Apple cancels 'Shantaram' after a single season

AppleInsider · December 16, 2022 2:40PM

Apple has canceled the drama series "Shantaram" on Apple TV+, and the season one finale premieres on December 16.

Apple cancels "Shantaram"

"Shantaram" tells the story of Lin Ford (played by Charlie Hunnam), a former bank robber who moves to Bombay and tries to reinvent himself. It's based on the best-selling book by Gregory David Roberts, which has sold over six million copies.

The series halted production in 2020 when former showrunner Eric Warren Singer departed the project. It then saw multiple delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the typhoon season.

It's unclear why Apple has canceled the show. Deadline reports that it hasn't been as popular as other content on Apple TV+.

Along with Hunnam, the series starred Shubham Saraf, Elektra Kilbey, Fayssal Bazzi, Luke Pasqualino, Alyy Khan, Sujaya Dasgupta, Vincent Perez, David Field, Alexander Siddig, Gabrielle Scharnitzky, Elham Ehsas, Rachel Kamath, Matthew Joseph, and Shiv Palekar.

Showrunner Steve Lightfoot wrote the series and served as executive producer alongside Bharat Nalluri. Other executive producers include Andrea Barron, Nicole Clemens, Steve Golin, Justin Kurzel, and Eric Warren Singer, who co-created the series with Lightfoot.

Paramount Television produced the series for Apple with Anonymous Content's AC Studios.

"Shantaram" joins other nixed Apple TV+ content, such as "Little Voice" which was also cancelled after one season in 2021. A songwriting drama produced by J.J. Abrams and Sara Bareilles, that series told the story of a musician navigating the New York City music scene while coping with life.

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danox · December 16, 2022 3:19PM

JP234 said:

I watched 3 or 4 episodes before completely losing interest. Can't speak for anyone else, but I've seen this plot countless times, and there's absolutely nothing new or original to see here. Apple TV's content has been compelling and innovative in the main, but there are exceptions such as Shantaram, Servant, Mosquito Coast, and Loot, to name just a few. There are others, such as See, which have an original premise, but then after that has been mined, descend into mindless violence, sex and profanity, or puerile humor more suited to the butt, butt, boob, poop, poop audience that finds that kind of thing funny.

Overall, though there are some fails, Apple does a far better job moderating content than Prime, Netflix, Disney+ or even HBO Max. Much smaller pile of crap to wade through to find quality programming.

No British, Australian, Korean, American PBS or Nordic shows equals fail.

Petersen · December 16, 2022 3:48PM

I think it's great. Every episode was interesting and exciting and I also enjoyed it took place in India, a place I don't recall ever getting much attention. This is really too bad... maybe the show wasn't woke enough for apple ???

Petersen · December 16, 2022 3:50PM

JP234 said:

I watched 3 or 4 episodes before completely losing interest. Can't speak for anyone else, but I've seen this plot countless times, and there's absolutely nothing new or original to see here. Apple TV's content has been compelling and innovative in the main, but there are exceptions such as Shantaram, Servant, Mosquito Coast, and Loot, to name just a few. There are others, such as See, which have an original premise, but then after that has been mined, descend into mindless violence, sex and profanity, or puerile humor more suited to the butt, butt, boob, poop, poop audience that finds that kind of thing funny.

Overall, though there are some fails, Apple does a far better job moderating content than Prime, Netflix, Disney+ or even HBO Max. Much smaller pile of crap to wade through to find quality programming.

ALL plots have been in one way or they other rehashed. Tell me 4 shows with this same plot then? And 4 shows you feel are totally new and original.

george kaplan · December 16, 2022 3:58PM

I understand the fact this has a cursed birth, between weather delays and the pandemic, but the time spent was worth it. I watched what I assumed to be the season finale last night and was looking forward to the next season of shows.

It is true the first few shows were a lot of tough exposition, with a Les Miserables-type plot overlaid in a foreign culture which required much explanation. But the depiction of the Sagar Wada slums and the gangster subculture made for an interesting framework of storytelling. And Charlie Hunnam was effortlessly charming and heroic as the prison escapee on the run.

I’m really sorry there won’t be an opportunity to continue the story.

mjpbuy · December 16, 2022 6:05PM

I too are sorry that it has not been renewed. I found it interesting with plenty of good plot twists, human conflicts, self refection of the main character and intertwine of culture differences.
I think it was one of the better Apple TV originals.

vrk2000 · December 16, 2022 6:44PM

Book was terrific, even as an Indian, I found it non-insulting and non-judgemental.

But the ATV+ series is terrible. It's not shot in India, people don't look like Indians, people don't speak like Indians, screenplay is very laggy at times and abrupt at others, too many past-present-past-present transitions, just did not hold my attention very well.

danox · December 16, 2022 6:48PM

JP234 said:

danox said:

JP234 said:

I watched 3 or 4 episodes before completely losing interest. Can't speak for anyone else, but I've seen this plot countless times, and there's absolutely nothing new or original to see here. Apple TV's content has been compelling and innovative in the main, but there are exceptions such as Shantaram, Servant, Mosquito Coast, and Loot, to name just a few. There are others, such as See, which have an original premise, but then after that has been mined, descend into mindless violence, sex and profanity, or puerile humor more suited to the butt, butt, boob, poop, poop audience that finds that kind of thing funny.

Overall, though there are some fails, Apple does a far better job moderating content than Prime, Netflix, Disney+ or even HBO Max. Much smaller pile of crap to wade through to find quality programming.

No British, Australian, Korean, American PBS or Nordic shows equals fail.

