Scavengers Reign Season 2 Hopes Fade Due to HBO's Grim Streak With Animation
It's not like we will ever stop hoping, though.
Summary:
- Scavengers Reign was a surprise hit for HBO in fall 2023
- However, despite its massive success, it remains an overlooked gem rather than a mainstream icon
- With the recent HBO's cancelation binge against animated shows in mind and little to no news on a potential season 2, fans are getting desperate
The animated story of a space crew stranded on a beautiful but dangerous planet with their damaged ship has taken the audience by storm after being released by HBO Max in fall 2023.
With only 12 episodes of the first season and radio silence on season 2 renewal, however, fans are starting to get desperate. It looks like that even immaculate reviews and critical acclaim won't help Scavengers Reign stay afloat.
Such a sentiment grows because of a grim HBO trend that the animation fans couldn't ignore. In recent years, HBO has been notoriously merciless with its animated shows, even the successful ones: RIP Infinity Train, Final Space, Close Enough, Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures... yeah, we'll stop there.
Redditors even joke that any animated show, no matter how good it is, will get axed by HBO, "unless you're Harley Quinn apparently." With Scavengers Reign, however, it's not only about the critical acclaim and fan love; no, the creators are also on board with continuing their story.
"I do feel like we tried to tell a complete story, not a puzzle box that tries to lure people back. That being said, we do have some big ideas as to what could come next," said the animated show's exec producer James Merrill in an interview with Comicbook.
Another producer, Sean Buckelew, noted in the same interview that they have "a couple more seasons mapped out."
However, HBO Max remains silent on whether Scavengers Reign gets at least one more season, let alone "a couple more."
Scavengers Reign Sits on Rare 100% Rotten Tomatoes Score
When we say "a true overlooked gem," we mean it: Scavengers Reign enjoys a rare 100% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with the audience score tailing behind on 94%.
People mainly praise it for its perfect pacing and stunning visuals (even though some viewers may or may not have mentioned that the show can get trippy at times).
"One of the few "alien" worlds I've seen that truly feels alien. It's not just re-skinning or putting glowing lights on earth animals. The biology and how it interacts with other creatures and the environment is totally unique," Redditor SavoryApricot said.
Given the resurgence in adult animation recently, it would be a bummer if HBO still decides to kill the show. However, given the still painful cancelation streak of 2022, we won't be too surprised, sadly.
To boost the chances of renewal, you can stream Scavengers Reign season 1 on HBO Max.
Source: Comicbook