Michael J. Fox has proven time and again that he will not give up on anything easily and that now includes his cancelled NBC series The Michael J. Fox Show. In new interviews this week, the Back to the Future actor said that he does not think that the show’s life is completely over.
The self-titled show started with a lot of fanfare as Fox was returning to sitcoms and NBC. The network even put in a 22-episode order before the pilot aired and the entire run was produced by the time the show was cancelled early last month. There are still seven episodes that have not aired.
Fox is now drumming up support for the show, doing interviews with The Hollywood Reporter and The New York Times this week. It was the first time he had spoken since the show was axed.
During the THR interview, Fox went over the process of doing the show, which co-starred Betsy Brandt as his wife. He revealed that he was initially worried about the show’s Thursday, 9:30 p.m. timeslot. But Fox, who has to deal with parkinson’s, said that they decided to soldier on while making the show.
“Was I disappointed by the ratings? It probably has to do with what I deal with on a day-to-day basis, but I don't process things that way,” he told THR. “I don't feel bad. I don't feel angry. I don't feel like I need to point fingers about time slots and things like that.”
He later added, “I love this show and I love the people that I work with, and I'd love to continue on with it if that's what happens.” Also, he pointed out that “Family Ties was nowhere until the third season.”
While speaking with the Times, Fox sounded confident that NBC will find some place to put the final episodes. “We’re not hearing a death sentence,” he said. “We’re hoping NBC can still find a good place for the last episodes.”
Will Gluck, who co-created the show, said that, like many sitcoms, Michael J. Fox didn’t really find its footing until late into the first season. In fact, Fox thinks that the last few episodes feature some of his best work. One even reunites him with his BTTF co-star Christopher Lloyd.
“We want people to laugh and forget about what Michael is going through,” Gluck said about making the show. “All that being said, people watch and are extremely inspired by it.”
NBC has remained mum on the show’s final episodes, only saying that they have not been scheduled.
image courtesy of NBC