It Still Stings: Make It or Break It Never Made It to the Olympics

Editor’s Note: TV moves on, but we haven’t. In our feature series It Still Stings, we relive emotional TV moments that we just can’t get over. You know the ones, where months, years, or even decades later, it still provokes a reaction? We’re here for you. We rant because we love. Or, once loved. And obviously, when discussing finales in particular, there will be spoilers:

For three seasons on ABC Family’s Make It or Break It, elite gymnasts Kaylie Cruz (Josie Loren), Payson Keeler (Ayla Kell), Lauren Tanner (Cassandra Scerbo), and Emily Kmetko (Chelsea Hobbs) fought through the turmoil of the sport and the struggles of your average teenage girls while working toward their shared dream to stand at the top of the podium at the 2012 Olympics. But, they never made it to London. After a shortened third season, ABC Family unduly canceled the series just as all three—not four, as Hobbs’ real-life pregnancy was written in and she and her character departed the series in late Season 2—made the Olympic team. Now, every time the summer Olympics come around, it stings a little to think of what might have been.

It was devastating to come so close to the event that had been discussed constantly since the pilot episode and have it taken away right before it could happen. Let’s be real, the series was certainly not known for its realistic depiction of elite gymnastics or the sport as a whole, and it had that certain overtly religious element that almost all shows on ABC Family had in the late aughts (in this case stemming from Candace Cameron Bure’s Summer Van Horn), but Make It or Break It was a compelling, exciting, and inspiring watch. To see these girls conquer unbelievable odds and work toward becoming the best in their sport separated this from just about everything else on television. As such, the series deserved to properly wrap up its story.

Twelve years later, it still stings that we weren’t able to watch these girls make their collective dream come true—or, rather, to see it brutally come to an end just short of the Olympic podium, which was a necessary and realistic evil. At the very least, the series ended on a good note. But, we should have gotten another short season or a movie where the promised endgame would come to life. Plus, it also would’ve been nice to follow up with Emily to see how her life had progressed after she decided to quit gymnastics and keep her baby.

The question of who would win it all and take home the individual gold came up on occasion, but Make It or Break It was far more focused on the team aspect and medals, as we see in the Season 2 finale, when only the team medals are revealed at the Worlds competition and individual winners are never mentioned in the final season. Nonetheless, it was a question that the audience desperately needed an answer for after so much strife and athletic combat between the girls and their rivals-turned-friends, like Kelly Parker (Nicole Gale Anderson) and Jordan Randall (Chelsea Tavares).

So, who would have taken the gold? It truly haunts me, and I’ve spent too much time over the years imagining every possible outcome. Despite Kaylie being on top for nearly the entire show, and with underdog Emily out of the picture by that time—as she was more than likely to somehow beat the odds and take it—it could have gone in any direction. (Honestly, perhaps the writers were a bit relieved not to have to make a decision and face the vitriol that would certainly follow from the audience.)

That said, it wasn’t just the Olympics that we needed to see. Going to the Olympics to compete in gymnastics is all these girls ever dreamed of and worked for throughout their entire lives. What were they going to do after? Not only did we miss their big moments at the competition, but the series also lacked closure on all of these characters because they sacrificed so much to get to that point in their lives. The most compelling questions would have come in the wake of each of them making it to that grand stage: was it all going to be worth it? How would they feel after making their dreams come true to varying extents? 

There was so much more story to be told, but it never felt like ABC Family really gave the show a fair shot, as it was overshadowed by the likes of The Secret Life of the American Teenager and, later, Pretty Little Liars. It’s amazing it even managed to get a second and third season at all. 

While the series is still highly enjoyable and there’s enough closure to make peace by the end of Season 3, it will always sting to never get the proper conclusion to this story. The characters went through so much to get to a moment we’ll never see. Even if we did somehow, someday get a continuation of some kind, it’s been far too long to actually show the competition on screen, so this catarsis will remain unhad forever. 

Jay Snow is a freelance writer. He has published many places on the internet. For more of his thoughts on television and to see his other work (or to simply watch him gush again and again over his love for the original Charmed) follow him @snowyjay.

For all the latest TV news, reviews, lists and features, follow @Paste_TV.