Nirvanna The Band The Show is a genre-busting Canadian series that blends candid capture (live filming of an unaware public, in the legacy of Tom Green & Sasha Baron Cohen) with traditional parody, while remaining stylistically couched in the 90’s. Two best friends from Toronto seek a venue for their band (unironically called Nirvanna the Band), going to increasingly absurd lengths— including attempting to sneak a float into the Santa Claus Parade, and illegally 3D-printing a gun at the Toronto Public Library. Many scenes are filmed in public settings, where participating bystanders are unaware that a show is being shot in their midst.

Following their first screening with Viceland, the show was exuberantly greenlighted for three seasons. But before the second season finished airing in 2018, the show was dealt a massive blow with the untimely cancellation of Viceland Canada. In spite of an international groundswell of popularity across North America, the UK and Australia, where fans have successfully petitioned broadcasters to offer the show On Demand (SBS, Channel 4) and through domestic streaming (CBC Gem), currently Nirvanna The Band The Show lacks a venue to air their third season.

But great works often have difficulty eking out their place in the broadcasting landscape of the day. Seinfeld was roundly rejected by 21st Century Fox, and only barely made NBC's listings in 1989 after high viewership bumped it up the schedule. Misinterpreted viewership data was also responsible for Fox's cancellation of Arrested Development after its third season in 2006. Even Monty Python’s Flying Circus – perhaps the most influential comedic show ever created – was deemed "unsellable" in America by BBC and PBS insiders, before the show aired to off-the-charts ratings at PBS affiliate KERA Channel 13.

As fans, we know that Nirvanna The Band The Show will someday be counted amongst these groundbreaking works that transformed the face of comedy. We encourage broadcasters to recognize the inherent value of a show that continues to grow in popularity and acclaim despite lacking a parent channel, a spot to air, or a promotional budget— a fact that also speaks to the dedication and promotional capacity of its fan base. We strongly urge broadcasters to support these talented young innovators, with an eye to the many works we expect from them in the future.

Above all, as fans, we urge broadcasters to give Nirvanna The Band The Show a place to air Season Three. Please. We need to know what happens.