Rolling Stone Confirms Disney+ Recently Made the "Worst TV Decision in History"

It appears that Disney+ made the “Worst TV decision in history”, according to Rolling Stone, and many millennials who grew up watching The Disney Channel are starting to agree.

While many associate Disney with a very young, child-friendly audience, there are many adults that grew up watching Disney programming and now that they are older, would love to see more. Shows like Hannah Montana, Even Stevens, and That’s So Raven, as well as Disney Channel Original Movies like High School Musical and Camp Rock, were staples for many kids growing up.

There was truly nothing better than grabbing a snack after school, turning on The Disney Channel, and watching a Jonas Brothers music video before your favorite show began.

This is why fans were thrilled to hear that a Lizzie McGuire reboot would be coming to Disney+. Now, the audience that grew up watching Hilary play the title role were also adults, and would be able to carry out the life of Lizzie, but in a way that they could still relate to her. This was going to be adult programming based on nostalgia, and the concept was nearly flawless.

Then, the series was scrapped. 

The original cast of the Disney Channel show were all expected to return to reprise their roles — including Hilary Duff (Lizzie McGuire), Hallie Todd (Jo McGuire/Lizzie’s mom), Robert Carradine (Sam McGuire/Lizzie’s dad), and Jake Thomas (Matt McGuire/Lizzie’s brother).

Also previously announced were Adam Lamberg as Gordo and, of course, animated Lizzie.

Hilary Duff personally took to Instagram to deliver the news of the official cancellation of the Lizzie McGuire reboot, expressing her disappointment and sadness, noting that “the stars just didn’t align.”

Duff posted a screenshot of a message she had typed out, which reads:

I’ve been so honored to have the character of Lizzie in my life. She has made such a lasting impact on many, including myself. To see the fans’ loyalty and love for her, to this day, means so much to me. I know the efforts and conversations have been everywhere trying to make a reboot work but, sadly & despite everyone’s best efforts, it isn’t going to happen. I want any reboot of Lizzie to be honest and authentic to who Lizzie would be today. It’s what the character deserves. We can all take a moment to mourn the amazing woman she would have been and the adventures we would have taken with her. I’m very sad and the stars just didn’t align. Hey now, this is what 2020s made of.

Subsequently, other cast members, including Robert Carradine, Hallie Todd, and Jake Thomas, also voiced their disappointment over the unfortunate turn of events, lamenting that fans would not have the opportunity to experience the reboot.

Since the cancelation, Duff has participated in various interviews, providing insights into the circumstances surrounding the decision and even revealing details about the planned plot for the series.

Discussing the Lizzie McGuire reboot, Duff revealed that she advocated for a more mature portrayal of Lizzie. She emphasized the importance of depicting a 30-year-old engaged in age-appropriate activities. Duff clarified that she wasn’t suggesting extreme scenarios like drug use or casual encounters but aimed for authenticity.

Unfortunately, the creative differences led to the cancellation of the series.

On a positive note, this turn of events paved the way for a new career opportunity for Duff, who joined the How I Met Your Mother spinoff for Hulu, which still allowed viewers and fans of Duff to see her navigate life as an adult. Sadly, the show has been canceled after two seasons.

Now, Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) has stated that Rolling Stone believes cutting the reboot was one of the worst decisions in TV history, which is quite a strong claim.

Rolling Stone names axing ‘Lizzie McGuire’ reboot as one of the worst TV decisions in history:

“The network wasn’t happy with the more adult tone the show was taking….Lizzie McGuire fans aren’t little kids anymore. Had they trusted Duff and Minsky to execute their vision, something very special could have been created. By pulling the plug on it, everyone lost.”

Rolling Stone names axing ‘Lizzie McGuire’ reboot as one of the worst TV decisions in history:

“The network wasn’t happy with the more adult tone the show was taking….Lizzie McGuire fans aren’t little kids anymore. Had they trusted Duff and Minsky to execute their vision,… pic.twitter.com/qO11qHOytj

— Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) December 28, 2023

Considering the original show drew in 2.3 million viewers for each episode, which consisted mostly of kids and teenagers back in the early to mid 2000’s, there certainly was a strong potential to see excellent numbers for the reboot.

When the series was first announced at the D23 Expo, it was said that the show would pick up when Lizzie turns 30 years old. “Just like me and everyone who loved Lizzie and grew up with her, Lizzie has also grown up,” Duff said at the 2019 D23 Expo. “She’s older, she’s wiser, she has a more expensive show budget…she has her dream job…she has her dream guy…she has her dream apartment…and she’s about to celebrate her 30th birthday.”

Terri Minsky was the original Lizzie McGuire creator who, back in January 2020, decided to step away from her showrunner and executive producer role in the revival due to “creative differences.”

You can currently stream the Disney Channel Original Series Lizzie McGuire along with The Lizzie McGuire Movie on Disney+.

Do you think Disney made a mistake canceling the Lizzie McGuire reboot?