Today saw the fifth season of hit Canadian sitcom Kim’s Convenience arrive on Netflix, and with it the last episodes of the show. Rather then being renewed for a sixth season, the show’s producers opted to end the series after the showrunners announced they would be departing. This sudden conclusion came as a shock to fans and the cast of the show, which includes actor Simu Liu who can next be seen in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. With the final season now available for streaming for many fans, Liu took to Facebook to clear up some misconceptions and rumors about the show and its future while also not pulling any punches about his feelings regarding behind-the-scenes issues.
“The show can’t be ‘saved’. It was not ‘cancelled’ in a traditional manner, i.e. by a network after poor ratings,” Liu wrote. “Our producers (who also own the Kim’s Convenience IP) are the ones who chose not to continue. Neither CBC nor Netflix own the rights to Kim’s Convenience, they merely license it. However, the producers of the show are indeed spinning off a new show from the Shannon character. It’s been difficult for me. I love and am proud of Nicole, and I want the show to succeed for her… but I remain resentful of all of the circumstances that led to the one non-Asian character getting her own show. And not that they would ever ask, but I will adamantly refuse to reprise my role in any capacity.”
Liu also addressed the rumor that his involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe would have prevented him from appearing in a potential sixth season, adding: “This could not be further from the truth.”
“I wanted to be a part of the sixth season,” he added. “I saw firsthand how profoundly it impacted families and brought people together. It’s truly SO RARE for a show today to have such an impact on people, and I wanted very badly to make the schedules work.”
The actor also addressed not getting along with other creatives involved in the show, that the cast was “paid an absolute horsepoop (sic) rate,” alleging he and his cast mates were “deliberately being pitted against each other,” and that “doors were never opened to us in any meaningful way” as the talent in front of the camera tried to get more involved in the writer’s room.
Liu wrapped up his post about the series by paying tribute to the “actual day-to-day crew” calling them “PHENOMENAL” and noting that “everyone contributed to a positive work environment.”
He concluded: “In the end… I’m so incredibly saddened that we will never get to watch these characters grow. That we will never see Jung and Appa reuniting. That we will never watch the Kim’s deal with Umma’s MS, or Janet’s journey of her own self-discovery. But I am still touched by the volume and the voracity of our fans (Kimbits…still hands-down the best fandom name EVER), and I still believe in what the show once stood for; a shining example of what can happen when the gates come down and minorities are given a chance to shine.”
All five seasons of Kim’s Convenience are now streaming on Netflix.