Manifest season 4 has been officially ordered by Netflix, which will likely be a much better venue for the popular series to continue than NBC or a movie. The series was canceled at NBC after its third season due to diminishing viewership ratings, only to receive a massive surge in popularity after arriving on Netflix, sparking a fan movement to have the show revived. After extensive negotiations, Netflix has agreed to a 20-episode fourth and final season – a future that fits Manifest much better than a renewal at NBC or a climactic film.
The trend of canceled network TV shows being revived on streaming platforms is hardly new. Past examples include Lucifer, which was picked up by Netflix after being canceled at Fox, and The Expanse, which was saved by Amazon after being canceled at Syfy. Netflix’s track record with such rescues also includes shows like The Killing, Longmire and Designated Survivor. Manifest has now been added to that list, setting up a much better conclusion that the series would have had on NBC.
At Netflix, Manifest will have the benefits of a bigger budget and much more creative freedom in terms of content and structure. The limited airtime and competitive environment of a network like NBC could have hindered Manifest season 4 from becoming what it needs to be to properly wrap up the story, but at Netflix, the cast and crew will have many more resources and much more leeway to end the show the way it deserves. Given how much success shows like Lucifer have found on Netflix, Manifest season 4 could be its best yet.
Netflix is also a better venue to end the show than a Manifest movie would have been. The show was initially pitched as a six-season story, meaning that there will be a lot of narrative threads to conclude in season 4. That will be difficult even in the twenty episodes allotted by Netflix but would have been almost impossible in a two-hour movie. A full streaming season gives Manifest much more space to tie up all the threads of its story, hopefully providing a satisfying conclusion for the fans.
Lastly, Netflix makes the most sense as the platform for Manifest season 4 because the series has already found immense success there. It’s the kind of show that performs well with streaming audiences, as proved by its explosion in popularity upon reaching Netflix. Manifest’s surprise ascension is due primarily to its presence on Netflix, and since the fan base is already there, it makes the most sense for Netflix to also become the home for Manifest season 4.