Jay Lycurgo responds to The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself cancellation
Sadly, the show joins a long list of other cancelled queer shows.
Jay Lycurgo, the leading man of Netflix’s YA series The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself has responded to the news that the show has been dropped after one season.
The actor, 24, who can also be seen in the fourth season of Titans, responded to the show’s cancellation on Twitter on Friday (9 December)
The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself (TBSATDH) sees Jay star as Nathan, the illegitimate son of the world’s most dangerous witch as he tried to find his place in the world. Likened to an “x-rated Harry Potter,” the show earned glowing reviews from fans and a 93 percent score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
Pointing this out alongside his statement on the show’s cancellation Jay used the quote: “The best YA fantasy show Netflix has ever made,” and added: “Thank you Nathan” with a love heart and crying face emoji.
His statement begins, “Oh how there was so much more to tell. Me, emilien and nadia felt very emotional about the shows end. We weren’t emotional about the decision. These things happen. But more emotional that we won’t be able to tell the story of Nathan, Gabriel and Annalise again.”
He thanks the show’s creators and advises everyone to be “proud of the story already told.” He then thanks everyone for their support.
“I can’t tell you how grateful I am! Let’s always find the positives, and remember sometimes the bad times are the good times xx” he closes.
Fans of the show – who had given it a 92 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes – sympathised with the actor over the cancellation.
“Really gutted for you guys. You all created something really special with this show and I fully meant those words from the pull quote! I don’t know what Netflix was thinking with this, it’s so absurd,” one person wrote.
Another fan replied to Jay: “it’s so sad, I’ve been waiting for Half Bad to come to live so many years and now this”.
Others took aim at Netflix.
One person said: “netflix really dropped the ball on promoting ‘the bastard son & the devil himself’ when it’s so insanely good.” They then asked: “sexy morally bankrupt witches? bisexual mc? polyamorous vibes? gory, monstrous, utterly satisfying storylines? guys, please don’t sleep on this gem!”
Speaking exclusively to Attitude earlier this year Jay explained what he liked most about the show, aside from the supernatural elements.
“You realise more and more that these characters are actually more relatable.” Jay has been enjoying watching people react to the trailer online. “They see the blood splatter on the characters. And then they’re like, ‘What is going on?’ And then slowly, you start to see all the grounded character work that’s been done.”
On bringing the character’s bisexuality to the screen Jay told Attitude: “Sexuality wasn’t a huge conversation, because it just shouldn’t be. It’s a part of the story. I think it’s really beautiful, how it naturally happens. And it’s not even happening. He’s in the present and finding these energies from different people that he needs. It’s really beautiful.”
Netflix has fallen afoul of several fandoms this year after cancelling series with prominent LGBTQ themes and/or characters.
While series like Heartstopper have been renewed, others such as First Kill, Q-Force, and The Wilds have been dropped by the streaming service. Numerous other queer content has been cancelled as well like the BBC’s Gentleman Jack.
In a time when LGBTQ rights and freedoms seem under attack around the world, it’s highly disappointing to see LGBTQ representation taken away. Many queer people can relate to the idea of seeing someone like themselves on screen and holding on to that through difficult and challenging times. If we lose queer shows we lose that representation and possibly even more.
The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself season one is streaming on Netflix.