THE WHEEL OF TIME Showrunner Reacts to Cancellation: “These Fans Deserve to See the Story Finished”
Rafe Judkins, showrunner of The Wheel of Time, has broken his silence following Amazon’s unexpected cancellation of the fantasy series just weeks after its Season 3 finale. The news left fans stunned, especially after the show’s steady performance and deeply invested audience. Judkins himself is still processing it.
In an emotional Instagram post, Judkins shared:
“I wish I could say something clear and tidy that explains to all those who love it why it's coming to an end. But the truth is, I don't really understand it myself.”
Judkins went on to celebrate the cast and crew as “talented and wonderful,” and pointed out something that makes the cancellation sting even more:
“Season 3 spent nearly 20 weeks in the Nielsen Top 10 streaming chart, a feat few shows have been able to match in the last decade.”
So, the show was doing very well! Judkins didn’t stop at mourning The Wheel of Time, he called out a larger issue plaguing modern TV:
“There is a larger trend in TV toward fewer seasons with less episodes… I genuinely believe that this goes against the fundamental strength of television – long-form storytelling.”
It’s hard to argue with him. Shows that once had the runway to evolve and deepen such as Lost, Breaking Bad, The X-Files, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and more, are now expected to make a splash in eight episodes or less. For something as sprawling and layered as The Wheel of Time, that kind of compressed storytelling just doesn’t cut it.
Still, there’s a glimmer of hope. Judkins hinted that the show might yet defy the odds:
“One of the reasons I chose Amazon in the first place was that it had recently picked up The Expanse after SYFY axed it… Who knows, perhaps The Wheel of Time show will do what the books have always managed to do since day one – defy the traditional definitions of ‘beginnings’ and ‘ends.’ I certainly hope it does – because this book series and these fans deserve to see the story finished.”
For now, there are no official plans to shop the series elsewhere, but fans aren’t letting it go quietly. A petition to save the show has already gathered nearly 130,000 signatures, proving that the wheel is still turning. The question is… will someone will step up to keep it spinning?