The cancellation reversal of Timeless on NBC over the weekend was a welcome surprise. Three days prior, the show was a goner as the network announced the series starring Abigail Spencer (Lucy), Matt Lanter (Wyatt) and Goran Visnjic (Garcia), among others, did not score a renewal.

Sources disclosed to Deadline that negotiations between networks and production companies were tough. Other shows in contention for renewal or cancellation, aside from "Timeless," were "Blindspot," for season 3, and "Taken," another freshmen series, for season 2. Ultimately, NBC decided their slots won't be able to accommodate all returning shows and the executives decided the time was up for "Timeless."

Network bosses told show creators Shawn Ryan and Eric Kripke of the status, adding they actually liked the series but "Timeless" was on borderline status — executives couldn't ascertain whether or not the show could grow its audience.

They heard the fans

Following the cancellation announcement, fans of "Timeless" made their presence felt.

"We heard from fans and the outcry and we woke up the next morning and thought, ‘Let’s figure out how to bring it back,'” NBC's Bob Greenblatt told The Wrap, adding that they had to go back to the drawing board and strategize.

While the production studio thought of shopping "Timeless" to other networks, Shaw Ryan and Eric Kripke met with NBC executives again to cut another deal.

“We proposed something," NBC's Jennifer Salke said in their negotiations with the executive producers. "They accepted and 40 minutes later Shawn and Eric were tweeting about it."

Undoing the past, redoing the future

By some crazy twist of fate, "Timeless," a show about time travel, was given a chance to undo history and redo its future.

The new deal with NBC now involves 10 short episodes, which have been tentatively slated for airing in the spring or summer of 2018.

While it's not on a premiere fall schedule and its episodes have been shortened, it's enough to satisfy the fans. The most important thing for them is that the will be more time travel stories to look forward to next year.

Stars of "Timeless" expressed their gratitude to fans for making the renewal happen. Lead star Abigail Spencer posted a series of tweets and said that in her 20-year career, this is her first time to witness a show cancellation reversal due to the "outpouring of love and support from fans."
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