How an animated bird sitcom survived a sudden cancellation to find a second life
In short: When Netflix canceled Tuca & Bertie in July 2019, fans immediately launched a massive digital campaign to save it. The show, centered on the friendship between a toucan and a song thrush, didn't just survive; it migrated to Adult Swim for two more seasons of critical acclaim.
The series, created by cartoonist Lisa Hanawalt, originally premiered on Netflix on May 3, 2019. It follows the lives of two anthropomorphic bird friends: the impulsive Tuca Toucan and the career-minded Bertie Songthrush. While the first season received positive reviews, Netflix canceled the series in July 2019, less than three months after its premiere. This decision drew criticism regarding the platform's algorithm and its ability to allow new shows to grow their audience.
The cancellation sparked an immediate backlash. Within 24 hours, the hashtags RenewTucaAndBertie and SaveTucaAndBertie each garnered over 10,000 tweets, and a Change.org petition collected 3,600 signatures in a single day. Looking for a new home, Hanawalt eventually chose Adult Swim, which announced a revival in May 2020. The second season premiered on June 13, 2021, and was later renewed for a third season in August 2021, which debuted on July 10, 2022.
Critically, the show has been lauded for its surreal art style and its exploration of complex themes like adulthood, friendship, and trauma. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds a 98% approval rating based on 48 reviews, while the second and third seasons both hold a 100% approval rating. Despite the successful revival, Hanawalt confirmed in November 2022 that Adult Swim canceled the series after it completed two seasons on the network, for a total of three seasons.
The show's success is reflected in its accolades, including a 2020 Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Writing for the episode "The Jelly Lakes." It has also earned multiple nominations for voice acting and writing, including an Emmy nomination for Ali Wong in 2023.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Tuca & Bertie
- Also: Wikidata — Tuca & Bertie · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Tuca & Bertie, season 2 · CC0
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