In disappointing news for fans of the comedy series “Pitch Perfect: Bumper In Berlin,” Peacock has decided not to proceed with a second season. This comes as a surprise, considering that the show was renewed for a second season back in January. However, the decision to cancel the show is due to the ongoing strikes by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA, which have caused significant delays in production.
The first season of “Bumper In Berlin” was released in November 2022, but the show had not even started pre-production for the second season when the WGA strike began in May. As a result, the show fell significantly behind its planned timeline, which would have disrupted Peacock’s content rollout schedule and budget. Despite its promising start, being the biggest comedy premiere in Peacock’s history, the delays caused by the strikes ultimately led to the cancellation of the show.
This situation is not unique, as last month, two Prime Video series, “The Peripheral” and “A League of Their Own,” also had their second season renewals rescinded due to the strikes. The uncertainty caused by the work stoppage and the long wait for new episodes make it more challenging for freshman series like “Bumper In Berlin” to retain viewers.
Furthermore, the industry has seen similar instances of rescinded renewals during the pandemic. Shows such as Netflix’s “The Society” and “I’m Not OK With This,” Showtime’s “On Becoming a God in Central Florida,” and ABC’s “Stumptown” all had their second season renewals revoked. The ongoing financial scrutiny and recalibration of streaming strategies among media companies may lead to further reversed renewals even after the strike ends.
Despite the cancellation of “Bumper In Berlin,” the “Pitch Perfect” franchise remains an important intellectual property for Universal. The studio continues to work with Elizabeth Banks and Megan Amram, the showrunner of “Bumper In Berlin,” on other projects. Universal Television, the studio behind the series, still has an overall deal with Amram.
“Pitch Perfect: Bumper In Berlin” follows Adam Devine’s character, Bumper Allen, as he moves to Germany to revive his music career after one of his songs becomes a hit in Berlin. The first season also stars Flula Borg, Sarah Hyland, Lera Abova, and Jameela Jamil. The show is executive produced by Amram, Devine, Banks, Max Handelman of Brownstone Productions, and Paul Brooks and Scott Neimeyer of Gold Circle Films.
Although it’s disappointing that “Bumper In Berlin” will not be returning for a second season, Peacock has other comedy series in the pipeline, including “Ted,” “Wolf Like Me” Season 2, “In The Know,” “We Are Lady Parts” Season 2, and movies based on the popular shows “Monk” and “Community.”
