Sherwood Will End After Season 3, James Graham Confirms
James Graham has confirmed that his BBC drama Sherwood will end after a third season. He made the announcement in an interview on the first episode of Sky's Backstory with Cathy Newman, as Deadline reported.
The news means the story has a set end point. Graham, who created the series, chose to say so himself, in public, rather than wait for a broadcaster to decide. That is worth noting, because the two routes look different from the outside. A show can end because its writer and broadcaster agree on a final chapter, or because a network stops ordering more episodes, which industry people call a cancellation.
The show is now in its final stage of production. Season 3 has finished filming and editing, and it is scheduled for release in January or February. The series is made by House Productions, the company producing it for the BBC.
For viewers, the immediate practical point is the timing. Anyone who has been following the story can expect to see the last season in the new year, with no more seasons after it.
Graham also has another project in the works. He plans to turn his play Punch into a television show. The play has been staged in the West End, London's theatre district, and on Broadway in New York. Graham has not, according to the report, given a broadcaster or release date for the TV version.
Few decisions in television are as public as a writer naming the last episode. It gives the cast, crew and audience a fixed finish line, and it lets everyone plan around it.
