'The Greatest American Hero' Reboot Not Moving Forward at ABC

Cancellations have come fast and heavy today, but some shows didn't even have the chance to show [...]

Cancellations have come fast and heavy today, but some shows didn't even have the chance to show what they can do, including The Greatest American Hero.

The reboot to the cult classic will not be getting a season order from ABC this fall, and star Hannah Simone took to social media to express her disappointment, but also to let fans know their voices can still have an effect on the show's prospects.

"We just found out that network tv isn't ready for the first brown female superhero on tv. The Greatest American Hero won't be on @ABCNetwork this fall.. and our hearts are broken. This would have been history making and so empowering for young girls around the world. Get loud RT"

Simone was set to play the lead character Meera, a 30-year-old from Cleveland who is described as specializing in drinking tequila and singing karaoke. Meera's life changes though when aliens give her a super suit to protect the planet, and as you might expect, Meera doesn't exactly have the smoothest launch into superherodom.

The show was set to keep the same comedic tone of the original, but the lead role was changed to a female person of color. The original series featured a white male lead named Ralph Hinkley (played by William Katt).

While it seems ABC is not going to order a full season, that doesn't mean it couldn't find a life elsewhere. Simone is urging fans to let their voice be heard in support of the show on social media, which could help potential networks see the value in the series.

The original Greatest American Hero series ran for 3 seasons from 1981 to 1983 and focused on Hinkley's attempts at adapting to his powers. ABC actually canceled the show before it could air the final four episodes, but later released them as part of the DVD collections. At one point the rights were purchased by NBC, who were planning a spinoff of the show called "The Greatest American Heroine". This was produced during the final season of Greatest American Hero but didn't air until years later.

The Greatest American Hero is among a series of cancellations today, a list that includes Lucifer, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Alex Inc, Great News, Quantico, Designated Survivor, and more.

8comments