"I like dark things," Cox said in a 2022 interview with Variety hyping up "Shining Vale" season 1. She added, "I've always been a fan of movies like 'Rosemary's Baby' or 'The Shining,' where it's so psychological, and the characters have such transformations. This has that dry wit, which I really love." At the time of the interview, "Shining Vale" had just been renewed for a second season. Cox seemed to be feeling particularly hopeful about the longevity of the series, and she reminisced on a similar feeling she had at the start of "Friends." As she explained: "['Shining Vale] just felt like something that worked. I've thought that before and usually I've been pretty right like, I mean, obviously with 'Friends.' By the end of doing the pilot, I just took a chance and bought a car. I was like, 'I know this is gonna go.' ... This time, I think the chemistry of the cast and the subject matter [works]. ... I've obviously been in comedies and horror that have been joined together, but the way this is done, I thought it was really original and I had high hopes for it. It's very exciting." Even some of the critics had high hopes for the show long-term, with a few of them speculating that "Shining Vale" might finally get Cox that Emmy she always deserved. But as fun as "Shining Vale" was, the viewership and the support from Starz just didn't seem to be there. "I am crushed and deeply saddened by the news," wrote co-creator Jeff Astrof in a statement when the cancelation was announced. On a lighter note, he added, "I am beyond grateful to have been able to tell the saga of the Phelps for the past two seasons."