Originally posted Tuesday, October 29, 2019 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
AMC cancelled the cult favorite show “Lodge 49,” which was largely shot in metro Atlanta. The show’s second season ended two weeks ago.
The show, fictionally set in Long Beach, Calif., lost about 40 percent of its Live+3 DVR ratings year over year, averaging 428,000 viewers in 2019. That’s a relatively small audience but it had ardent fans and critics embraced its quirky, one-of-kind feel.
“We are so proud to have had ‘Lodge 49’ on our air,” AMC said in a statement. “This wonderful show gave audiences fresh and unforgettable characters in a world that did not exist anywhere else in television.”
The show focused around one of those old-school fraternal lodges and there were some weird, metaphysical moments surrounding surfer dude Dud (Wyatt Russell), his sister (Sonja Cassidy) and lodge members, most notably one played by Brent Jennings. Paul Giamatti, an executive producer, showed up season two in a surprise appearance.
Creator Jim Gavin and showrunner Peter Ocko are shopping the show to other outlets in hopes of keeping it alive for a third season.
Tom Hanks of all people Tweeted in support of the show:
#SaveLodge49. We need Paul Giamatti more than ever! Hanx
— Tom Hanks (@tomhanks) October 30, 2019
