Prime Video has recently made the decision to cancel A League of Their Own, and a lot of people aren’t happy. A reimaging of the 1992 film, the series quickly gathered a loyal following, leaving fans devastated when the season 2 renewal was reversed on Friday. Officially, Prime Video has cited the actors’ strike as the reason behind the cancelation. Unofficially, many of the show’s LGBTQ+ fans have been quick to poke holes in that reasoning. For his part, A League of Their Own co-creator Will Graham has chosen not to focus on the anger surrounding the series’ untimely end, instead thanking fans for enjoying the show in the first place.
‘A League of Their Own’ Canceled After One Season
Premiering in August 2022, A League of Their Own is a modern take on the 1992 movie of the same name. Directed by Penny Marshall, the movie starred Geena Davis and Lori Petty as Dottie Hinson and Kit Keller, two sisters who join a movement to form an all-women baseball league during WWII. Thirty years after the movie, A League of Their Own takes the concept of an all-women baseball league and drives it in a different direction.
The A League of Their Own series stars Abbi Jacobson – also a co-creator alongside Will Graham – as Carson Shaw, who joins the Rockford Peaches while her husband is away fighting in World War II. Carson joins the Peaches, an all-girls team, as a catcher and enters a secret affair with Greta Gill (D’Arcy Carden), a teammate who encourages Carson to be open about her sexuality. Chanté Adams stars as Maxine “Max” Chapman, a closeted lesbian and talented pitcher struggling to break into professional baseball because of her race.
Over the course of eight episodes, the first season of A League of Their Own gained a devoted following of LGBTQ+ fans who were excited about the straightforward representation they were getting on screen. Fans’ excitement only increased when A League of Their Own got renewed for season 2 back in April, only for the renewal to be reversed on Friday, leaving the show canceled without a clean ending.
Will Graham Is “So Proud” of ‘A League of Their Own’ Fans
A very long thread: To the League fans, We found out this news along with you on Friday. I see the pain and anger and worry out there, which for the LGBTQIA+ fans of the show is of course compounded by what’s happening across the country right now. #ALeagueOfTheirOwn
— Will Graham (@WillWGraham) August 23, 2023
In stating its reasoning behind the cancelation, Prime Video has pointed the finger at the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike and its mounting costs. A League of Their Own star and co-creator Abbi Johnson was quick to refute that reasoning, stating “To blame this cancellation on the strike…is bulls**t and cowardly,” in an Instagram post from Friday. Her co-creator Will Graham has shared his own thoughts on the cancelation, and while he’s made his disappointment clear, he’s chosen to focus on his pride towards the fans who supported the series.
Graham’s entire Twitter thread can be found in full here, but some of the highlights include Graham urging fans to “take care of themselves” and thanking them for their support while promising that if they can find a new home for A League of Their Own, the show will continue.
“If we don’t find a good path forward, I will still know that League did what it came here to do and, in its own small way, changed the world,” he shared. “And that’s because of all of you, and the light you continue to shine on the show — How you let it matter to you, how you let it become a mirror, how you let it change you.I’ve never experienced a response to a show that’s as deep, personal, creative and meaningful as what the fans have done with League…Thank you for making our work mean something bigger.”
Not much else is known about A League of Their Own’s cancellation at this time, or whether the show will be picked up by another network or streaming platform.
