When ABC Family sadly cancelled Bunheads after one short season, TV fans everywhere cried themselves to sleep that night. (Maybe that was just me? There's no way that was just me.) Gilmore Girls creator/goddess Amy Sherman-Palladino had finally returned to TV with another quirky town full of fast-talking, funny, heartbreaking ladies and then it was all snatched away from us — and, even sadder, without so much as a proper goodbye! The cast had to get together all on their own to film one last dance. It was a dark time.
Since Bunheads ended, key cast members Sutton Foster (Michelle), Bailey De Young (Ginny), Liza Weil (Milly), and Julia Goldani Telles (Sasha) have all moved on to new hit series Younger, Faking It, How to Get Away with Murder, and The Affair, respectively, so a long term revival of Bunheads is far-fetched.
But, a limited series? That seems within reach. After all, every other show on television is getting resurrected from the great TV graveyard in the sky including The X-Files (yay!), Heroes , and possibly even Parenthood , which just ended this year. With all of these shows returning to our screens, wouldn't it be nice to see the lovable Bunheads' team get proper finale? Here are seven reasons why we fans need a Bunheads limited series immediately:
1. There Was No Ending
The last thing we ever saw (plot-wise) on Bunheads was Michelle comforting a distraught Ginny who revealed she'd slept with Frankie. It was a heartbreaking, sweet moment that solidified what an important part of the girls' lives Michelle had become — but an ending it was not. If anything it was a promise of things to come: the girls growing up and Michelle growing up with them as she embraced her role as an adult and a role model.
As any Gilmore Girls fan will know, it was a classic Sherman-Palladino cliffhanger — and it has never been resolved.
2. We Need One More "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" Moment
I have seen my share of musical moments on TV, but Bunheads consistently topped them all. Empire is doing a great job producing original music and Glee always had fun with its covers, but no other show combined dance, music, and emotion as flawlessly as Bunheads did. The most impressive number was unarguably Sasha's unexpected and mesmerizing dance to "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)". It was the first of several killer end dance scenes and proof the best finale the show could ever have would involve one more dance.
3. Younger Won't Let Sutton Foster Sing
I am enjoying TV Land's Younger, but it has one serious flaw: it is wasting Foster's singing and dancing talents. Yes, Foster can act the pants off everyone around her, but she should be singing too. Bunheads integrated Foster's talents into Michelle's background seamlessly. The Broadway actress was allowed to show her full range of emotions through acting, dancing, and belting out showstoppers like "Maybe This Time."
Bunheads was all about Michelle accepting that a new chapter of her life was beginning, so I wouldn't want to see her ditch the studio and the girls. Still, for those of us who can't make it to Broadway to see Sutton perform in person, watching her perform on Bunheads was a weekly dose of magic.
4. We Need to Know What Happened to Sasha
As Bunheads entered its final stretch, the focus was beginning to move away from Sasha, but that does not mean we ever lost interest in Michelle's mini-me. At 16, Sasha was unceremoniously left by her parents who set her up with a nice apartment with no parental support. Sasha was making the most of her living arrangements the last time we saw her, but the question of whether or not the talented young dancer could make it on her own or not was left unanswered.
Did she ever make amends with her parents? Did she follow in Michelle's footsteps in all the wrong ways? Did she become a professional dancer? These questions demand answers.
5. Kelly Bishop Deserves to Be on TV Again
No one writes for Bishop like Sherman-Palladino writes for Bishop. The woman once known as Emily Gilmore stepped into the role of the go-with-the-flow artist Fanny without missing a step. Fanny lost her son, reunited with her past love, found a successor in Michelle, and began travelling over the course of Bunheads single season — and it was amazing to watch. Bishop is a living legend and no Bunheads revival would be complete without a visit from Franny...in fact, Franny calling the girls back together under mysterious circumstances would not be a bad way to kick start a limited series.
6. It Was Too Good to End So Soon
I get that ABC Family wanted a younger audience to tune into Bunheads, but the quality of the series was unmatched. Bunheads is not the only great show to end before its time. However, unlike many of our other favorite gone too soon shows, it was still brimming with possibility when it was cut down. I never wonder if it could have sustained its greatness if it had continued because it was getting better with every episode. Aiming for a Community-style six seasons and a movie is unrealistic, but Bunheads deserves to dance again — even if it is just for a little while.
Images: ABC Family; boosaur/Tumblr (2); fybunheads/Tumblr (3); Istanbul/Tumblr; Giphy
