The CW’s newest superhero drama television seriesNaomihas been canceled after only a one-season duration. The superhero drama series, produced and co-written by Ava DuVernay, was based on the 2019 comic book series illustrated by Jamal Campbell and co-written by Brian Michael Bendis and David F. Walker.Naomifollows the story of a young girlnamed Naomi McDuffie (played by Kaci Walfall) who resides in the town of Port Oswego. The story begins as the town reels from a recent supernatural run-in, and Naomi sets out to discover the dark truth behind the events that transpired. As she sets out on the journey for the truth, she is backed and supported by those closest to her, like her spunky best friend Annabelle (played by Mary-Charles Jones), her adoptive parents (played by Barry Watson and Mouzam Makkar), and Dee (played by Alexander Wraith), the owner of the local tattoo parlor who becomes her mentor during the duration of her conquest.RELATED:Batwoman And Legends Of Tomorrow Canceled By The CW Despite Cliffhanger EndingsNaomiaired for the first timeon the network back in early January 2022 and its final episode aired on May 10th, 2022. Following its sudden abrupt cancellation, the series has found itself a new home on the dusty shelf ofthe CW’s trashed superhero projects. A few of the others it sits beside isBatwoman,which was discarded after its third season, andLegendsofTomorrow, which was laid to rest after a 7 season stretch. The only superhero shows the network chose to renew areTheFlash, which will be returning for a ninth season,Stargirl, which has its third season set to hit the small screen later this year, andSuperman & Lois, which was just renewed for a third season back in March.
While not the first series within the past few years to receivethe boot from CW executives,Naomi’s plug being pulled has caused a stir from fans online. One fan took to Twitter to point out what they believe to be the “transparent” reason behind the cancellations. This is just one fan opinion, but when entering online conversations about the series cancellations, most of the comments shift in this direction. There have also been conversations sparked about the network’s choice to axe a positively received series with a female African American queer main character.
With the network being initially applauded for bringing representation to the small screen, the recent news ofthe story ofNaomiand her friends coming to an end has fans disappointed at the loss of this LGBTQ+ inclusion. They are also shocked at the way the finale ended with unanswered questions, and largely confused at why the network chose to adopt Naomi’s story only to get rid of it after less than a year.
While the decision to takeNaomioff the air may have been due to other factors, like lack of viewership and scheduling conflicts, fans will continue to mourn the loss of the series.Naomimay be gone, but its impact after only one season will last. To many, it may seem small, but for minorities being able to relate to and see themselves in these characters means the world, and in some instances, it can even save lives.
