Why The Knick Killed Off Clive Owen's Dr. John Thackery In Season 2
Originally published Jul 11, 2026
By Lex Briscuso · TVLine
AI-generated summary based on TVLine · Aggregated by Filmarian · Human-reviewed and approved on Jul 11, 2026
Key points
- Steven Soderbergh planned to kill off Dr. John Thackery to leave the series and allow new creative direction.
- Soderbergh envisioned a changing of the guard every two seasons, giving new directors and creators freedom to reshape the show.
- Despite initial plans, Season 3 of The Knick was never produced, and the show was officially canceled in 2017.
The Knick shocked fans by killing off Clive Owen's Dr. John Thackery at the end of Season 2. Steven Soderbergh explained that this was part of his plan to leave the series and allow a new director to shape the story with new elements for future seasons. Soderbergh envisioned a future where every two seasons, there would be a changing of the guard, giving new creators maximum freedom to reshape the show.
Read the original story: TVLine — by Lex Briscuso