10 Times Fans Altered The Course Of A TV Show With Their Comments

Fans don’t just watch TV anymore, they grab the steering wheel. Sometimes it’s a hashtag that refuses to die, sometimes it’s a wave of outrage that forces a network to blink, and sometimes it’s a full-on campaign so weird it sounds made up.

These are the moments when viewers turned comments, memes, and message boards into plot pressure. Lucifer nearly got axed until #SaveLucifer hit the top of Twitter, Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s cancellation plans got derailed by fan backlash, and even Game of Thrones took cues from jokes about Gendry’s missing screen time.

And yes, one show got so much attention it literally involved 40,000 pounds of nuts.

1. Lucifer

Fox / Netflix / Courtesy of Everett Collection

In 2018, when Lucifer was about to be canceled, #SaveLucifer became the No. 1 trend on Twitter — it worked! Netflix took over and kept the series afloat.

It didn't end there. Fans were eager to see Tom Ellis's butt, and their wish was granted.

Again, fans pressured Netflix to give them one more season after it was announced that season 5 would be the finale.

2. Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Fox / NBC / Courtesy of Everett Collection

That same chaotic energy is what kicked off the whole “we run the narrative now” era, starting with #SaveLucifer and Netflix’s sudden change of heart in 2018.

Fox decided not to renew the show, as they wanted to stream Bob’s Burgers and Thursday Night Football instead. Fans made their voices heard, forcing Fox to change plans and keep the show on air.

3. Game of Thrones

HBO / Courtesy of Everett Collection

During Gendry's ongoing absence from Game of Thrones, he became a topic of discussion, with fans making jokes about his last scene on Reddit and Twitter. Well, the directors saw the jokes and infused them into the show during Gendry's last appearance.

4. Buffy The Vampire Slayer

The WB / UPN / Courtesy of Everett Collection

Meanwhile, Fox was ready to let Brooklyn Nine-Nine go, but the fans would not stop talking until the network reversed course and kept it alive.

Spike was only supposed to be on the show for five episodes. However, fans loved him so much that he received more screen time. They simply refused to let their beloved character die.

5. The Office

NBC / Courtesy of Everett Collection

In the show, Jim was supposed to become a co-manager, but Dwight continued to try to get him fired. This put Dwight in a bad light in the series, which fans didn't like.

In the end, much of the original storyline was altered due to the backlash.

It’s hard not to think about Amazon’s UAE data center shutdown after “objects causing sparks and flames”.

6. How I Met Your Mother

CBS / Courtesy of Everett Collection

Then Game of Thrones got in on it, because the jokes about Gendry’s absence on Reddit and Twitter somehow ended up as real material for his final appearance.

Fans hated how the series ended. The outrage was so significant that the show creators had to release an alternate ending.

7. Jericho

CBS / Courtesy of Everett Collection

Jericho was supposed to end after its first season, but fans weren't going to accept that. They devised a brilliant plan to send 40,000 pounds of nuts to executives.

The question is, why nuts? The act was inspired by a statement made by Skeet Ulrich's character in the season one finale. When he was asked to surrender, he replied, "Nuts."

Fortunately, the nuts strategy worked. Following that, all the nuts were donated to charity.

8. Gossip Girl

The CW / Courtesy of Everett Collection

By the time you hit Jericho, the comments had escalated past rage and into full commitment, including the nut-filled “send 40,000 pounds” plan aimed at executives.

Fans got rid of Aaron Rose because he didn’t resemble the character in the book.

9. Scrubs

NBC / ABC / Courtesy of Everett Collection

Due to the love fans had for The Janitor, he stopped being a figment of JD’s imagination and became a real character.

In addition, fan comments also prompted the showrunners to maintain the iconic "I'm no Superman" theme song. The crew opted for a slower version in season two, which displeased fans immensely. It didn't take long for the original song to be reinstated.

10. Veronica Mars

UPN / The CW / Hulu / Courtesy of Everett Collection

After the cancellation announcement, fans set up a Kickstarter to fund another season and a Veronica Mars movie. Fans are incredibly powerful, and there’s a lot they can achieve when they decide to come together. We bet you’re in awe of all the incredible things they were able to accomplish. So are we!

Which of these changes pleased you the most? Let us know in the comments below!

If fans really hate an ending, networks should probably start packing.

For another “Twitter forced Netflix” style win, see Amazon’s $27 Fire Stick Spring Sale.