After NBC canceled "Harry's Law," Kathy Bates was reluctant to return to television, the actress admitted during the "American Horror Story: Coven" panel at the Television Critics Association summer press tour.
"Harry's Law" was considered a bubble show because it scored a mere 0.8 in the coveted adults 18-49 demo, but its overall ratings were healthy -- especially by NBC standards -- always pulling in over 7 million viewers. Because of this, its cancellation came as a shock to many fans -- and Bates herself.
The Oscar winner had some choice words for NBC during the Q&A for the FX drama, telling reporters, "I don't wanna give 'em any airtime -- I think they treated us like shit; they kicked us to the curb; they disrespected us; they disrespected our 7 to 11 million viewers every week, and I think they're getting what they deserve ... I wasn't gonna say anything about it, but who cares?"
While Bates was once bitten, twice shy about TV roles following the cancellation, she recounted how she talked to Lange after seeing "American Horror Story" and telling her, "you gotta get me on that show -- I thought it would be a couple episodes or whatever."
Lange came through for her former co-star (the two worked together on 2006's "Bonneville"), and when Ryan Murphy pitched her the show, Bates said she felt the little kid inside of her jumping up and down with enthusiasm at the chance to play in Murphy's world. "It's delightful to be among such a glorious group of actors ... I'm going to go on record and say we're going to knock your socks off."