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expand=1]Fans Petition to Save Lisa Hanawalt's 'Tuca & Bertie' from Cancellation!
Netflix original Tuca & Bertie received a lot of attention May 1st on Twitter when Netflix dropped the first look at the fluidly animated opening credits. Creator Lisa Hanawalt, who is also the production designer and producer of BoJack Horseman, made history as a woman creating an adult cartoon directed towards a female audience.
Fans were loving this show, praising it for its unapologetic representation and tackling heavy topics such as alcoholism and abuse. Many also praised the show's art style, animation, and color schemes. However, the tables turned when on July 24th, Netflix announced the show would not get picked up for a new season.
The conversation shifted from celebration to an energized rallying cry to save the beloved Tuca & Bertie. Fans took to social media and spread petitions to save the show. Websites such as savetucaandbertie.com were launched and a Change.orgpetition has made rounds its, most notably on Twitter. As of Tuesday afternoon, there are almost 17,000 signatures on this viral petition.
The use of Hashtags like #SaveTucaAndBertie and other social media rallies have worked to save other shows from being cancelled. Netflix's One Day at a Time was picked up by Pop Network after fans expressed outrage. Before this movement, FOX cancelled Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which was then saved by NBC. Fans truly have a voice in protecting their shows, and when it matters most, many use social media to make their voices heard.
Tuca & Bertie is critically-acclaimed for its female-centered writing, which gracefully handles issues many women face: workplace harassment and sexism, among many other issues. This animated series, starring Ali Wong and Tiffany Haddish, two women of color, repeatedly challenges the audience's expectations without relying on shock humor or insulting jokes at anyone's expense. This dynamic is best shown in the anticipation of jokes, when writers subvert expectations the audience has on Steven Yeun's character, Speckles. But this clever writing isn't the only place where the writers flex their creative muscles!
Tuca & Bertie's imaginative art direction implements a multimedia approach for a unique experience. When briefly switching from cartoon anthropomorphic characters to real-life shots of their animal counterparts, the scene has a new element of surprise, which is extremely funny to watch. The art changes also show different perspectives in Tuca & Bertie, willing the audience to resonate with the characters.
All of these different aspects of Tuca & Bertie truly make the show one of a kind, which fans recognize. Even other writers recognize how special this show is. Johnny Sun from BoJack Horseman took to Twitter to defend the show, joining the many worried fans. To those distraught over the cancellation, don't grab your panic attack snack shoes, you can still save Tuca & Bertie! Sign and share the petition to save the show!
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