Sorry for Your Loss is a drama series that aired for two seasons on Facebook Watch from 2018 to 2019. The show starred Elizabeth Olsen as Leigh Shaw, a young widow struggling with grief after the sudden death of her husband.
Over its two season run, Sorry for Your Loss received strong praise from critics for its emotional storytelling and compelling lead performance from Olsen. However, despite the acclaim, the show’s viewership numbers were not high enough for Facebook Watch to renew it for a third season.
So will there be a season 3 of Sorry for Your Loss? Here is a look at the details around the show’s cancellation and whether there is still a possibility of the show being saved or returning in the future.
Background on Sorry for Your Loss
Sorry for Your Loss was created by Kit Steinkellner and premiered on Facebook Watch in September 2018. The show marked Elizabeth Olsen’s first major television role after rising to fame as Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films.
Olsen starred as Leigh Shaw, a young widow struggling with grief and depression after the sudden death of her husband Matt (played by Mamoudou Athie in flashbacks). The show followed Leigh as she tried to piece her life back together with the help of her sister Jules (Kelly Marie Tran) and mother Amy (Janet McTeer).
The cast also included Jovan Adepo as Leigh’s brother-in-law Danny and Medina Senghore as Leigh’s friend and grief support group member Colleen.
Over its 10 episode first season, Sorry for Your Loss received strong reviews for tackling grief in an honest, emotional way. Critics praised the nuanced writing and Olsen’s powerful lead performance.
The show returned for a second season in October 2019, picking up with Leigh still struggling to move forward after Matt’s death. New cast members for season 2 included The Good Place’s Jameela Jamil as a pregnant acquaintance of Leigh’s.
Once again, reviews for season 2 were excellent. On Rotten Tomatoes, both seasons hold a perfect 100% critic rating. However, despite the acclaim, Sorry for Your Loss remained under the radar for many mainstream viewers, airing exclusively on the nascent Facebook Watch platform.
Why was Sorry for Your Loss cancelled?
In January 2020, creator Kit Steinkellner announced that Sorry for Your Loss would not return for a third season on Facebook Watch. In a statement posted to Twitter, Steinkellner indicated that the decision to end the show after two seasons was made by Facebook.
“We don’t have any insight into the decision-making process at Facebook,” Steinkellner wrote. “We wish they’d wanted more, too — to continue Leigh’s journey toward healing and recovery.”
Although Facebook did not provide an official reason, it appeared that Sorry for Your Loss was cancelled due to low viewership numbers that were deemed unsustainable for further investment.
As a smaller streaming platform, Facebook Watch does not release specific data on its shows’ viewership. However, entertainment trade publications indicated that Sorry for Your Loss was not a breakout hit in terms of audience size.
Without sizable viewership, Facebook likely decided that producing a niche critical darling like Sorry for Your Loss was not viable, despite the show’s stellar reviews. Streaming services like Facebook Watch, Netflix, Amazon and Hulu have all demonstrated a willingness to cancel acclaimed shows that are not hits by their internal metrics.
In the case of Sorry for Your Loss, it seemed that the show’s subject matter proved perhaps too narrow for a general audience, limiting its potential reach despite strong word of mouth among critics and fans.
Were there plans for season 3?
In later interviews, creator Kit Steinkellner confirmed that prior to its cancellation, the writers had begun developing storylines and arcs for a potential third season of Sorry for Your Loss.
“We mapped out ideas for Season 3 that were bold and exciting while remaining true to Leigh’s journey,” Steinkellner told The Hollywood Reporter.
Steinkellner indicated that a third season would have focused more on Leigh beginning to move forward in her life, while still dealing with the repercussions of her grief:
“Leigh would have progressed in her career as a grief counselor, perhaps volunteering, and stepped out of isolation by making connections in unlikely places.”
The creator also planned to explore unresolved elements of Leigh’s relationships further in season 3:
“The friendship between Leigh and Danny would have deepened, been tested, maybe even turned romantic. Whether Leigh would be ready for that depended on how much work she had done to heal.”
