And Sterling's own journey of self-discovery is equally thoughtful, which made Teenage Bounty Hunters meaningful to queer fans. Her story resonates with viewers of many faiths, as April's struggle is not about liking girls it is about the oppressive circumstances that keep her from acting on those desires, and how they affect her relationship with Sterling. While April is comfortable with her attraction to Sterling, she isn't ready to become a pariah at her judgmental school. Her identity is not without bumps in the road, though. The show's depiction of those identities as not mutually exclusive is a refreshing deviation from the torturous storylines often explored in media, showing Christianity and sexuality at odds. Uptight and driven by playing by the rules, April is at once a faithful Christian and a lesbian. In terms of its queer story, a romance eventually unfolds between rivals Sterling and April at their suburban Atlanta private Christian high school. Teenage Bounty Hunters borrows aspects from both shows, having the sisters spearhead conversations on topics like drinking, masturbation, sexuality, religion, and family dynamics in its 10-episode run. The pushback echoes the recent campaigns to rescue Wynonna Earp and One Day at a Time, two LGBTQ+ programs saved from premature endings by fan initiatives. The sparse publicity didn't go unnoticed.įollowing the cancellation announcement, Hales tweeted, "Why do I feel like more people are going to hear about Teenage Bounty Hunters in the next 24 hours than heard about in the last 2 months."įans expressed similar sentiments, having found the series through social media and word of mouth rather than promotions. It also has an audience and critic score of more than 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, all earned despite its rather under-advertised release. The show ranked as one of the platform's top-performing programs, securing over 422 million streaming minutes in its debut week. While another may crop up to take its place, fans find it discouraging to see series after series used as litmus tests for audience interest as though any show's topics, characters, and connection to fans is interchangeable. While the teen-oriented programs may not amass as many viewers as some of the platform's queer hits like Ratchedand Hollywood(both are from Ryan Murphy), the niche representation of queer teens nonetheless attracts an enthusiastic fandom - one that's increasingly tired of female-led, LGBTQ+ shows always being first on the chopping block. ![]() The series' fleeting run on the streaming site mirrors those of Everything Sucks! and I Am Not Okay With This, two YA-leaning series that featured queer teen girls. ![]() Queer fans have made it clear that Teenage Bounty Hunters wasn't just deprived of a satisfying conclusion - it was stripped of any chance to grow. Fans organized #SaveTeenageBountyHunters, started letter-writing campaigns, and set up a petition that has garnered over 30,000 signatures. The cancellation prompted a swift backlash on social media.
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