– Freddy Carter’s portrayal of the male version of Nancy Drew received backlash from the transgender community
– The character’s death scene was heavily criticized for perpetuating harmful tropes
– CW President Mark Pedowitz noted the series’ low ratings and the controversy as factors contributing to the show’s cancellation
The CW‘s television series, “Nancy Drew,” received significant backlash from the transgender community following actor Freddy Carter’s portrayal of the male version of the titular character. The controversy intensified after the death scene, accused of supporting negative stereotypes, was aired. The show’s cancellation was due largely to this controversy, as revealed by CW’s president, Mark Pedowitz.
During the question and answer session at the Television Critics Association press tour, Pedowitz affirmed that low ratings and the show’s ongoing controversy contributed to the ultimate decision to cancel the series after airing just 33 episodes. He emphasized, “We felt it was the right thing to do at this point in time.”
Regarding the controverted death scene, Pedowitz admitted that there were “difficult lessons learned from the controversy.” Critics believed that the scene in question perpetuated harmful tropes surrounding transgender individuals, leading to further backlash against the show.
Pedowitz further addressed the controversy, emphasizing that the network made efforts to collaborate with GLAAD and consult within the transgender community to create a more accurate portrayal moving forward. However, given the show’s declining viewership and the persistent controversy, the network ultimately decided to cancel the show.
In conclusion, the backlash over Freddy Carter’s portrayal of the male version of Nancy Drew compounded by the show’s low ratings led to the show’s cancellation. Despite the network’s attempts to mitigate the fallout, it deemed it best to halt production after trying to learn from the controversy.