Pete Davidson is closing another chapter.
This week, Davidson shared a statement with multiple outlets including Complex in which he opened up about his decision to bring the series to a close, despite it having been renewed for a second season last June.
"I’ve always seen Bupkis as a window into my life, since it is so personal and about my struggles and family," Davidson said. "After nearly a decade of my personal life being in the media I wanted a chance to tell my story my way. Of all the work I’ve ever done, Bupkis is by far what I’m most proud of."
The recent Dumb Money star went on to thank Lorne Michaels, Broadway Video, Peacock, Universal Television, and his team of collaborators for helping him bring to life a work that was as "heartfelt" as it was hilarious.
"I do also feel that this part of my life is finished," Davidson said, adding that he’s "very excited" for what comes next.
View this video on YouTube
Last May, I spoke with Bupkis showrunner Judah Miller about the unique process of bringing Davidson's "relentlessly absurd" reality to the small screen in semi-autobiographical form. As fans know, Davidson previously worked elements of his life into the Judd Apatow-directed film The King of Staten Island in 2020. According to Miller, he and Davidson actually first connected on the set of that film, with the SNL alum later texting him about writing a pilot with Dave Sirus.
"I think, because we were all friends going into this project, that we had a sense of fun and playfulness that kind of comes through in the project," Miller previously told Complex. "There’s a sense of anarchy that we wanted to have within this show where we can tell a story that’s very dramatic or poignant or finely crafted and then completely take the piss out of it and turn it on its side into an absurdity."
Excitement for a second season was high when a renewal was confirmed last June. In a statement at the time, Erin Underhill, president of Universal Television, said the team behind the show couldn't "wait to once again climb inside the creative mind of Pete Davidson for season two."
Thursday, sources were cited as confirming that a rep for Davidson had informed Peacock of his decision to move on at some point earlier this week, prior to the news becoming public.
Davidson is currently fresh off the rollout of his latest stand-up special, Turbo Fonzarelli, on Netflix. Among the projects next on Davidson's slate is Tim Story's The Pickup, which will see him working alongside fellow SNL star Eddie Murphy.
In the meantime, check out Bupkis if you haven't already. It's decidedly worth your time and actually works well as a single-season story, with confirmation of it not continuing inadvertently adding another layer of poignancy to the final episode.
