One of the classic moments of tension that wrestlers often use is the face nearly getting submitted by a chokehold as the ref drops their arm three times to find their state of consciousness. The ref lifts the wrestler’s arm and drops it once. The ref drops it twice. Then, in a stunning turn that aims to excite the crowd, the third time the ref attempts this, the wrestler’s arm does not drop, which reignites their energy for a comeback against the heel. Basically, this is what the showrunner for the canceled show Heels is now signifying.
Heels, the wrestling drama starring Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig, was one of four projects that the Starz network canceled this week. It happened to come after the intense finale to season 2 had just aired as well. Fans of the show were understandably livid with the news and “#CancelStarz” had become a trending hashtag on social media. The pin on the show may only be a two count as Entertainment Weekly catches up with the showrunner, Mike O’Malley, who states they are actively searching for a new network for the series.
When asked if he looking for a new home for the wrestling show, he replied, “Yeah, we are actively doing it right now. And some of the actors are still under contract. Obviously, the [writers’] strike just ended. I couldn’t have any conversations about this [until now], and granted, they just told me on Friday. But not only are we trying to [find a new network], I really believe the Starz executives when they say they want to see a future for the show too, because they did invest a lot in the show… I really do think it’s going to have a life someplace else.”
He continues, “We did not intend, nor do we intend, for this to be the last episode of the show. One of the things that we’re trying to do in this show is honor wrestlers, honor anybody who has a dream and the endurance to pursue that dream. Sometimes that endurance can be misguided.”