Hey Friends,
Does everyone have a minute? I wanted to share a couple of things about the future of Wolf 359 and what we're going to be doing this year. And, as is so often the case with these sorts of things, it comes in the form of Good News and Bad News.
First, the Farnsworth bit: good news, everyone! Wolf 359 will be back this year, and we will be doing a full season. Hooray! Season Four will begin on June 12th, and it'll be fifteen...ish full episodes. I know that's a longer gap between seasons than we've had before, but we want to spend a bit longer on the writing and the production of these upcoming episodes. And - more good news! - that also means we won't be taking a mid-season hiatus this year. Once new episodes begin, we'll run, uninterrupted, every two weeks until the final episode on December 25th.
Which leads us to the bad news, and that is that... well, there's no easy way to say it, so let's just get it out: Wolf 359 is coming to its end. This upcoming season's final episode will also be our series finale.
I know that this is going to be a sad development for many - it's a very sad one for me! This isn't a recent decision, nor one that was made quickly or frivolously. This has been in the works for a long, long time, and everyone on the show's Creative Team is in (heavy-hearted) agreement: this is the right choice for the show.
Rest assured though: the story of the Hephaestus and its crew isn't stopping, it's ending. We have never thought of Wolf 359 as a series that would go on and on forever. We've always wanted it to be a story that begins, middles, and ends. Which builds to a definite, final conclusion for its characters, and which can arrive at real answers for (most of) its mysteries. And which leaves the party early enough for people to miss it once it's gone.
Is it going to be hard to let go of the show? Absolutely. It's going to be harder than words can adequately describe to let go of these characters and this amazing team. (Sweet Mother of God, it's going to be hard to let this team go.) I am flabbergasted by all the wonderful people who have donated their time, energies, and talents into realizing Wolf 359.
I am also eternally grateful for everyone who has listened into the show. We could have never imagined how many people would listen to our little space story, and invite it into their lives. Making this show has been an enormous endeavor, and having you all with us has been a constant source of inspiration, joy, growth, education, and amazement over the many long hours we've spent making the show.
Thank you for being with us for the past three years. We're going to do our absolute best to make sure that our fourth and final year is our best one yet. We hope you will enjoy it.
Now, I can imagine some of you might have some questions, such as...
This is a joke, isn't it? Some kind of really mean, horrible, no good person prank?
I'm afraid it's not. While I am indeed a horrible, no good person, (well spotted) I would never lie about something like this. Barring some pretty major act of God-type shenanigannery, by this time next year Wolf 359 will have aired its final episode.
Can we get you to change your mind? Perhaps this huge pile of dragon gold could entice you to reconsider?
You're the one that stole that gold? Dude, that dragon's not happy. You should maybe put it back before the entire countryside gets burnt up... *ahem* In any case, I'm afraid the decision is rather final, and it feels right to everyone on the cast and crew. The show has to end sometime, and we'd rather build towards a satisfying, bang-like ending than just dwindle off until we all get sick of the characters. It'll be better for everyone, trust me.
Wait a minute, I know why you're doing this! This is because of -
Nope. Let me just stop you right there. Whatever you're thinking of, the answer's, "Nope." Like I said before, we've been thinking about this for a while, and there's no one, singular thing that's made us decide to try to make a break for it and run for the door. It just feels like the right time.
No, but really: it's because you can't get the cast anymore, isn't it?
Amazingly - logic-defyingly, even - no! Everyone on the cast is extraordinarily busy, and a couple of people are starting to realize that I'm working with a troupe of undiscovered superstars and beginning to hire them for some really amazing projects, but everyone continues to be nothing if not ridiculously generous with their time and talents. The moral of the story is, as usual, that they're the best and that this is all my fault.
What are you going to after Wolf 359 is over? What's next for all of you? Will we ever hear from you again after Christmas of this year?
My cast and crew will all inevitably experience meteoric rises towards fame and fortune once the burden of speaking my sci-fi mumbo-jumbo is lifted from their lives. Keep an eye out for the imminent movie deals/world book tours/avant-garde Berlin music album. I'll probably fade into curmudgeonly obscurity. I fully expect to spend the next couple of decades solving the mystery of what, exactly, this "regular sleep schedule" thing is all about.
... okay, fine, real answer. The truth is I don't know! I expect that we'll all keep doing more or less what we're doing now: trying to balance making art and telling stories with our day jobs. Wolf 359 has been an enormous part of all our lives for the past three years, and we'll all be excited to pursue new opportunities after this year. We'll do our best to keep you updated on our work beyond Wolf 359.
When did you say the last season is starting and ending?
Season 4 is going to kick off on June 12th, and it's going to end on December 25th. If we've done our math right (... that's a medium-sized if) that means that we should have an episode of Wolf 359 every two weeks from the start of the season to the end. No mid-season breaks of hiatuses!
Will you tell any more stories in the universe of Wolf 359? Further adventures of the characters? Or how about prequels? Spinoffs?
I'll get back to you on that one. For the time being, we have no concrete plans to tell any other stories related to Wolf 359 or these characters. But then again, I refer you to my above answer about not knowing what the post-December future might hold. So... who knows! Maybe! Perhaps one day an irresistible spinoff idea will fall into our lap and we'll just have to make it. (Better Call Doug kinda has a good ring to it, no?) For the time being, all I know is that we're closing the book on this story, and doing our utmost to give these characters and this narrative a full, satisfying conclusion.
Once again, many, many thanks to our unbelievable cast and crew, and, most of all, to our many, very dear listeners for coming along on this crazy journey to a small star, seven and a half light years away from Earth. I look forward to sharing one final year of Wolf 359 will all of you.
Thank you,
Gabriel Urbina
01/05/2017