Can you believe it has been a whole year since Freeform canceled their GLAAD Award-winning TV show, Shadowhunters? With over 20 million tweets; billboards in Times Square, New York and Seoul, South Korea; four People’s Choice Awards; and more than $25,000 raised for The Trevor Project, the Shadowfam has proven itself to be the most dedicated (and organized) fandom out there. Let’s take a look back on 365 days of fan power.
As of June 4, 2019, the #SaveShadowhunters campaign has a lengthy list of accomplishments – and even a website dedicated to archiving everyone’s hard work (A Fandom’s Heartbeat)! For each event and/or milestone in this article, we’ve included links that are worth clicking to relive the moment (and we have a full list at the end of this article). No doubt, the Shadowfam has done some pretty amazing things!
#SaveShadowhunters plane. (Airads)
Fans mobilized immediately after the news broke that Shadowhunters had been canceled, creating a comprehensive and organized Plan of Action that was shared and translated all around the world. We took to social media and got #SaveShadowhunters trending within hours. The movement only grew to reach incredible numbers and heights (remember the plane!?). Heck, we even lit up Times Square! (TV Guide, Metro UK, Clevver, Screenrant, DigitalSpy, Netflix Life).
#Shadowhunters fans rented a billboard in Times Square — what have YOU done today? #SaveShadowhunters (via @shadowhunterka4) pic.twitter.com/senfUNu2t3
— TV Guide (@TVGuide) June 29, 2018
Some of the most powerful moments of the #SaveShadowhunters campaign revolve around the charity projects in which fans raised more than $30,000 dollars combined for The Trevor Project and other organizations. The Shadowfam’s big heart only continues to give as the total amount raised keeps growing. Channeling our heartache into something positive remains an important facet of the #SaveShadowhunters campaign. (ET Online, Screen Spy, Teen Vogue).
Part of what makes the #SaveShadowhunters campaign so unique is its global reach. Fan initiatives launched billboards in Seoul and Toronto; bus ads in London; and fan-created events in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Brazil. We’ve even reached into space and had two stars named in honor of Shadowhunters!
One of 29 London bus ads. (@F_F_Podcast)
I FOUND IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BY ACCIDENT!!!!!!!!! #SAVESHADOWHUNTERS #NOTOURLASTHUNT AAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! #Shadowhunters pic.twitter.com/4wHFmv0HEQ
— Jade Hassouné (@JadeHassoune) August 14, 2018
In addition to global reach, the Shadowfam showed its tenacity and creativity when it comes to promoting the show. When Shadowhunters was not given a panel at the 2018 San Diego and New York Comic Cons, fans took it upon themselves to give the show a presence anyway. The payoff was huge, with media coverage and a strong social media presence that even outperformed shows that did have official panels – Shadowhunters was in the “Top 10 Most Tweeted Shows” during San Diego Comic Con! (Decider, Hidden Remote, Just Jared Jr., CarterMatt TV, Film Daily Co.).
Asmodaddy loves the pedicab! (@jackntbox was born for the camera) #SaveShadowhunters he fuckin OWNED that bike through all of the down town traffic 😂 #ShadowhuntersTakeSDCC pic.twitter.com/FIiXVetkaP
— Nannette (@Nann_ette) July 22, 2018
In November 2018, the dedication, organization, and passion of the Shadowfam was on full display at the People’s Choice Awards. Shadowhunters was originally only nominated for “The Sci-Fi Fantasy Show,” but fans power-voted and got the show into the final round of nominees for four additional categories with write-in votes and campaigning. (Pure Fandom, Hidden Remote, Forbes, E!Online).
The cast was then reunited to celebrate four wins (!) thanks to weeks of hardcore voting by the fans. The show no one thought had a chance ended up sweeping major categories, including “The Show of 2018,” “TV Actor,” and “TV Actress.” (BBC NEWS, Decider, TVLine, E! Online, Teen Vogue, Yahoo! Entertainment).
The Shadowhunters cast accepting the People’s Choice Award for “The Show of 2018.” (Yahoo! Entertainment)
As the Season 3B premiere approached, fans once again took the lead in large-scale promotion. Fans designed and funded several publicity stunts, including two billboards in Los Angeles. Cast members Kat McNamara and Luke Baines even took the time to visit the billboards. (Hidden Remote, The Series Regulars, MEAWW).
Kat checking out the billboard in Los Angeles. (Katherine McNamara)
Leading up to the epic two-hour series (for now) finale, three stunning fan-designed billboards went up in Times Square, New York to encourage people to tune in. Cast members Kat McNamara, Harry Shum Jr., and Luke Baines took to social media to react and sing the praises of the Shadowfam. (Digital Spy, GLAAD).
