Thread by @lilly_wachowski

Right before the thanksgiving holiday, I got the extremely disappointing news from the execs at Showtime that Work in Progress was not going to be picked up for a third season.

It was a major bummer.

We had been through a lot. The experience of shooting through covid was extremely difficult. The masks made the experience very antiseptic to me - the intimacy – the ability to convey and receive joy and love was acutely missing and

I felt in a profound and harsh way, the grim reality of performing the function of a job that had brought me so much meaning and happiness was reduced to simple stark commerce. Commie-Me seethed at the experience. Post was hard too but with the vaccines, it gradually got better,

joy and love seeped back into the experience. As we neared the end of the season editorially, the last episodes like train cars coming into the station, I was beaming with pride with everything we had accomplished.

Though I still held fast to hope,

I had a sinking feeling that we might not be renewed. The productions’ contracts were written in such a way that the actors’ salaries were locked for 2 seasons with an incremental bump from season 1 to 2. The studio would have to negotiate with a whole bunch of folks

who had given them a very good deal at the outset and were due for a raise.

So the network was probably running the numbers and even though a show like ours, super contained, entirely shot on location in Chicago with mostly local talent, the bottom line did not work for them

compared to our viewership, which could be optimistically defined as discerning/niche. We were told it went down from season 1 to season 2. (Ok, very discerning!)

“Well, it’s a business,” is what my brain tells my heart. “Art and commerce, it’s a deal with the devil. You know that.”

To which my heart always responds, “No fucking shit, jerkass.”

Heart often does not mince words.

Since our disheartening news though, Work in Progress has made 7 top 10 lists and has been nominated for best comedy in the GLAAD awards. But unfortunately, that isn’t enough to overcome the bottom line. Which is frustrating. Because shows like ours get trotted out

to illustrate how networks and studios are soooo committed to diversity but then get cut before they can establish a viewership. It is a bit of a vicious cycle.

At what point does the “commitment and championing of diversity” end?

If the answer to that question is at the bottom line of a profits and loss spreadsheet, then maybe you’re not really invested in diversity at all. An investment in diversity isn’t meaningful if ultimately studios and networks justify cancellations based on the bottom line.

Those are just, you know, regular investments.

I am grateful to Showtime for giving us the opportunity to make this super queer and beautiful show. But I am also not content or happy to just be here. Something has to change.

This industry should be pushed to create more meaningful support systems for the art that they help create. Shows like Gentefied and Vida and South Side (why the hell hasn’t this show been picked up yet!? Its fantastic!) and Shrill and Work in Progress need more

meaningful commitments than just an intersection between art and commerce or a deal with the devil.

These folks besides the obvious #AbbyMcEnany and @JIsbackintown who I got to make this with are brilliant!

Please hire them!, @blythehaaga, @PrdcrJacqui, @katecjames, #SamanthaIrby, @berndandooling, @theamandablake, #TienTran, #JessicaEsteves, @TylerADav, @MisterSniffen, #MeganKellie, @yford, #KrisRey, #ThembiBanks, @M_R_Turtle, @Mognisanti, @ethanstoller and many more!

And If any executive is seeing this our show is available!!!