Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Selfie, the one-season comedy, was accused of being a vapid, unwatchable take on Pygmalion/My Fair Lady. The word selfie alone carries a lot of baggage that people don't want to associate with, despite their own social tendencies. And maybe that was the problem all along – it was too much of a mirror of our interest and continuous investment in our social images and personas. Maybe the show was a bit too millennial for the network folks upstairs. Maybe they weren't yet ready for a philosophical conversation about online friends verses real friends. I can't say I personally related to Eliza's social self obsession on Selfie, but as a member of today's society, I did. And I actually learned a lot – vernacular, apps, plus things I see online, for example YouTube hair instructions, Eliza had incorporated into her life and I got to see in action. In addition to the media message, Selfie also made a strong social message with John Cho as the romantic lead, breaking boundaries as an Asian lead and one half of a promising interracial couple on TV – another millennial norm.
Aside from the undeniably relevant social messages, Selfie had a great cast of characters. And aside for the vapid accusations, the show had a lot of depth. In Episode 10, after Henry denies his feelings, an absolutely raw Eliza takes to the stage holding a bottle of beer and wearing shorts, a torn shirt and converse sneakers. She then belts out a heart-breaking rendition of Chandelier. The song carries over as she steps offstage and pursues drinking away her heartbreak, holding on for tonight. Only a show absolutely tapped in could combine Sia's Chandelier with a take on Tove Lo's Habits music video, before any radio station had either on heavy rotation.
The cancellation of Selfie reeks of the networks inability to understand and connect with millennials, the fear of getting a little too honest with where society is today (without roses or races), and for that, I feel sorry for them.