Part 6/12:
The Reality of the Show’s Failure
Leslie Hedland openly concedes that The Acolyte was not successful, referencing the swift cancellation and the absence of plans for a second season. She describes her surprise at how quickly Disney and Lucasfilm decided to pull the plug, citing the official statements as evidence of how badly the show was received.
She further notes that the failure was evident early on, with feedback—from viewership decline to social media backlash—serving as clear indicators that the project was a misstep. Disney’s choice to announce the cancellation explicitly, rather than quietly shelving the series as they often do with failed projects, underscores how poorly it performed internally.