Preston Smith
LGBT+ individuals and people of color are always fighting for representation in television and films, and The Fosters and Shadowhunters championed the movement. However, both series, which both air on ABC’s Freeform channel, are coming to an end.
The Fosters ending has been known for some time, and we’ve even covered it here on Fuzzable. The actual ending, the three night series finale event, concludes tonight, Wednesday, June 6, 2018.
Shadowhunters‘ conclusion was not known. That is, until Freeform made the announcement via the show’s official Twitter account on June 4, 2018. The series will finish its third season, which is currently on midseason hiatus, and conclude with a two-part series finale event similar to that given to The Fosters.
Join us for the final hunt. #Shadowhunters returns in Spring 2019 for its final season concluding with a special two-part series finale event. pic.twitter.com/G69zyQeZKK
— Shadowhunters (@ShadowhuntersTV) June 5, 2018
The Fosters ending in June and the subsequent cancellation of Shadowhunters in June leaves a bitter taste due simply to the fact that June is Pride Month. Both of these series normalize LGBT+ individuals and relationships, which helps LGBT+ individuals who otherwise don’t see much representation on television.
The Fosters shows a loving, nurturing family being led by two mothers, the coming of age of a young gay teenager that they adopt, and the transitioning of transgender individuals, among other scenarios that need to be shared and seen in our society.
Shadowhunters, on the other hand, finds one of the namesake warriors as he explores his first gay relationship. Even more importantly, the series explores what it’s like to develop feelings for a friend as those relationships can become confusing. The series further positions Alec and his boyfriend in leadership positions (Head of the New York Institute and High Warlock of Brooklyn, respectively), which is equally as important for younger LGBT+ viewers to see. They need to understand that there is nothing wrong with who you are, and you can achieve absolutely anything.
Both shows also feature queer people of color, which is so important for young people of color to see, especially since people of color already have to fight for screen time in America as is. All in all, these series prove the beauty of diversity.
But what do we do when these series officially come to an end?
We remember them. We sign petitions. We stream them to emphasize to production companies that diversity is what we want – and what we demand. We remain hopeful moving forward. We let these series impact the future of television. We let stations such as Freeform – who tweeted about Pride Month on June 1, 2018, with a video that includes footage from Shadowhunters and The Fosters – that if they’re going to profit off of LGBT+ representation, there needs to be consistency in their representation.
How do you feel about the cancellation of these series? Comment below and tweet us @Fuzzable with your opinions and your love for these series!
