again, this means more tabletop and the RPG show!
NETFLIX… GET ON THIS!!!!
I had put that network into time out when they dumped Eureka. I was willing to give them a second chance when they picked up WWP, but now they’re dead to me.
My husband and I enjoyed the crap out of your show. Thanks for approximately 6 hours of great TV.
Sorry to hear that Wil. My wife and I really liked the show. Kind of knew it was coming though. SyFy wouldn’t know a good show if it bit them. On the plus side, SyFy may be on the downward slide, but I’m pretty sure there are great things in store for you.
Sadness. I was hoping for more.
Onward to the next bigger and better things.
It would have been really nice to see your show on Hulu, for those of us that don’t have cable.
Job well done, Will! Sorry to hear that we won’t get a second season, but looking forward to the next season of Tabletop, the RPG show, and whatever else you dream up with for us. Thanks for letting us laugh with you this summer – it was fun!
Somewhere in Wil’s life, a window opens…
Sorry to hear it didn’t work out in the long run — as many promising new shows do not. As I know you’re well aware, it’s extraordinarily difficult to get a new show established, no matter how talented the people involved may be.
I think you are brave for putting yourself out there and trying in spite of the odds, and I think you are wise to take the disappointment with such balanced perspective and good cheer.
There’s really only one thing to say…
#butts
Hey if this means new episodes of TableTop then I’m cool with it.
You do a thing as best you can, you get the best people available to help make it happen, you come up with a novel and effective solution to a problem (or a really clever bit like “How Will They Bite It?”, if you’re making a TV show instead of trying to remove a piece of equipment stuck to the sea floor 5000 feet below the surface of the ocean — we all have our different tasks), and even with all that effort, sometimes someone at the client will look at you and say “Well, that looks like a great idea, but we were really thinking of something more…. conventional“, even though the whole reason you were brought in in the first place was because the conventional wasn’t working.
Ya done good, laddie. Maybe, legal departments and contract requirements willing, TWWP can be resurrected in another venue. I hear that Hardwick guy has a pretty big media reach & his own online network.
And maybe it doesn’t.
But in the meantime, you made as good a thing as you could, a whole lot of people laughed their asses off along with it, and joke ’em if they can’t take a fuck, ’cause you’ve got so many other things going on that are just as awesome and exist because of you.
The honest truth is that I do think that the show had a bit of a rocky start, but I agree that it really was hitting its stride. By the end, I can sincerely say that I was looking forward to seeing another season. Ah well, we don’t live in a perfect world.
I’m just glad that you’re okay with this, Wil. I think that shows immense maturity on your part. It’s how we act when things don’t go right that defines who we are, and your ability to take this news in stride is a true measure of success.