Their run may be over at Max, but “Tokyo Vice” showrunner J.T. Rogers and executive producer Alan Poul aren’t ready to give up on the show’s future yet. Just days after the streamer canceled the critical smash hit series, the pair sat down with Variety for an interview about the latest season, and whether Season 2 will indeed be the show’s last. And if Rogers and Poul get their way, then more “Tokyo Vice” is inevitable.
The show’s future comes down to whether Fifth Season, Rogers and Poul’s partners on the series, finds someone else to distribute in Max’s old markets. “It’s worth remembering that Fifth Season sells the show internationally,” explained Poul. “Max exists in North America, most of South America and a few European territories, and the rest of the world is sold by our friends at Fifth Season. And they’ve sold very well. It’s been a global hit. So we look to our partners. We haven’t even really put our heads together yet, because this is all very new. But there are many territories in Europe and Asia and Africa and Australia that still will want the show, and we have to see how our partners, Fifth Season, are going to prepare to respond to them.”
So are there any potential buyers for the show lined up at the moment? It’s too early to say. “I think we’re keeping our options open,” continued oul. “We love and trust our friends at Fifth Season. They’re gonna guide us in that. Our goal right now is to support them as they work, and frankly, for me to just keep building the world as we wait.” But the show’s uncertain future won’t keep Rogers and Poul from doing work on a potential third season. “There’s all sorts of macro and micro planning and writing done and happening,” Poul said, “but that’s all in the hopes of going forward. And I don’t want to share it because I want it to be an enjoyable surprise.”
Even after “Tokyo Vice” Season 1 became a global phenomenon, Rogers knew Season 2 could be the show’s end, so he developed it as such. “I wanted to find a way to land the plane,” said about the most recent season finale, which has more closure than Season 1’s cliffhanger. “I wanted to do so in a way that would — there’s a difference in the ending a season that feels like, ‘Oh, that was it. That’s wonderful. But I could see where, in some way, I can feel the sound of something coming.’ As opposed to shows where you’re like, ‘Wait, why are they back?’ They all got married, or moved to Montana. I felt we succeeded in that, which I’m very proud of, with many, many, many, many drafts of that last episode.”
In other words, if “Tokyo Vice” is over, then Season 2 delivers an ending that’s definitive enough. But Rogers and Poul hope that’s not the case. “The idea was always, and certainly now, that if we can, we’d love to go forward,” Rogers continued. “I have very clear ideas about the continued expansion of the world, following the people we know and new people as well.” Poul echoed Roger’s stance with similar comments. “We were always told that there was no guarantee of a Season 3. So our only desire was for Season 2 to be as successful as possible,” he added. “And to that end, I feel that it was well-marketed, because it reached a lot of people. And because we got, in my experience, what is for a second season of a drama series an extraordinary amount of press, at the launch of Season 2, for which we were very proud.”
It’s no surprise that Max axed “Tokyo Vice” despite its positive critical apprasial; the streamer has a knack for cancelling series with devoted fanbases. But the mass global popularity of “Tokyo Vice” may lead to a revival sooner than anyone thinks. “As you can imagine, there’s been a bit of an outpouring,” Poul said about the show’s cancellation. “We take the love. We don’t accept the condolences yet.” Nor should Rogers and Poul do so. “Tokyo Vice” is a rare find in the aftermath of TV’s modern golden age: a whip-smart adult drama with great writing, broad appeal, and immmersive on-location shooting. It’s the kind of show premier TV deserves; so who’s going to swoop in and help Fifth Season save it?