Over the last few years, Cinemax’s gritty cops and robbers and robber cops show Banshee has brutally punch, kicked and shot its way into the hearts of many fans. Boasting cool characters, some ridiculous excesses, twisty plots and easily the best fight scenes (ever) on a US TV show, the tale of Antony Starr’s unrepentant ex-con criminal who assumes the identity of murdered sheriff Lucas Hood in the small town of Banshee, Pennsylvania and decides to dispense his own brand of justice – while still pulling crimes on the side with his old crew – has been entertaining us for 3 bloody seasons. But now it’s all coming to an end.
TVLine are reporting that the show’s upcoming shortened 8-episode 4th season will in fact be the show’s last run. For those of you worrying that we’re going to be left hanging, have no fear though, as show creator Jonathan Tropper revealed on Twitter that this was not a case of Cinemax unceremoniously ended things with a cancellation, but rather that they have instead crafted the story on their terms to wrap everything up organically.
As we planned out season 4 of Banshee in the writers room, it became increasingly clear to me that the story was reaching its natural end.
— Jonathan Tropper (@Jtropper) July 29, 2015
I felt pressure to come up with a 5th season, but to me there is nothing more disappointing than a show that doesn’t know when it’s over.
— Jonathan Tropper (@Jtropper) July 29, 2015
So we made the gut-wrenching decision to end our run rather than risk a sub par season 5. It hurts, but I know it’s the right move.
— Jonathan Tropper (@Jtropper) July 29, 2015
We are shooting the insane finale right now, and I believe it wraps up the show in an emotionally satisfying way.
— Jonathan Tropper (@Jtropper) July 29, 2015
Executive producer Greg Yaitanes previously also revealed that they acknowledge that Banshee “always had a limited premise and lifespan. We push hard to make sure every episode is better than the one before it, and that takes an enormous amount of energy and creativity and work.”
This fourth season will also see a new, but probably very familiar face added to the cast as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dollhouse alum Eliza Dushku will also be joining the production as Agent Veronica Dawson, a tough and sexy FBI Profiler. With the grueling season 3 ending with a whole lot of dead bodies and the kidnapping of Hood’s longtime friend, the acerbic tech whizz Job, and introducing the mysterious Dalton, who technically made Hood the ass-kicking man he is today, it’s uncertain how Dushku’s character fits into the mix. Based on the show’s history though, it’s probably going to involve lots of violence.
Banshee season 4 is set to debut in earlier 2016.
Last Updated: July 30, 2015
Draco Lusus
July 30, 2015 at 16:15
What a great show, can’t wait.