The announcement, which came via Musk’s favorite communication channel—Twitter—sparked immediate uproar. Supporters of the SpaceX and Tesla CEO cheered his decision, while others scrambled to make sense of what this could mean for the network, which had banked on Musk’s star power for its next big hit.
The show, which was set to be one of the most ambitious projects CBS had ever undertaken, was shrouded in mystery. Rumors had circulated that it would be a futuristic docuseries, perhaps showcasing Musk’s Mars colonization plans, or a reality show about life in a world powered entirely by Tesla products. Some speculated it would feature Musk mentoring young inventors in an “Apprentice-style” format, except instead of giving out jobs, the prize was a seat on the first commercial SpaceX trip to the moon.
Now, none of that matters. CBS, who had been hoping to use the show as a ratings juggernaut to dominate the prime-time slot, is left empty-handed and reeling from the backlash Musk’s withdrawal has triggered. Musk’s decision to pull out was as swift as it was severe, proving once again that he can derail corporate media with just one tweet.