#SaveShadowhunters #GLAADawards @BoomBitchesSH @glaad pic.twitter.com/BANRN5IRJN
— P 🤨🤨🤨💕 (@lightbow87) May 5, 2019
Our efforts have not gone unnoticed. Major media outlets, including BBC News and Entertainment Tonight have recognized the accomplishments of the Shadowfam. This truly is one of the largest campaigns ever launched to save a show. Regardless of the outcome, there is no denying the power and heart of the Shadowfam. This fandom is a force to be reckoned with and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
A (roughly chronological) list of one year’s worth of fandom accomplishments, as of June 4, 2019
- Over 21 million #SaveShadowhunters tweets so far.
- TWO billboards in Times Square (via TV Guide). (Metro UK, Clevver, Screenrant, DigitalSpy, Netflix Life).
- Hired an airplane to fly a banner over Netflix HQ (via TV Guide) in Los Angeles. (Clevver, Just Jared Jr., Hypable).
- Love Makes Us Stronger. Fans also published a book that collected all of the heartfelt messages left behind by fans on The Trevor Project donation page. These stories are passionate, heartfelt, and really showcase the impact this show has had on the lives of so many. You can also read these stories here.
- Month-long subway billboard campaign in Seoul, South Korea (with two billboards).
- SDCC 2018 – Pedicabs and bike billboards at San Diego Comic Con (here is a professional video from the Pedicab company showcasing them), and the show was one of the “Top 10 Most Tweeted Shows” at San Diego Comic Con despite not having a panel NOR any official show presence. (Decider, Hidden Remote, Just Jared Jr., CarterMatt TV, Film Daily Co).
- Named two stars in honor of Shadowhunters.
- A billboard in Toronto (to encourage cast and crew in their last week filming). (VIDEO) (VIDEO)
- 24 red double-decker buses in London with #SaveShadowhunters printed on them. Links to images and videos: BBMonarch, shadowh75338123, deadbisexual, lightwdalec, S_for_Shaidows, descent_is).
- Fans marched with a #SaveShadowhunters banner in Brazil.
- NYCC 2018 – fans campaigned with a video ad playing on the ferry next to New York Comic Con, and had swag giveaways for attendees as well as a SnapChat filter! (Basic Stuff Magazine, Just Jared Jr.). Links to images and videos: BoomBitchesSH, tanzerin, tanzerin, BoomBitchesSH, BoomBitchesSH, ShumDarioNews, BoomBitchesSH, johnrakich (pictures of fans with Kat), johnrakich (pictures of swag), TayMals (a friend attending saw some of the swag out and about).
- NYCC 2018 – Star Katherine McNamara surprised fans at the People’s Choice Awards food truck (and posed with some of the #SaveShadowhunters swag). Links to images and videos: BoomBitchesSH, KiwiTraveling, victuurii, joyfuljukebox.
- E!Online’s 2018 People’s Choice Awards – Won FOUR awards with write-in votes alone! For “The Show of 2018,” “The Binge-Worthy Show,” “The Male TV Star” (Harry Shum Jr.), “The Female TV Star” (Kat McNamara). (BBC NEWS, Decider, TVLine, E! Online, Teen Vogue, Yahoo! Entertainment).
- Two billboards in Los Angeles! (Hidden Remote, The Series Regulars, MEAWW).
Actress Kat McNamara poses with billboard #1
Photo of actors Kat McNamara and Luke Baines with billboard #2
Video of actors Kat McNamara and Luke Baines “hunting” for billboard #2
https://twitter.com/TheSeriesRegs/status/1095038789385211905
- 10-day Bike Billboard Campaign in Los Angeles. Links to images and videos: The bike ad company, boombitchessh, boombitchessh.
- Three Billboards in New York City at 49th Street & 7th Avenue. (Digital Spy, GLAAD). Links to images and videos: Lightbow87, BoomBitchesSH.
Cast & crew reactions: Kat McNamara, Harry Shum Jr., Luke Baines, Darren Swimmer, Matt Hastings.
Notable Articles
Clevver: “Here’s Everything Shadowhunters Fans Have Done to Save the Series”
BBC News: “Cancelled TV show sweeps People’s Choice Awards”
ET: “‘Shadowhunters’ Fans Are Raising Thousands for The Trevor Project Following Freeform Cancellation”
Express UK: “Can fans save Shadowhunters? Here’s how you can help”
TV Guide: “Shadowhunters Cast Reacts to #SaveShadowhunters Campaign”
Cosmopolitan: “You Need to Watch Cult Show ‘Shadowhunters’ Before It’s Gone.”
ELLE: “Hollywood needs Harry Shum Jr.”
Media Quotes About the Campaign
“It’s official: there’s perhaps no fanbase more dedicated than that of Shadowhunters.” – Digital Spy
“It’s being called the biggest fan campaign to save a television show in history.” -Toronto Star
“Shadowhunters fans are channeling their heartache into helping others.” – Entertainment Tonight
“If this campaign has proven anything, it’s that there’s a tangible and sizeable fanbase attached to the show more than worthy of investing in.” – Film Daily
“In all my years following tv, the uproar over Shadowhunters cancellation is probably one of the biggest ones I’ve ever seen.” – Pure Fandom
Shadowhunters is available to stream on the Freeform app, On Demand, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and Netflix (internationally). You can read more about the campaign here.
