The Knick

“Something tells me that these guys are not real doctors.”

Whatever hopes we had for The Knick Season 3 were hammered into its coffin like needles in Dr. Thackery, and Steven Soderbergh isn’t going to make it any easier. The series director now reveals that a particular aesthetic may have killed Season 3, which itself would have moved mid-century.

Even as prospects on The Knick returning for Season 3 had gone dark for a year, the Steven Soderbergh medical drama made headlines with one star seemingly confident in its end. Now, Cinemax confirms Dr. Thackery’s story has died on the table, as the network returns to more action-oriented fare.

When last we heard, Steven Soderbergh had in mind to reboot Cinemax’s The Knick for an additional two seasons, even after an explicit end to Dr. Thackery’s story. Sadly, one series star offers a bleak update on the prospect, claiming “I’ve heard it’s done.”

Boy, that was quick. 2016 Emmy nominees were announced this morning, and special presenters Lauren Graham and (a very excitable) Anthony Anderson wasted no time in revealing this year’s crop of nominees. While there was rightfully plenty of love to go around for dramas like The People v. O.J. Simpson and Mr. Robot, and comedy faves Veep and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, there were a few disappointments — namely, where the hell is UnREAL?! Or The Leftovers? Come on, Emmys.

Last we heard of period favorite The Knick, director Steven Soderbergh seemed ready to step down if Cinemax opted to press forward with a third and fourth season. There’s still no official word if The Knick will return, or in what capacity just yet, but now Soderbergh might return behind the camera after all, promising a “pretty extreme” third season.

It’s been a few weeks since the Season 2 finale of Cinemax-Soderbergh medical period drama The Knick, which itself … well, it didn’t leave prospects for the series (or star Clive Owen) in a great place. We’ve heard that Steven Soderbergh might step back for a possible third, even fourth season, but now the revered director envisions it to run as long as six.

Not only was 2015 a great year for film, but it might have been a more consistently great year for television — so much so that it was impossibly difficult to choose just 10 shows from a list that began with about 15. As such, I want to give honorable mention to a few of the series that would have been included if this were a longer list: Tina Fey’s remarkable new Netflix comedy Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, the final (half?) season of Mad Men, the incomparably hilarious and relatable Broad City, the dizzying and dangerous journey of The Jinx, another delightful season of Orange Is the New Black, the final outing of Parks and Recreation and the reliably enthralling Game of Thrones. Oh, and Difficult People! How could I forget Billy Eichner and Julie Klausner’s wonderfully biting Hulu series? See. It was an excellent year.

Those following Steven Soderbergh’s fantastically auteur medical drama The Knick understandably found themselves aghast at the Season 2 finale, a stark reminder that Soderbergh and series star Clive Owen only signed on for two years. Now, the director confirms that he himself will exit the series, though Cinemax may well move forward with a Season 3 (and 4) that looks markedly different.

For all the critical steam Steven Soderbergh and Clive Owen’s Cinemax period drama The Knick picked up over two seasons (the second of which ended just last night), the series has long been conceived and contracted to run only two years. At least one major character’s fate was left in doubt by the Season 2 finale, though Cinemax has officially begun consideration of a third, ordering an initial script.