Save ‘Whiskey Cavalier’: Why the Friskeyheads love the cyberprocedural
There may be a million and one cop shows on TV, but Whiskey Cavalier brought a collaboration of the FBI, the CIA, and a hacker in trouble with the NSA. To take such a tired concept and make it something new and exciting is a skill, and the crew behind Whiskey Cavalier are gifted enough to pull it off.
Whiskey Cavalier focuses on FBI agent Will Chase (codename Whiskey Cavalier) who ends up teaming up with CIA agent Frankie Trowbridge (codename Fiery Tribute) and some of their coworkers to save the world from a new threat each episode. It’s not the show you’d expect with a name like Whiskey Cavalier, but that’s what makes it that much of a hidden secret.
Unfortunately, Whiskey Cavalier must have stayed a little too hidden, as ABC cancelled the show in May. Similar to Timeless’s cancellation, the final episodes after the announcement spiked in viewership and led to ABC reconsidering their decision. However, showrunner David Hemingson has since tweeted that ABC wouldn’t be reversing their decision.
Warner Bros. Television has said they’re shopping the show around to see if another network will bite, but no deal has been struck yet. While waiting for the agents to leave the underground life, we chatted with fans about what this show means to them and how they plan to fight back against its cancellation.
Penny
When did you start watching Whiskey Cavalier?
Around the time the third or fourth episode aired.
What drew you to the show?
Some people that I follow on Twitter were watching the show and saying how good it was. Since these people have similar tastes to me when it comes to TV shows, I knew I wanted to give it a shot.
What about the show makes it so special?
The show is a breath of fresh air on my TV. There is so many heavy TV series out there and considering everything happening in the world, it is nice to have a TV show that will make you smile. I also love how Whiskey Cavalier includes a strong female character and a sensitive male character. That makes me so happy!
How did the show get you through dark times?
I have fibromyalgia and am not able to work because of it. It’s difficult everyday physically and mentally for me. I haven’t watched many shows in such a long time because of it. Whiskey Cavalier brought light into my life. It made me happy, made me have something to look forward to, and gave me characters that I could look up to.
I also have social anxiety and despite my love for some fandoms, I never find myself able to talk about them online. This show’s community welcomed me so nicely and let me have my place within the fandom. I feel comfortable with them and I now have friends online who are there for me when I need it.
How did the fandom support you in times of need?
I know Friskeyheads are always there for me. Whether by DM or directly on Twitter, I know I can let them know if I’m not doing well. They will help me feel better, have kinds words for me. It doesn’t matter if it’s related to the show or not, we are considerate and present for one another.
What was the most frustrating thing about the way Whiskey Cavalier was cancelled?
Despite good ratings and a present fandom, the show was still cancelled. Being loud after that on social media, we got a second consideration about a renewal, but it still didn’t work (without much explanation). We were also promised a proper ending and a certain scene from producers if the show was not renewed, but nothing.
I feel like the show didn’t get enough promotions when it aired and not enough consideration of the viewers. We were played and I feel like we don’t matter even though we are the customers who watch live, are ready to purchase merchandise, promote the show online, etc.
Have you attended any fandom events? Which ones?
I am part of a DM conversation with other fans of the show. Together, we have organized Twitter events. We have made different themes for different days of the week on Twitter, organized a rewatch of the show by watching one episode a week, sent whiskey cups to Warner Bros and streaming services, have had a banner flying at SDCC, etc.
What lengths have you gone to to save your show?
I have spent time and money to save the show. I have spent a lot of time on Twitter retweeting and tweeting, to the point of my tweets not being visible in the hashtags for a while. I have made a banner at home to post online. I have sent whiskey cups on my own to ABC. I have given money when we organized whiskey cups to be sent and the banner to fly at SDCC. I have also bought a T-shirt related to the show that a fan has made.
Do you have anything else to add?
The community surrounding Whiskey Cavalier is so nice! We are one big family. I am so proud of everything we have been able to do to try to save our show, and keep it alive. I hope the show isn’t forgotten. It truly deserves a chance to continue. I just wish the whole cancellation thing was handled better….
Jani
When did you start watching Whiskey Cavalier?
February 28th, 2019
What drew you to the show?
I saw it on the ABC schedule and watched the pilot episode. I was immediately hooked.
What about the show makes it so special?
It’s really funny. I haven’t laughed so hard because of a TV show for a long time. I love the characters, especially Frankie and Susan. And the cast is just perfect! They couldn’t have done any better!
What was the most frustrating thing about the way Whiskey Cavalier was cancelled?
It was cancelled, then they reconsidered, and then got cancelled AGAIN! It’s really frustrating that you see shitty shows all around being renewed, with worse ratings and such an amazing show as Whiskey Cavalier gets cancelled. That really gets to me.
How did the fandom support you in times of need?
They fought really hard beside me to get the show saved/renewed. But unfortunately, no such luck.
Have you ever read fan fiction from members of the fandom?