Speaking of Korean, I certainly enjoyed "Pachinko," and speaking of British, Ted Lasso is fun. So is Slow Horses. And let's not forget Mars! For All Mankind is one of my personal favorites. And how about the rest of outer space? Foundation is groundbreaking TV, that no one thought could be brought to any screen. As for PBS, that's not a fail on Apple's part. The only Nordic series I've enjoyed was Fortitude, on Prime. The ones on Netflix are mostly crappy, low budget detective series.

Apple is not getting the best, of any and they never will and that is the problem.

Japhey · December 16, 2022 6:53PM

Good riddance.
My enthusiasm for this series started to fade around the 6-7 episode once I realized that nothing was happening. The last several were only watchable in 15-20 minute chunks at a time. Its was just sooooo boring. I’m all about a slow burner, but anything with a 900 page source has more than enough material to keep things moving along. Combined with the mediocre acting of Hunnam, and the positive aspects of the series were quickly outnumbered. Seriously, the dude might play a pretty good biker, but everything I’ve seen him in since SoA finds him playing the exact same character. Jax is dead…it’s time to move on and develop a little range.

williamlondon · December 16, 2022 7:31PM

Petersen said:

... maybe the show wasn't woke enough for apple ???

Oh ffs. [rolls eyes]

Still waiting to find that example of someone who uses the term "woke" but doesn't mean "I'm a bigot".

DAalseth · December 16, 2022 7:39PM

williamlondon said:

Petersen said:

... maybe the show wasn't woke enough for apple ???

Oh ffs. [rolls eyes]

Still waiting to find that example of someone who uses the term "woke" but doesn't mean "I'm a bigot".

Exactly. You know that meme: Show me you’re XXX without saying you’re XXX. Well, woke is one of those words that does that. It’s permanently tainted. Unless they use it in the sense of “I woke up this morning” they come across as a bigot and about as smart as a bag of hammers.

gadgetfreak-apple · December 16, 2022 8:23PM

I enjoyed it - and after the final scene when it said "To Be Continued" I thought it had been renewed. I'll have to continue myself by reading the books

Japhey · December 16, 2022 8:32PM

DAalseth said:

williamlondon said:

Petersen said:

... maybe the show wasn't woke enough for apple ???

Oh ffs. [rolls eyes]

Still waiting to find that example of someone who uses the term "woke" but doesn't mean "I'm a bigot".

Exactly. You know that meme: Show me you’re XXX without saying you’re XXX. Well, woke is one of those words that does that. It’s permanently tainted. Unless they use it in the sense of “I woke up this morning” they come across as a bigot and about as smart as a bag of hammers.

Maybe try an actual conversation with those hammers instead of casually dismissing an entire swath of humanity based on wisdom acquired from viewing memes. You might find that what you assume to be bigotry is actually just the way most of them express their aversion to the brainwashing and social programming we all face 24 hours a day now. Obviously there are true bigots out there, but to just wantonly assume as much about a person based on their use of one trendy term is both ignorant and wrong. People need to start listening to each other again instead of forming opinions of each other based on memes.

mattinoz · December 16, 2022 10:25PM

DIdn't ever feel like more than a single season show. Some stories aren't and that's okbetter to let it be what it is than try and drag it out and end up with a nothing show.

foregoneconclusion · December 17, 2022 12:14AM

Japhey said: You might find that what you assume to be bigotry is actually just the way most of them express their aversion to the brainwashing and social programming we all face 24 hours a day now.

"Woke" means the opposite of brainwashing so that's probably not it.

fastasleep · December 17, 2022 1:25AM

JP234 said:

There are others, such as See, which have an original premise, but then after that has been mined, descend into mindless violence, sex and profanity, or puerile humor more suited to the butt, butt, boob, poop, poop audience that finds that kind of thing funny.

Violence, in a show about tribal warfare? How bizarre! Sex and profanity in a show about anything to do with humanity? Shocking. But the puerile humor part... WTF. Did we see the same See?

Great show.

fastasleep · December 17, 2022 1:30AM

Petersen said:

I think it's great. Every episode was interesting and exciting and I also enjoyed it took place in India, a place I don't recall ever getting much attention.

Ever? That's bizarre considering the sheer number of films set in India, and their own giant film industry.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Films_set_in_India
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindi_cinema

I'll ignore the stupid "woke" comment.

Madbum · December 17, 2022 11:05PM

vrk2000 said:

Book was terrific, even as an Indian, I found it non-insulting and non-judgemental.

But the ATV+ series is terrible. It's not shot in India, people don't look like Indians, people don't speak like Indians, screenplay is very laggy at times and abrupt at others, too many past-present-past-present transitions, just did not hold my attention very well.

I am pretty sure couple of the main people were Indians. Even I recognized them and I am not a big Bollywood follower

blackfrog · December 18, 2022 10:25PM

Disappointing. I just finished S1 and was looking forward to more.

zoetmb · December 19, 2022 6:26PM

Different strokes for different folks.

Personally, I liked the show and am disappointed that we won’t find out what happens to the guy.

I also really liked “See”, although I think it made sense to end it how they did.

The fact that a person might not like a show doesn’t make it a bad show. It just makes it not for them. We all have our personal preferences. That’s why there are so many choices.

And I’m not sure I would accept such criticism from people (like myself) who are so into Apple that they participate here. (“I wouldn’t want to be a member of a club that would have me as a member” and all that.)

StrangeDays · December 19, 2022 10:05PM

Petersen said:

I think it's great. Every episode was interesting and exciting and I also enjoyed it took place in India, a place I don't recall ever getting much attention. This is really too bad... maybe the show wasn't woke enough for apple ???

Just stop with this absolute nonsense.

Apple cancels 'Shantaram' after a single season

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