The Paramount+ production, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, has met its untimely demise after only one season, marking it as another progressive-oriented TV series that failed to gain traction with viewers.
Adding to the sting, Paramount+ plans to wipe the series from its platform entirely, virtually annihilating any evidence of its presence. This decision aimed at cost-cutting will presumably result in tax benefits for the studio, whilst also reducing overheads related to residuals and administration. It’s a telling sign of the limited audience the show managed to attract.
The creator of Pink Ladies, Annabel Oakes, shared a heartfelt message via her Instagram Stories on Friday, expressing her disappointment about the studio’s decision.
“In a rather harsh move, the series is also set to disappear from @paramountplus next week. Unless it finds a new home, it won’t be available for viewing anywhere,” she shared. “The cast, my creative allies, and I are collectively shattered by the complete obliteration of our show.”
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies was envisioned as a precursor to the beloved 1978 movie featuring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John, set in the late 1950s. However, the series infused modern social themes into the narrative of Rydell High School, including same-sex romantic scenes and a focus on the racial identities of characters from ethnic minorities.
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As reported by Breitbart News, the revamped series was hailed as a medium for “diverse storytelling surrounding race and sexuality. The main characters are primarily women of color and LGBTQ+ women, and the series delves into the reality of being on the periphery of society in the 1950s.”
Actress Ari Notartomaso voiced her perspective on the series, “I believe we had the chance to depict another struggle that intersects with current issues such as racism.”
Paramount+ joins an expanding list of streaming platforms opting to eliminate less popular content as a method of cost-cutting.
Recently, Disney+ axed and took down its socially-conscious Willow series after only one season. The Willow series similarly incorporated modern ideologies into what was originally family-friendly content. The series included a lesbian love story between two main characters and appointed a transgender “woman” to play a cisgender character.