Yes, all there are.
What’s your favorite piece of fan fiction that you have read from the fandom?
Fanfiction on AO3, called “Inferno”. Check it out, it’s great!
What lengths have you gone to to save your show?
Signing petitions, chipping in for banner at SDCC, tweeting about the show.
What lengths will you go to save Whiskey Cavalier?
I will give them all my money! Just kidding, but I would do a lot to see it on my screen again. And if it means, paying for it, so be it.
Sammie
When did you start watching Whiskey Cavalier?
The day after it first premiered, February 28th.
What drew you to the show?
I saw a ton of ads for the show in January and thought it looked amazing.
What about the show makes it so special?
This show is so special because it’s not like TV shows today. It’s unique and different with it being able to pack drama, action, and comedy all within one hour in such an extremely well-written way which makes you want more after each episode.
What was the most frustrating thing about the way Whiskey Cavalier was cancelled?
This show’s live +3 and live +7 ratings weren’t taken into consideration when ABC was looking into renewing it or not and the channel basically set it up for failure when they never advertised for it after it started airing.
Have you made friends in the fandom?
I’ve made so many and I’m so grateful.
How did you make friends?
On Twitter I made friends in this little whiskey group we have; which is dedicated to coming up with different things to help save the show and make our love and support for it be seen/heard.
How did the show get you through dark times?
This show was something to look forward to every week. When I had bad days, I’d just watch Whiskey Cavalier to make me feel better because it always made me so much happier.
How did the fandom support you in times of need?
Whenever I’d be feeling upset, I’d always have a place to just talk about my favorite TV show as a way to get rid of my stress.
Have you ever read fan fiction from members of the fandom?
Yes, they’re all so good!
What’s your favorite piece of fan fiction that you have read from the fandom?
I can’t choose one, but some favorite of mine are Inferno, Two Spies and a Baby, Four of a Kind, Call Me By My Name, and Cancún.
What lengths have you gone to to save Whiskey Cavalier?
My Twitter group and I hold rewatch parties every Wednesday and we watch episodes of Whiskey Cavalier and encourage people to tweet with the hashtags to get trending. We’ve also sent a 9 lb box of fortune cookies to Warner Bros and Netflix, and most recently had a plane banner which says #ThankYouWhiskeyCavalier fly over SDCC.
Do you have anything else to add?
I believe that this show had so much potential to grow and it’s cancellation was heartbreaking and shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
Shannon
When did you start watching Whiskey Cavalier ?
The first premiere on February 24th.
What drew you to the show?
I was excited for the show because Lauren Cohan was going to be a lead in it, but the promos got me even more excited. I immediately thought it looked like a show I would enjoy!
What about the show makes it so special?
First off the cast makes it special. Their chemistry is so on point. Lauren and Scott as leads have a wonderful on screen chemistry, and so does the rest of the team. It is heartfelt, funny and light, but also has enough drama and real issues to pull in a very widespread audience. Each character has something to add, no one is left out. The writing is very very good.
What was the most frustrating thing about the way Whiskey Cavalier was cancelled?
That it shouldn’t have been cancelled, the streaming/delayed ratings were all there. Trying to judge off live ratings wasn’t right when the show was doing well with streaming too. It also got better weekly. The worst part however, was ABC acting like they would change their minds and revive the show because of audience reaction, and then after a huge ratings boost on the finale, they went ahead and cancelled it again.
The large fan base gave them exactly what they wanted in order to save the show. And then they still cancelled it again. There was just never a good reason it happened.
Have you attended any fandom events?
Not in physical form. We have tweet watch parties and created several campaigns together.
How did the show get you through dark times?
During the first two episodes, I was on a trip to Florida for training for my horse. The second week week I was gone, I got a call about my very old horse getting sick and had to make the decision to euthanize him. He was my first horse and I had him for 20 years, with him turning 33 this year. This happened on a late Tuesday night and Wednesday I was very distraught and emotional all day long.
But Wednesday night I remembered Whiskey Cavalier was on, and I turned it on and watched the second episode. That entire hour, I was happy and did not cry. It took me completely out of my sadness and let me relax and enjoy something. Each week, this show brought a little joy into my life.
How did the fandom support you in times of need?
This fandom is honestly the best. I was very upset by this cancellation and having a group online that all felt the same way about the show really helped. We could get online and not only discuss ways to save it, but discuss the show and the characters in fun ways. I appreciate every one of them I’ve talked to. When I’ve had a rough day in the real world, I can’t wait to go talk about it with them.
Have you ever read fan fiction from members of the fandom?
Yes
What’s your favorite piece of fan fiction that you have read from the fandom?
Too many to name, but Inferno is good and so is a friends fic I can’t recall the title of!
What lengths have you gone to to save Whiskey Cavalier?
I have tweeted like crazy, written emails to the owners of the show and all the streaming services, been on Instagram posting, and posted to my Facebook friends to go watch it. As a group, we have done several tweet campaigns, then we sent shot glasses.
