Manifest isn’t the only canceled NBC series making a comeback. Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, a fan-favorite series that was canceled last spring by the network, will be returning with a Christmas-themed film that will stream on the Roku Channel just in time for the holiday season.
Here is what is crucial for the fans. The film will stream for free on the ad-supported Roku Channel in the U.S. and, along with the film, all 25 episodes of the series will stream on Roku in the U.S. later this fall. This tidbit is crucial because if the film is a success and the series gains traction on the platform, there is a strong hope that Roku will go in for a third season of the show. Essentially, if fans want this to happen, they need to watch.
Cast members of Zoey’s had all been released from the show in July as their options had run out. When the Roku film became a possibility, the main cast and creative team were contacted and they were all on board for a return. Deals had to be worked out but Roku ultimately made it happen. Production on the Christmas film will start in Vancouver this month and the returning cast includes Jane Levy, Skylar Astin, Alex Newell, John Clarence Stewart, Andrew Leeds, Alice Lee, Michael Thomas Grant, Kapil Talwalkar, David St. Louis, Mary Steenburgen, Peter Gallagher, and Bernadette Peters. According to the official announcement, the film will pick up where season two left off.
This is a big move for the Roku Channel as this will be their first original film and also the first scripted project outside of the library of shows they acquired from Quibi last January. The Roku Originals banner launched earlier this year on the Roku Channel and it’s a platform that reaches households with 70 million viewers.
As for Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, the series was always a fan favorite and a critical darling but its live ratings were lacking. Even counting seven days of delayed viewing, Season registered a 0.6 demo rating in the coveted 18-49 group, down 14% from its first season. Despite these soft live ratings, the series thrived online and was one of NBC’s better-performing shows in that regard. Many thought this would secure the show a move to the Peacock streaming service but NBC ultimately decided against this. The Roku reprieve gives the series a second shot at life.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist followed Zoey Clarke (Jane Levy), a whip-smart computer coder forging her way through San Francisco. After an unusual event, Zoey suddenly starts to hear the innermost wants, thoughts, and desires of the people around her, through popular songs.
Will YOU be watching the Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist Christmas movie?