Fans rejoice as Sense8 gets one final bow

Following an unprecedented fan response, the producers of the cancelled cult series Sense8 have announced that one more final two-hour episode will be made.

In a letter posted online on Thursday, Sense8 creator Lana Wachowski revealed that she had fallen into a deep depression when Netflix said last month it was ending the show after two seasons, despite a loyal following and critical praise.

More than half a million people went on to sign one petition calling for Sense8 to return.

“I had never worked so hard, or put so much of myself into a project as I had with Sense8, and its cancellation hollowed me out. I felt the disappointment of my amazing crew,” Wachowski said.

“I felt the sadness of the actors who had given so much of themselves, always finding more whenever the sun broke from the clouds. But most of all I felt the heartbreak of our fans. The passionate letters, the petitions, the collective voice that rose up like the fist of Sun to fight for this show was beyond what anyone was expecting.

“In this world it is easy to believe that you cannot make a difference; that when a government or an institution or corporation makes a decision, there is something irrevocable about the decision; that love is always less important than the bottom line. But here is a gift from the fans of this show that I will carry forever in my heart: while it is often true those decisions are irreversible, it is not always true,” Wachowski wrote.

“Improbably, unforeseeably, your love has brought Sense8 back to life. It is my great pleasure as well as Netflix’s (believe me, they love the show as much as we do but the numbers have always been challenging) to announce there will be another two hour special released next year.”

The sci-fi series, about eight strangers from around the world who suddenly become mentally and emotionally linked, explored issues such as sexuality and gender identity. The diverse characters included a closeted gay actor and a transgender lesbian woman.

The series was cancelled because its viewership was not large enough to justify its reported budget of $9 million per episode.

The creators of the petition in support of the show described the news of the additional finale episode as a victory: “Thank you so much to everyone who helped and shared the petition, created websites, called Netflix and did everything they could to help save the show. It’s not a new season, but it’s what both we and the show deserve.”

Death doesn’t let you say goodbye. 2 hour finale episode in the works. Tell your cluster. pic.twitter.com/GHZgGuHwS0

— Sense8 (@sense8) June 29, 2017