Can We Stop Canceling Good TV shows Please?
With so many streaming services out there, it’s crazy how much I struggle to find good and enjoyable television series. Though I’m going to focus on Panic in this article, one of the most interesting shows I’ve watched was The Society on Netflix back in 2019. I was captivated by the concept – a large group of students return home to find that everyone else in the world had disappeared and have to navigate life without rules or restrictions – just to discover that the show was canceled. No second season, no answers.
This happens way too often; I have watched so many nonsense shows that manage to get renewed for their second, third, fourth, etc. season, while others are stuck with just one. Though I have no idea how the business works, and there’s so much that goes on finance-wise, I still think that they should offer polls where people vote which shows get renewed and which don’t. (Look, I love Love Is Blind as much as the next person, but I don’t think I can handle another season where only one couple works out).
WHat’s so good about Panic?
Back in January of this year, my best friend suggested this show she had started a while back. In a small town in Texas, senior high schools have been participating in this life-altering competition in hopes of securing the monetary prize for as long as they can remember. People have died, the police are after the competitors, and yet it still continues. The show follows a group of friends, but mainly focuses on Heather Nill, played by Olivia Scott Welch, a student who’s been working to afford college.
After being betrayed, Heather finds herself without any money and her only hope of affording college is to join Panic. Here are some ground rules of the game: anyone can play; the challenges are unknown to everyone besides the two secret judges, but will probably a) involve people’s fears and b) very risky; and lastly, the winner takes it all. Not only does this competition test your bravery, but it tests your relationships as well.
For any fan of enemies-to-lovers and love triangles, you will love this show. For years, Heather has been friends with Bishop and they’ve had some tension brewing between one another. Once she joins this challenge, he’s desperate for her to leave it (giving major Gale/Dain energy in my opinion, IYKYK) because neither him or their other friend believe she can make it. All this discouragement leads her into the arms of Ray.
Picture a bully with redneck attire and a loud mouth and you’ve got Ray. In comparison to Bishop, he acts like a complete jerk to Heather at first, while subtly looking out for her. Oh, and their banter is top tier. I’m not going to spoil anything but the fire scene, boat scene, and last confession tape are absolutely amazing. However, Heather still holds affection for Bishop. They’ve never tried being in a relationship because they’ve been too shy, and when she gets a chance, she doesn’t want to miss it either.
Behind the scenes of Panic and all that drama, there are things going on with Dodge’s – played by Mike Faist, hello Challengers fans – family and the cops. Rumors start swirling around that, not only are people betting on which student might win, but that the game itself is rigged. Needless to say, this show has all sorts of drama and twists. It’s also originally based on a book, but I’m not sure how close they stuck to it. If you’re interested, it’s on Amazon Prime, but don’t get too invested because they canceled it before it could make it to a second season.