The following contains spoilers for The Time Traveler's Wife, now streaming on HBO Max.
The Time Traveler's Wife has been canceled by HBO after initially being renewed for Season 2, according to Deadline. It wasn't the first adaptation of the novel by the same name, but it was the most promising. The series did an excellent job of balancing the story's numerous interweaving and often confusing plot threads, making them clear to the viewer while still leaving plenty of mystery and suspense. It was some of Steven Moffat's best work in years, making good use of his natural flair for shocking twists and quirky sci-fi storytelling.
Deadline reported that HBO complimented the cast "for their heartfelt performances, which completely captivated audiences." This flowery praise is at odds with the company's actions. If the performances were so captivating, some other element of the show had to be at fault. But the show's writing, direction and visuals kept pace with its performances. The Time Traveler's Wife didn't have any major flaw that prevented it from being renewed -- its problem was that it had to be renewed in the first place.
Season 1 only adapted about half of the original novel. It told an incomplete story, without any sort of interesting cliffhanger to draw viewers back in. It was as if a larger season was cut in half and released. HBO should have made the rest of that larger show up front and premiered the entire TV series as a complete miniseries or close-ended run. Leaving it half-finished just to check if the story would resonate with audiences is a corporate move, and one that focuses entirely on profits instead of the actual craft of the story being told.
Showrunners have to balance two opposite desires: they want to tell a complete story but also want to keep their show going. Many series don't have a final end point in mind when they start, or that end point might be vague or change over time. Even some films have alternate endings, like the latest James Bond film. If the conclusion of a story isn't written in stone, there's no set limit on how long the show can go on.
But The Time Traveler's Wife's ending was definitely set in stone and has been since the novel's release in 2003. Henry will die or become lost in time, cut off from Claire and their yet-to-be introduced daughter. The TV show has hammered home better than the film how their love is still beautiful for its short time, and has made clear again and again that the future can't be changed even in different timelines. The arc of Henry and Claire's romance is a single story rather than an endless well of possibility, but HBO made the conscious choice to roll the dice and see if they could justify a second one.
Yet they didn't and now the story that exists is incomplete -- not because of anything wrong with the show itself, but because of trying to extend the story into a possible Season 2 rather than committing to one finite, stronger season. The Time Traveler's Wife had the potential to be the greatest adaptation to date of a beautiful and heart-rending story, but is instead left only half-told, stranded in time much like its protagonist.
The Time Traveler's Wife is now streaming on HBO Max.