Netflix canceled 'Tuca & Bertie.' Inside the fight to save it

When “Tuca & Bertie” premiered on Netflix in May 2019, it was hailed by critics and viewers as a bold and insightful look at 30-something women and the weird, funny and frustrating realities of their everyday lives. Created by Lisa Hanawalt, “Tuca & Bertie” was also the rare adult animated series created by a woman and centered on women’s experiences. “When ‘Tuca & Bertie’ became available, I immediately got on the phone,” said Walter Newman, Adult Swim’s SVP of comedy development. Can we get this?’ It was something that all of us were really invested in.” Newman, who was surprised that “Tuca & Bertie” became available, explained that the acquisition was “a competitive situation … so a lot of it, for us, was making sure Lisa Hanawalt chose us.” “We went after it because we love the show,” he added. Whereas Season 1 carefully unpacked events from Bertie’s past that still affect her life, this season will delve more into why Tuca is the way she is and reveal the “dings in her armor.” The season will also introduce Planteau, a new corner of the show’s universe outside of Bird Town, in an episode inspired by a bachelorette trip Hanawalt took prior to the pandemic during which she and a friend were held up at gunpoint on the street.