So while not definitively mapped out, it does seem that Steinkellner had a clear vision and ideas for continuing to develop Leigh’s journey in a potential third season. Sadly, fans will never get to see how that vision would have played out on screen.
Could Sorry for Your Loss find a new home?
When a streaming show is cancelled unexpectedly after a cliffhanger ending or with loose narrative threads still remaining, there is often some hope among fans that it could be revived or ‘saved’ by another network.
Unfortunately in the case of Sorry for Your Loss, the odds of the show finding a new home appear very slim.
Creator Kit Steinkellner has indicated that Facebook Watch retains the rights to the show, making it unlikely that another platform could pick it up for new episodes.
There was also not a major fan campaign to save the show after its cancellation. While loved by critics and its small audience, Sorry for Your Loss did not have the sort of massive, vocal fanbase that helped drive other shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine or The Expanse to get revived post-cancellation.
The show’s subject matter and narrow audience appeal also limit its prospects on other outlets. A small platform like Facebook Watch was likely the only home where such a quiet, emotional drama could be developed in the first place. Major streamers like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon would probably consider Sorry for Your Loss too niche for their broader audience mandates.
So unfortunately, the unique story of Sorry for Your Loss seems destined to remain a two season wonder, without additional chapters on the way.
Could there ever be a spinoff or revival?
With new episodes seeming highly unlikely, could Sorry for Your Loss ever return in another format such as a spinoff focusing on another character or a revival/limited series years later?
Again, this seems doubtful given creator Kit Steinkellner’s comments indicating that Facebook retains full control over the rights to the show and characters. Unless Facebook’s ownership ever changed, it’s improbable anyone could revive the show or its elements without their approval.
Steinkellner also intentionally designed Sorry for Your Loss as a close-ended story tracking a specific stage of Leigh’s grief journey. She indicated the story reached its natural conclusion after two seasons, making a spinoff or revival narratively tricky.
Of course, never say never. With the rise of streaming revivals and reboots, long-gestating continuations after years or decades are becoming more commonplace. Perhaps someday down the line if there was enough fan interest, the parties involved could revisit Leigh’s story. But there are no signs of that happening anytime in the foreseeable future.
For now, the story of Sorry for Your Loss must be confined to its existing two perfect seasons.
What the cast and creators have said about season 3
In the aftermath of the show’s cancellation, the cast and creators of Sorry for Your Loss spoke frequently about their disappointment in not getting to continue Leigh’s journey further in a third season. Here are some of their comments:
Elizabeth Olsen told TVLine:
“I wish we could’ve made more…I wasn’t ready to stop playing [Leigh].”
Creator Kit Steinkellner tweeted:
“It’s hard when a show you love, that you poured your heart into, ends prematurely. #Sorryforyourloss meant so much to so many people. I wish we had gotten a chance to bring it to its natural creative conclusion.”
Kelly Marie Tran said at a fan convention:
“I’m so proud of the two seasons that exist…I know we would have continued to handle [Leigh’s] journey with care.”
Jovan Adepo, in an Instagram post:
“This show changed me. I know it helped countless others through their own grief. Wish we could’ve finished this story.”
The prevailing sentiment was disappointment mixed with pride in what the show accomplished in two short seasons. While they wished for more episodes, the cast was grateful for the opportunity to tell Leigh’s emotional story at all.
Will Elizabeth Olsen work with Facebook Watch again?
Sorry for Your Loss marked Elizabeth Olsen’s first major TV role, after she rose to fame on the big screen in indie films and as Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Despite the cancellation, Olsen spoke positively of her experience working on the Facebook Watch drama:
“It was my first time forming a show. Even though it was heartbreaking [when it ended], it was still worthwhile because of the community it did end up creating.” (Variety Interview)
Olsen also frequently praised creator Kit Steinkellner’s writing and vision for the show in interviews.
While Olsen has no other announced projects with Facebook Watch post-cancellation, she seems to have enjoyed the chance to flex her acting chops in a lead TV role.
So while Sorry for Your Loss didn’t work out long-term, there’s certainly a possibility Olsen could partner with the streaming platform again in the future, or with creator Steinkellner on a new project. Her great experience on the show leaves that door open.
