I have just finished watching episode 8 of the new Exorcist TV series and up to now it is my favourite horror tv series so why hasn't it been renewed yet?
Now this post will contain spoilers so if you have not watched the show and plan on doing so then please stop reading and enjoy the show as it really is good.
If you haven't yet watched the show and don't plan on watching it then please continue to read and hopefully I can convince you to start watching.
I noticed on Twitter a campaign to try and get the show renewed with the #renewtheexorist hash tag and a show this good really should be renewed and got me asking myself why isn't it getting the viewers it deserves?
I believe the reason it hasn't had as many viewers is the way it was marketed. All I knew before watching it was that they were making a series of The Exorcist. I originally thought it was going to be a remake which I know many horror fans don't even entertain the thought of watching a remake so anyone that avoids remakes regardless would have already put it on the shit pile. The original trailer didn't help as it looked like a remake with a mother trying to get help for her possessed daughter.
It was during the first episode that I realised it was set in the same world as the original movie when we see a glimpse of a news article with a picture of the famous stairs from The Exorcist. It was at the end of episode 5 when we found out, (now this is the spoiler bit...) it is a direct sequel to the frist movie! Regan is now grown up, changed her name and has daughters of her own, one of which is being possessed by the same demon Captain Howdy as Regan.
So why was it never promoted as a sequel? I'm guessing the reason is they wanted to shock the audience with the big reveal which work very well with me. I was very shocked at the end of episode 5 and couldn't wait for the next episode and made a series I was already enjoying that much better.
Now you would think the people that rubbished the show of as another shitty remake would be able to enjoy the show as the sequel it is however fans of the show can't tell them it is a sequel. The way the shock ending of episode 5 played out it would be classed as a major spoiler if fans were to give that story away and no one wants to be the person that gives spoilers away.
Which leaves us all at a kind of stand off. Fans of the show want a second season and in order to get that the show needs more viewers and the only way to create more viewers is to create a buzz about the show which means talking about the which fans can't talk about without giving spoilers of the show away. Saying it's shuch a good show isn't enough to encourage people disenfranchised by remakes to give it a go. I feel the makers of the show felt just having The Exorcist title would be enough to generate viewers which unfortunately hasn't happened. Also not including Tubular Bells as the theme tune hasn't helped.
So where do we go from here? I really want a second season, I've noticed the official Twitter account hasn't had a problem giving spoilers away as you can see from the screen shots from below. I've had to stop following them as the US is ahead of the UK on episodes.
So should us fans give away these spoilers in the hope that more newcomers will come and watch the show giving it a more likely chance of it being renewed? I think it's worth being being that person that gives spoilers away if it pays off.
