"Forever" isn't as long as it used to be. ABC just canceled Ioan Gruffudd's supernatural drama after its first season. "Forever" wasn't the only show to get the chop -- "Cristela," "Resurrection," and "The Taste" were also let go -- but fans were devastated to not see Gruffudd's show among the many renewals. Apparently the "Forever" cancellation was a shock to the main star and hit him hard. His wife was the one to first break the news, before he had a chance to gather himself and decide what to say:

When Gruffudd did share his reaction, via an Instagram post, it was as candid, touching, and beautiful as fans would hope:

My dear friends, fans, supporters.

Tonight, as you all now know, I received a phone call that I was hoping not to receive, and to be honest I really wasn't expecting it. I knew the numbers hadn't been great, but I also knew the studio and the network both loved the show, and of course that it had an incredible fan base...so I thought we were in with a pretty good chance.

But sadly no, this time the cards weren't dealt in our favor. Show business is like that. Hell, life is like that. You ride to the top of the wave and then you come crashing down again. I asked Alice to send out the sad news because I was a little bit shaken up and needed time to gather my thoughts.

So I sat down and started reading the thousands of Tweets in response to the announcement. And the more I read, the more I couldn't believe it. The love, the sense of solidarity, the hope, the kindness, the support. Not just for the show, but for each other. And slowly I began to focus on what we had gained in the past year, rather than what we had lost in the last five minutes. I was overcome by a sense of gratitude. To have met you all and to have you all rooting for me and the show. At having a chance to play the role of my dreams, even if it was only for a year. To have been given the chance to bring Henry to life.

Watching the interaction of the FOREVER fans come together and share their love for the show has been breath-taking. It was you guys who held me up when I thought I could no longer go on. (Those days were LONG!) You made me smile when you pointed out the little things I did on screen that I thought had gone unnoticed. You gave me confidence when I accidentally found myself reading less than shining reviews. You were always with me, every step of the way, waving your flags, shouting your support for the show. It's been an incredible, wonderful year, one that I will never, ever forget.

And guess what? The memories belong to us. We get to keep them 'forever!' Thanks again a million times for your unwavering support. Stay strong, be brave, and show kindness as often as you can!

Ioan xxx

How beautiful, and yet so sad -- and ironic for a show about an immortal man to be killed in its infancy. RIP, Dr. Henry Morgan.