A DC Legend's '90s Fantasy TV Show Was Canceled After Just 8 Episodes
With the benefit of hindsight, it would be hard to think that a show starring the late, great Heath Ledger of "The Dark Knight" fame and the magnificent Vera Farmiga was ever unceremoniously canceled after just a few episodes — unless we're talking about one of those great shows Netflix keeps canceling. We're not, yet this is precisely the fate that befell "Roar," the 1997 Fox TV show that featured the pair.
Created by Shaun Cassidy and Ron Koslow, "Roar" was a lofty fantasy adventure in the same vein as that era's great "Xena the Warrior Princess." Set in 5th century Ireland, it depicts young hero Conor's (Ledger) struggles against the region's Roman rule, which is predominantly represented by Roman-minded queen Diana (Lisa Zane) and her supernatural right hand, the 400-year-old immortal named Longinus (Sebastian Roché). Much like Xena, Conor soon gathers a troupe of loyal allies: the ex-slave Catlin (Farmiga), the boisterous Fergus (John Saint Ryan), and the aspiring magic user Tully (Alonzo Greer).
On paper, this sort of fantasy setup clearly had potential, since shows of this ilk had seen success on network TV. However, audiences disagreed. Despite "Roar" spearheading Fox's summer of 1997 and the network being happy with the show, it was fairly costly and failed to attract enough viewers to justify its existence. In September 1997, "Roar" was canceled after airing only eight out of 13 episodes.
Roar was an ambitious experiment that didn't quite work
In the long run, the failure of "Roar" didn't sideline the careers of its brightest stars. Heath Ledger went on to become a massive star and famously won a posthumous Academy Award for his role as the Joker in "The Dark Knight." Vera Farmiga has also become a multi-genre legend who excels in horror and drama alike, with a supporting actress Oscar nomination for "Up in the Air" as proof of her ability.
Precisely why the show failed with that amount of talent at its disposal, however, is another matter. "Roar" writer Lawrence Meyers praised the cast's efforts in 2009, calling the show a bold experiment for the quiet summer season that didn't quite end up working.
In a 2017 "Memories from the Set" interview with TVLine, Sebastian Roché reminisced on making the show, calling it a fantastic experience. "It was really amazing. There was a wonderful cast and a wonderful atmosphere on set. And you knew Heath was going to be a big deal," Roché said. "We felt like we were on holiday most of the time because we were on this gorgeous location and [doing] what you love doing — in costume, on horseback, swinging swords, turning into 400-year-old men."
Roché also offered a potentially viable explanation for the show's early demise. According to him, "Roar" fell victim to a worthy foe. "We were up against Buffy, and I think Buffy took the cake," the actor said. If "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" indeed managed to defeat "Roar," there really isn't much shame in losing to a series that just so happens to be one of the best fantasy TV shows of all time,