We then sent fortune cookies (because of a line in the finale) to Warner Bros and Netflix that all were customized with the #SaveWhiskeyCavalier message. Finally, we got the entire fandoms help and sent an aerial banner to San Diego Comic-Con. Our fandom has done so much.
Do you have anything else to add?
Whiskey Cavalier is the best show I’ve watched in years. I miss this kind of television, it’s rare these days. We have so much dark and sci-fi shows, and this show just brought a lot of joy but still had the action. I will never not miss it, or wish there was more to be done to save it.
Morgan
When did you start watching Whiskey Cavalier?
We have watched the show every week since it first aired.
What drew you to the show?
The commercials that ABC ran during some of the other shows that we watch regularly such as Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19, and The Rookie made the show very appealing to us. We also enjoyed seeing that Scott Foley from Scandal was a lead and that also piqued our interest in Whiskey Cavalier. Scott is a fantastic actor.
What about the show makes it so special?
It has the perfect blend of drama, comedy, and action. The chemistry of the actors is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The acting is superb. The story lines are very intriguing and the writing is some of the best I’ve ever seen.
David Hemingson did a fantastic job in creating this show. The only show that I know of that comes close to Whiskey Cavalier is Blacklist in all of the above-mentioned categories and Blacklist is about to start at season seven.
My wife and I have rewatched all the episodes multiple times now and still find nuances in the story that we had missed before. Some of the humor and the delivery of line still make us laugh out loud.
So I believe Whiskey Cavalier has a longevity that will go way beyond the one season if given a chance. The fanbase has actually continued to grow as the show airs in other parts of the world and as others are referred to the streaming options.
What was the most frustrating thing about the way Whiskey Cavalier was cancelled?
The most frustrating part of it being canceled for me is that it’s such a good entertaining show, particularly compared to everything else that ABC offers other than the ones I mentioned previously. How could ABC decide that it needed to be cancelled? There is so much more content that can be developed into this show.
The interaction of the characters and the different little side stories are just off the charts. The fact that they ended the show on a cliffhanger as if there was going to be a second season is just too much. At the very least we should have some kind of a movie that would bring the storylines to a closure.
However I personally believe that this show has a long potential life as a series. I’m thinking maybe seven to ten seasons worth.I realize that the production costs are high but compared to some of the other garbage that’s out there it is a fantastic bargain for TV shows. I will never forgive ABC for canceling the show. I will never watch a new show on ABC again until at least the second season and maybe never.
How did the show get you through dark times?
For all the reasons I said above the show just gives me a good wholesome feeling of doing right. It gave me a sense that there is really good in the world. and that in spite of the action and violence our law-enforcement really working for our good.
The friendships that were developed by the characters between races, between sexes, totally different personalities, we’re able to come together and accomplish good. This gave me hope for what might become in the human race.
How did the fandom support you in times of need?
I’m at some of the best people in the world in the fandom. We were able to share our why was in a way that I’ve not been able to before. The Whiskey Cavalier fandom gave us a place to meet new people in a safe environment while we all rallied around our show.
What lengths have you gone to to save your show?
I have sent shot glasses to executives at Warner Brothers, Netflix, and ABC. I have sent numerous personal messages and letters to executives. I have contacted people in the entertainment television industry to find out if there are other options about the show coming back.
What lengths will you go to save your show?
I have offered to meet with key decision-makers to help promote and sell the show. I would be willing to help put together a fan ownership of the show if possible.
Is there a charity that your fandom is supporting? Which one?
Yes, Women’s Cancer Research Fund. This is on behalf of Scott Foley. We have also supported the Breast Cancer Research Fund.
How has your fandom helped support that charity?
We have donated funds to both of these charities from money that was collected on behalf of the fandom.
Do you have anything else to add?
I would forgive ABC if they renewed Whiskey Cavalier for at least one more season. It really is the right thing to do in my opinion. In the unlikely probability of that happening I really would like to see Warner Brothers at least put season one on their new streaming platform HBO Max. Although it would not hurt my feelings at all if Netflix picked it up and ran season one at least.
I can assure you that any streaming service that were to pick up Whiskey Cavalier would be greatly rewarded because of its international appeal and the growing fan base even though the show has been canceled in the United States.
One more important thing: this is the only time in my 63 years of life that I have spent any time working this hard to save a television show. That should speak volumes as to how great of a show Whiskey Cavalier really is.
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Interviews have been edited for length and clarity. Part 2 coming soon. Whiskey Cavalier stars Scott Foley as FBI Special Agent Will Chase, code named Whiskey Cavalier, Lauren Cohan as CIA agent Francesca “Frankie” Trowbridge, code named Fiery Tribune, Ana Ortiz as FBI profiler Dr. Susan Sampson, Vir Das as CIA agent Jai Datta, and Tyler James Williams as NSA analyst Edgar Standish.
