Blood Ties: Will It Return for Season Three Or Has It Been Cancelled?
Despite being on Lifetime for less than a year, supernatural drama Blood Ties has developed an intensely devout following. Still, the last two episodes of the season were aired online only. Has the series been cancelled or will the vampire return for more adventures?
Blood Ties is a Canadian series that’s based on the books of fantasy author Tanya Huff. Set in Toronto, the series follows private investigator Vicki Nelson (Christina Cox) who left the police force when she began to lose her eyesight. She ends up partnering with mysterious Henry Fitzroy (Kyle Schmid) who turns out to be a 480-year-old vampire and the illegitimate son of Henry the VIII. The two slowly become attracted to one another, a situation complicated by Vicki’s relationship with her former partner, Mike Celluci (Dylan Neal).
The show premiered on March 11, 2007 on Lifetime Television in the U.S. and began airing several months later in Canada. While the first season of 13 episodes was still airing, Lifetime ordered a second season of nine more (the 22 episodes were actually originally produced as a single season). Lifetime had other programming scheduled for the summer months so the “second season” didn’t begin airing until October 12, 2007.
The show aired as part of Lifetime’s “Psy-Fridays” line-up, alongside Lisa Williams: Life Among the Dead and America’s Psychic Challenge. According to TV Guide, because the other two shows ran out of episodes, Lifetime opted to rework the night’s schedule and relegated the two remaining Blood Ties episodes to an online release.
Lifetime hasn’t officially cancelled the show but the “online exclusive” treatment is usually reserved for a series that’s finished. So, if Lifetime cancels the series, is that the end? Maybe, or maybe not.
There is already interest in continuing the series among Canadian broadcasters but a U.S. partner is likely needed to help with the financing. Without that backing, we could have a rerun of what happened to the Falcon Beach teen drama last year. When ABC Family decided against a third season, it wasn’t financially possible for Canada’s Global TV to pay for Beach on its own and the show was cancelled.
If a new U.S. channel is found, Blood Ties executive producer Randy Zalken says the series will certainly be back. He told Eonline, “The sets are still available — they’ve not been destroyed — our talent is very eager to come back, and our show runner, Peter Mohan, is standing by.”
Zalken doesn’t believe the ongoing writers strike would be standing in the way if Blood Ties were to get a season three greenlight. He said, “I don’t think the strike is going to hurt us, because Canadian writers are not hindered by the U.S. guild rules. So, we can be delivering new shows for the fall… I guess that’s more than a lot of [U.S.] producers are saying now.”
Nice as that sounds, Zalken may be underestimating the WGA support of Canadian writers. Blood Ties author Tanya Huff had been writing episode commentary for the Lifetime website but stopped in support of the writers strike. Blood Ties screenwriter Denis McGrath is a solid supporter of the WGA strike as well.
For now, we may have to wait until Lifetime makes a final choice to either cancel or to renew the series. Part of their decision may hinge on how well the Blood Ties reruns perform next month. The entire series will be rerun on weekend nights beginning Saturday, February 9th. Will the vampire series rise again? Stay tuned! 
Related links:
Blood Ties on iTunes
120. Lorna said,
does it look like were kidding?
119. Zainab said,
come on people…. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!!!
118. jennifers said,
i want this show back is there any new news on this topic or not i keep watching for it but no such luck
117. Angi3 said,
YOU ******** BETTER NOT CANCEL IT !! This show is wicked awsome no way you should be canceling it . . . . . . PLEASE FREAKING HURRY !!!!
116. Lance Miller said,
I’m amazed how tv exec’s are so short sighted. Anyone who cannot justify returning this series shouldn’t be in the industry. It’s well written, it has great characters & will be a hit, once given a good time slot & some advertising. I remember the day when a tv show would have its time/date schedule changed at least once before such drastic measures, as canceling, was even considered. Maybe this should be considered first.. Please bring this back, today’s need for instant success shouldn’t be the reason for this shows demise.
115. Lorna said,
How long do we have to wait to find out anyway?
114. Gia said,
The moment they start a good show i dont know what goes wrong that they decide to stop it. I find blood ties to be a extraordinary show which must have a great fan following it must not be stopped.
113. Mike said,
Don’t let it follw the FireFly and MoonLight!
Give us the season 3!!!
112. Lorna said,
Honestly what is the point in only doing 2 seasons? I dont beleive for one minute they didnt get enough viewers the show is awesome …. BRING IT BACK!!!
111. kiki said,
I love this show..so so so much! Please support Season 3!
110. fatima said,
i really dont get why they are cancelling it … now i am from pakistan n star world just started airing it n i am madly in luv with it .. as i started searching for it i came to know tht its not going to haf another season … this is **** … its the best show tht i haf ever watched totally addicted to it …it has got all it takes to be a hit .. plz another chance
109. d maya said,
I am in agreement with T.Hamilton “Of all the ridiculous programming running rampant on television now, it would be beyond foolish not only to cancel one of the only entertaining, witty, and enjoyable shows available”
I can’t beleive I finally find a show that holds my interest and they are thinking of cancelling. Get rid of something else and maybe if you would stop playing around with the their time frame people would be able to find it and watch it!
108. Rebekah said,
Blood Ties is an amazing show, that has gotten many fans in a very short amount of time and should be continued. I for one am a fan and would dearly love to see it continued.
107. Chaze said,
LIFETIME SUCKS STOP WATCHING THEIR PROGRAMS READ # 106 I GOT THAT EMAIL 5 MINS AGO THEY SIAD NOT ENOUGH VIEWERS B.S.
106. Chaze said,
I got a message from Lifetime TV, well they said they didn’t get enough viewers to keep BLOOD TIES on the air. That is a huge lie so I say we all stop watching the lifetime channel and any of their programs ! ! ! ! ! ! So EVERYONE THAT LOVES BLOOD TIES THEN CANCEL OUT LIFETIME TV.
105. Wynotta Crawford said,
Blood Ties is one of the best TV series I have seen in such a long time. Where do I request or vote for it to stay on, what network and time is it airing now, and where can I buy the series sets?
Faithful viewer
104. raven said,
Check us out! We are wanting to save Blood Ties! Care to help?
http:www.everythingbloodties.wordpress.com
103. T.Hamilton said,
Of all the ridiculous programming running rampant on television now, it would be beyond foolish not only to cancel one of the only entertaining, witty, and enjoyable shows available, but it would further contribute to televisions advocacy of ignorance in todays world. Please lets allow this show to continue.
102. Shona Taylor said,
I just want to urge the people who make the choices don’t cancelm Blood Ties. I was addicted from the first episode which I saw on Virgin One (in Britian) and then I went to buy the box set. Which is excellent. Not only am I addicted I got my friends addicted when they had to come and find me becuase I was ignoring them to finsh watching the seasons.
I need to know what happens to Vicki, Henry Correen and Mike.
101. Enty said,
Don’t cancel Blood Ties. That is all.