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Generation fans: You’ve got questions, co-creator Zelda Barnz has answers.
HBO Max cancelled the teen dramedy series Tuesday after one season, leaving viewers with loads of uncertainty and piles of loose threads.
In an essay written for EW.com, Barnz took the time to address some of the July finale’s most pressing cliffhangers, including this biggie: Who was Chester supposed to see on the rooftop in the season’s final seconds? (If you recall, a heartbroken Chester dangerously traversed a high-rise’s rooftop when he suddenly turned, smiled and said, “It’s you!”)
Though Barnz admitted she didn’t “have any certainty on the matter,” she did reference some of the most popular theories surrounding the mysterious “you” in question. “Some people thought it should be Sam, because of the phone call, and because Sam has received a photo of this location before (via email, in the pilot),” she wrote, adding that Chester’s portrayer, Justice Smith, “Once said it could be Chester’s missing father.”
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But her own theory? The ever-intuitive J.
“J witnessed Chester’s breakdown over the course of the night, and he knows how Chester’s mind works when he’s upset,” she wrote. “I don’t think any other character could both pinpoint exactly where Chester would go, and then follow him there. I think J showing up would’ve been really cool.”
Other tidbits that were revealed: Arianna, Delilah and Naomi would’ve squashed their beef and rekindled their friendship; Riley would not have moved to Reno, Nev. with her dad; and “there was definitely a future for Greta and Riley,” that is, after they both learned to better their communication skills.
“I’m very proud to end this show with a moment of joy,” she continued. “What matters about this scene is not who shows up… but that someone shows up. Someone shows up for this unapologetically queer boy in a moment of vulnerability.”
Barnz ended the piece with some comforting words for the LGBTQIA+ community: “To any queer person reading this, whether you watched Generation or not, if your someone hasn’t found you yet, give them time. They’re finding their way.”
Who do you think should’ve been the one to meet Chester? And are you grieving the Riley/Greta relationship that never was? Drop some comments below.
I really like that interview. It made me feel a bit better when I read it earlier. I wish all the best to Zelda and her fathers for the future, on TV and in life.
I 100% would have watched this if Lena Dunham’s name wasn’t associated with it
Still so sad this show was canceled. What a loss in the teen TV landscape.
Exactly it was such a good show, sad to see it cancelled.
I was heartbroken when I read it was not renewed. This series is epic. What beautiful and real characters they all are. I think a second season would be needed. There is so much to be continued with all of them. I am in my 3rd time re watching it. We need closure of their story. Please bring it back 💛🌈.
Love this show, so sad to see it got cancelled, hopefully it gets picked up, but I was hoping for Nathan to stop by and be there for him after everything :(.
Such a good show, can’t bieve it has been cancelled. I am sooooooo bummed out about the whole Riley/Greta thing not happening! We need to see them together, we need a season 2 and we need closure!
Please bring it back! Loved it so much
I think it’s bull crap that it was canceled teens need to know the download of the day today struggle having something like that just a click away it’s important that show right there could’ve save someone’s life to make them not feel like the oddball out for once to have a platform That didn’t influence them but was them I feel anything that is influencing on the TV industry does not want it unless you can sale it or make some kind of money with it but if it’s actually saving a life or teaching someone from the youth community that they’re not different everybody’s cheeks at Hollywood turn and everybody wants to cancel it and shut it off I say show it you damn pussies show it what are you afraid we’re gonna have a gay president one day or a black president again or a woman president is that so bad it’s a hypocritical country
Jessie has hit the nail on the head. If there is an ounce of truth in what I watched and was learning – day in life of an adopted persons life with same sex parents, teenage pregnancy, suicide, bi and binarism, the world ending by 2050, school lockdowns – we the Parents, Grand Parents, Teachers, Counselors, Uncles, Aunts have work to do to learn about the generations to follow. There was so much to take away with what teenagers are feeling and how they are reactiing to life is real.
Can you please bring the show with the same actors
As for Greta and Riley. Greta seemed to have specific sensitivity to sensual or intimate touch. Riley needs sensual touch for validatio Really hard o to sol. Luz got lost in the sauce and was used as a conduit. Chester was never meant to have a joyful relationship and Bo has fear of rejection and dumped him first because of tge mess made by the lying. The role of tge mother was beautifully play as a bitter woman that doesn’t listen. Season 2 would have scene a divorce there. Tgat brings us back to Chester. The one who loves him truly, showed up period.