In a bizarre turn of events, and just months after renewing the series for a third season, Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings has announced that the critcally-acclaimed series Orange is the New Black has been cancelled.
“We regret to inform Netflix members that Orange is the New Black has been permanently cancelled. Also, starting September 1st, 2014, past episodes will no longer be available for streaming on Netflix.” said Hastings in a press release early Monday.
The news is a shock to fans of the show, which is based on true events described in Piper Kerman’s memoir, Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison, about her experiences in prison. The show was originally renewed for a third season in early June.
According to inside sources, a private fued between Netflix co-founder Hastings and show creator Jenji Kohan came to a head after Hastings insisted to Kohan that there be more male leads in the show. Kohan became infuriated with the idea, being that it would stray from the memoir written by the real lifecharacter Piper Kerman, around whom the show is based. When Kohan put her foot down and refused to buy into Hastings’ idea, he displayed his displeasure with how the show represents women.
“A woman’s place is in the home, in the kitchen, taking care of children.” Hastings told San JoseMercury News reporter Noah Houpt as he was leaving Netflix headquarters Monday afternoon. “A woman in jail? How does anyone even watch this show in the first place? It’s like we took everything bad about OZ, and make this show with the leftovers.”
According to entertainment lawyer and Empire News corresspondant Jeremy Downard, there is no chance for ‘OITNB’ to take the show to a television network due to the type of contract originally agreed upon between Kerman and Netflix. Sad news for all fans, the show was a huge hit and has steadily gained popularity since it’s release in July of 2013.
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