Freeform
In case you missed it, earlier this summer, Freeform announced that the hit series Shadowhunters would not be returning for a fourth season. Instead, the network shared its plans to end the series with a two-hour finale sometime in 2019. However, fans of the show were completely furious and heartbroken over the news, and from the looks of it, it doesn’t seem like they’re going to let the series die as the network intended.
Ever since the news surfaced that the show would be ending, diehard fans have been pooling all of their money and resources together in order to prove to showrunners that they will not go down without a fight. So far, they’ve managed to run a pretty successful campaign that probably cost a lot of money, and TBH, we’re actually pretty impressed by their dedication! Ready to find out everything Shadowhunters fans have done so far to save the series? Prepare to be SHOOK.
They got #SaveShadowhunters trending worldwide.
Okay, so we know it might not seem like much, but Shadowhunters stans really came together on social media to make it known they want the show to continue past Season 3. By the millions, fans tweeted the hashtag #Saveshadowhunters and, ultimately, they made it trend worldwide!
That’s right, you guys! Devoted fans of the show tweeted the campaign hashtag more than 17 million times, making it impossible to ignore. While the numbers are impressive, we have to admit that trending on social media is probably one of the least shocking things fans did to get the attention of the showrunners. Don’t believe us? Keep scrollin’!
They started a petition.
Now we’re getting to the good stuff. In addition to infiltrating Twitter by the millions, fans of the series also started a petition on Change.org in efforts to prove how important the series is to those who watch it. So far, the petition has well over 150k signatures, but as the days continue to pass, the number is getting closer and closer to 200k, which is their new goal.
That’s not all, though. After signing the petition, some fans left comments on the message board explaining what the show meant to them and how it changed their lives. One person wrote, “It’s a special show and it means everything to me,” with another person adding, “They’re not done telling their story. Come on, Freeform!” We don’t know about you, but we can’t wait to see them hit that 200k mark!
They bought billboards in Times Square.
This is where things get a little crazy. Following their Twitter takeover and Change.org petition, several Shadowhunters fans pooled their money together to get not one, but TWO billboards in the center of New York City. Say whaaat?!
You read that right, y’all! In another effort to save the show, fans paid to have a #SaveShadowhunters ad on display in Times Square for a whole five minutes. NGL, we can’t even venture to guess how much the display cost fans, but considering we can’t even get a sandwich for under $10 in this city, we’re going to assume it wasn’t cheap. Can you believe the dedication?! We sure can’t!
They flew a plane over Netflix headquarters.
If you thought the #SaveShadowhunters advertisements started and ended with the billboards in New York City, think again. Before the billboards ever went up, Shadowhunters fans made their presence known by hiring a literal plane to fly above the Netflix headquarters with a banner that said “#SaveShadowhunters” in an effort to push Netflix execs to keep the show going.
NGL, we wouldn’t even know how to go about renting a plane for something like this, but we have to admit that the idea is pretty incredible. And what’s even more incredible was the flawless execution! Way to go, Shadowhunters stans!
They raised several thousands of dollars for The Trevor Project.
NGL, out of everything Shadowhunters fans did to try and save the show, raising money for The Trevor Project was definitely our favorite. For those of you who don’t know, The Trevor Project is a charity organization focused on suicide prevention efforts among the LGBTQ community, and back in June, they raised $18,000 for the non-profit.
Earlier this month, though, fans on Twitter said the money raised is now over $22,000, and if you combine all of the fanbase’s charity efforts so far, they’ve donated over $30,000. Isn’t it amazing how fans of one show managed to come together and help the greater good while also fighting to get their favorite show back on the air? If this isn’t inspiring, we don’t know what is!
They put ads on double-decker buses in London.
In continuation of their advertising campaign, fans of the series took their efforts to London, where double-decker buses were also decked out in “#SaveShadowhunters” ads for a whopping two weeks. How crazy is that?!
According to some fans on Twitter, there were 24 buses in total that were running the ads, so the odds that pretty much everyone in the European city saw their bid to keep the show going are actually kind of high! As far as we know, though, the show will still conclude come next year, even though, after everything fans have done, we’d like to see their efforts be worthwhile.
They bought a branded pedicab at San Diego Comic Con.
But wait, there’s more! As we all know, Comic-Con is the place to be for cast members and fans of Shadowhunters. That’s why, when Comic-Con hit San Diego back in July, diehard fans of the series did what they could to make their presence known and to let showrunners know that they’re not pleased with their decision to put an end to the show.
We bet you’re probably wondering how they did it. Did they write Freeform executives a letter? Did they blast the network with tweets? NOPE. Instead, the fanbase paid to have a branded pedicab nearby to take people where they needed to go, while also spreading the message that we must do whatever it takes to save Shadowhunters. Brilliant!
They got the show nominated for five People’s Choice Awards.
If you’re looking for further proof that the Shadowhunters fanbase is the most loyal fanbase there is, look no further than this year’s People’s Choice Awards nominations. Why? Because the series was nominated in five different categories all because fans wrote in votes for the show, and TBH, we’re still in disbelief that they’re working this hard!
Because of the shows incredible fans, the Mortal Instruments spin-off earned nominations in the categories of Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Female TV Star, Male TV Star, Most Bingeworthy Show, and Show of 2018. You know what that means: It’s time to get voting!
They created their own book.
Last, but certainly not least, fans of the show worked together to create a book (like, an actual one) all about the campaign they created and how they “channeled their passion into giving back.” Inside its pages, the book contains details about what the fans did to save the show along with sweet messages about what the series meant to them during the seasons it was on the air.
If you’re interested in getting your hands on the book, we’ve got good news. All you have to do to get your copy is pay for the cost of printing and shipping. In other words, fans didn’t create the book to make a profit. Instead, they did it to share their love for the show and the Shadowhunters community. How sweet is that?!
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