'Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist' star Jane Levy on cancellation: 'Feels like the wrong move'

Despite another top showing in USA TODAY's Save Our Shows poll, the music has stopped for "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist."

On June 9, NBC canceled the dramedy, which centers on a woman who hears others' thoughts through choreographed songs, after two seasons. There had been rumors that "Zoey" might move to Peacock, NBC parent Comcast's streaming service, but that is not happening, either.

In a Vanity Fair interview published Monday, Jane Levy, who plays Zoey, said she was surprised the series didn't move to Peacock. On June 4, the shift to the streaming service "seemed like it was a green light. And then (June 7) it was a red light."

Fans are campaigning to #SaveZoeysPlaylist in an effort to find a new home for the series, an effort encouraged by creator Austin Winsberg and producing studio Lionsgate Television.

Despite sadness, "honestly, the main feeling I have is gratitude," Levy said. "I feel like I did everything that I wanted to with this show. If it’s over, I don’t have any regrets. I gave it my all and so did everybody else."

Levy said the program's joyful mix of singing and dancing should be represented on TV.

Even the sad parts, such as Zoey mourning her father's death, emphasize the love at the heart of the show and the need for programs like it. Levy added that viewers "write to me out of nowhere and say that they were able to process their grief" by watching the series.

"I'm sorry, but I have to say this: I look at the new NBC lineup, and it’s like, 'Okay, we could watch a lot of shows about crime and guns,'" she continued. "Our show is about love. It’s a real shame to take that off the air. I feel like it’s the wrong move."

Before the cancellation, "Zoey's" topped USA TODAY's Save Our Shows for the second year in a row, with 52% of voters wanting it to return for another season, while just 13% favored its departure. That follows a first-place finish in the 2020 poll, in which two-thirds of respondents voted for a second season.

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The first season centered on Zoey's family and work life, and ended with the death of her father (Peter Gallagher) from a neurological disease. Season 2 closed last month with a bang, as someone other than Zoey heard a heart song. In the finale, when Max (Skylar Astin) and Zoey divulge their feelings for each other, Max hears Zoey sing, finally leveling the playing field after her earlier advantage of being able to know his thoughts.

In an interview with USA TODAY for the season finale, series creator Winsberg said he wrote the episode with the expectation the show would continue.

"My goal for this episode was to try to give some closure on some things we had built up and satisfy arcs we've created throughout the season, but also to pave the road and set the stage for things moving forward," he said. "Nobody at NBC at the time when I wrote this episode said 'Don't do this,' or 'Don't do that,' so I just did it all with the expectation and the hope that we were going to continue."

Contributing: Gary Levin; Hannah Yasharoff

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jane Levy responds to 'Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist' cancellation