With Olsen’s Marvel stardom also on the rise via the Disney+ series WandaVision, she will likely have her choice of prestige TV projects going forward. But for now, her Facebook Watch experience seems to have been rewarding despite the untimely end.
What other shows are like Sorry for Your Loss?
While no show can quite replace Sorry for Your Loss and Elizabeth Olsen’s incredible lead performance, fans looking to fill the void may enjoy checking out some other emotional family dramas available on streaming. Here are a few recommendations:
This Is Us – The hit NBC drama also follows the emotional journey of a woman dealing with the sudden loss of her husband, along with other tearjerking family storylines. Streaming on Hulu.
After Life – Ricky Gervais’ black comedy-drama on Netflix also centers on a widow coping with overwhelming grief after her husband’s death. More biting humor than Sorry for Your Loss but very poignant.
Ordinary People – This 1980 Oscar-winning movie (available on HBO Max) deals with a family’s unbearable grief and guilt after the tragic death of one of their sons. A deeply moving portrait of loss.
Six Feet Under – The acclaimed HBO series focuses on a family running a funeral home, but also some very emotional storylines about grief and loss. Streaming on HBO Max.
While no show can fully take its place, those may help fill the void left by the cancellation of Sorry for Your Loss before its time.
Will Sorry for Your Loss’s message continue without a season 3?
Even without a third season, Sorry for Your Loss made a meaningful impact during its two-season run – particularly in portraying the realities of grief in an honest way.
Reviews praised the show as one of the most realistic and thoughtful depictions of the grieving process ever seen on television. The nuanced writing and Elizabeth Olsen’s emotional performance resonated strongly with viewers who connected to Leigh’s story.
On social media, many fans who had experienced personal loss themselves said the show helped them process their own grief and feel less alone.
So while it’s unfortunate the series could not continue, it seems the mission of Sorry for Your Loss was largely accomplished in its two seasons. Creator Kit Steinkellner set out to shed light on an important topic that is seldom portrayed genuinely in entertainment. The reception shows she succeeded in sparking discussion and providing catharsis through Leigh’s journey.
That message about the realities of grief and the power of empathy will endure and continue impacting audiences even without a season 3. In just two short seasons, Sorry for Your Loss left an indelible mark through its poignant storytelling. Its legacy will live on for those it helped through their darkest times.
What questions were not answered in the season 2 finale?
Sorry for Your Loss wrapped up most of its narrative threads by the end of season 2, signaling creators did have a sense the end could be near. However, there were still a few questions left unresolved that a third season could have addressed:
– Would Leigh and Danny get together romantically? Their relationship grew closer but it was unclear if Leigh was ready for that.
– How would Leigh continue to progress and grow in her grief counseling career? Would she make it her full-time job?
– Were Colleen and Allison able to mend their relationship after their falling out? We didn’t get closure.
– How would Matt’s mother continue to cope after deciding to work for a suicide hotline? Would she find meaning helping others?
– What happened to Leigh’s book manuscript that she retrieved? Did she ever decide to publish it?
Viewers were left in the dark on a few dangling threads for key characters. But since life always contains uncertainty, perhaps that ambiguity was a perfectly realistic way to conclude Leigh’s journey.
Conclusion
In closing, while the cancellation of Sorry for Your Loss after two seasons was disappointing for fans craving more of Leigh’s story, the show’s impactful message about grief left its mark.
Powerful performances from Elizabeth Olsen and the entire cast, along with Kit Steinkellner’s thoughtful writing, made the show a critical darling that resonated emotionally with viewers.
Sorry for Your Loss tackled grief and loss in a moving, cathartic way rarely seen on television. Although brief, its two season run will be remembered for groundbreaking storytelling and sensitivity in portraying tragically relatable human experiences. That meaningful legacy will endure even without additional seasons or closure.
The show accomplished what it set out to do – provide solace and companionship for people navigating their own grief. That is no small feat. Sorry for Your Loss left us too soon, but deserves to be celebrated for the comfort it brought to so many in their times of need.