In true soap opera fashion, ABC's recently cancelled primetime show Nashville has been brought back from the dead.
The country music series, which stars General Hospital alum Jonathan Jackson (ex-Lucky Spencer) and Guiding Light alum Hayden Panettiere (ex-Lizzie Spaulding), will return for a fifth season on CMT and will be streamed on Hulu thanks to a deal that was reached after weeks of negotiation between the networks.
The news may dash the hopes of GH viewers who hoped Jackson would return to Port Charles following ABC's cancellation of the series, but it no doubt comes as a huge relief for the thousands of fans of the show that banded together and launched a social media campaign to save the drama.
Reports The Tennessean, "Crucial to the deal is the incentive package that will see [Tennessee], Metro, the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. and Ryman Hospitality chip in funds to offset the cost of the show's production. The state put $8 million in its budget and Nashville Mayor Megan Barry has proposed a $1.375 million fund for film incentives... arguing the show brings tourists to the city and pumps millions of dollars into the local economy, in addition to bringing production jobs."
At this time, every cast member is expected to return under the direction of a new creative team for the relaunch of the series on CMT.
The news is not as good for another ABC show that was canceled -- Castle. There have been no reported attempts to relaunch or reboot the series that starred One Life to Live alum Nathan Fillion.
How thrilled are you that CMT is giving Nashville another chance? Were you hoping the cancellation meant Jonathan Jackson would return to GH? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
