Summary
- Netflix’s habit of canceling shows too early has left fans feeling frustrated and betrayed, as promising series like “The OA,” “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance,” and “I Am Not Okay With This” were abruptly ended after only one season.
- The streaming service seems to be trying to replicate the success of shows like “Game of Thrones” and “Stranger Things” by producing fantasy, sci-fi, and supernatural stories that can capture the zeitgeist and attract new viewers. However, not all of these shows have been able to achieve the same level of popularity and viewership.
- While some canceled shows like “Warrior Nun” and “Cursed” were able to gain a dedicated fan base and even campaign for a movie trilogy, others like “Lockwood & Co.” and “The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself” left viewers with unanswered questions and a sense of disappointment. Netflix’s cancelation decisions often leave fans longing for more.
Netflix has become notorious in recent years for canceling shows too early, with many intriguing fantasy projects called off after only one or two seasons. There was a time when Netflix ruled the streaming world without serious competition. It was the first platform to take off, and it’s the only one that’s truly entered the vernacular as its own entity more well-known than the other services. But TV fans have taken issue with Netflix in recent years, as subscription prices continue to rise and promising series keep getting canceled for not performing well enough.
The popularity of shows like Game of Thrones and Stranger Things have changed the television landscape. In an oversaturated market of TV and various other forms of content, streaming services have been craving original content that can be an event. A new season of Stranger Things momentarily takes over the zeitgeist, dominating social media and luring new viewers to subscribe and get caught up. The recent Netflix model seems to be trying to replicate that success by trying out different fantasy, sci-fi, and supernatural stories and hoping for lightning in a bottle. Recent winners have included Wednesday and One Piece, while Lockwood & Co. failed to reach Netflix’s expected numbers.
10 The OA (2016-2019)
Canceled after season 2
Netflix’s cancelation of The OA was one of the first in their puzzling streak. The series was well received after its first season in 2016, then over two years later, the second season took The OA to new heights, making it all the more shocking when it got the boot. The sci-fi premise was unique, and the second season grew even more bizarre, alienating casual audiences and reducing the viewership numbers that could’ve merited a third go. For viewers who loved the series, the cancelation after a major cliffhanger was a harsh betrayal.
9 The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance (2019)
Canceled after season 1
Recent years haven’t been kind to animated TV projects, and the well-received sequel to Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal was sadly no exception. Netflix’s animated fantasy series had an unbelievable voice-acting cast, including Mark Hamill, Taron Edgerton, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Lena Headey. The series was made with kids in mind, but the Skeksis were a bit terrifying in both the film and the Netflix show. Animation is expensive and can be challenging to find an audience for, but The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance was praised enough for another go.
8 I Am Not Okay With This (2020)
Canceled after season 1
Following Stranger Things and the popularity of superhero films, Netflix has tried the “teenagers get powers” idea many times. Based on a graphic novel by Charles Forsman, I Am Not Okay With This follows a high school girl navigating teenage life with the added complexity of powers. The series starred It actors Sophia Lillis and Wyatt Oleff, but the appeal wasn’t there for a second season. Netflix cited the COVID-19 pandemic as the main reason for its discontinuation, again leaving viewers on a cliffhanger after a promising start.
7 1899 (2022)
Canceled after season 1
1899 is a more adult series in comparison to many of the supernatural fantasy shows to be canceled. From the creators of Dark, the show’s mysteries and various alluring characters reminded viewers of Lost. The first season was captivating and showed promise of a continuous mystery fans could theory-craft about, even leaving viewers with a shocking cliffhanger ending. Unfortunately, 1899 was canceled shortly after its release. The show’s bleak nature was never going to attract a massive crowd, but its prestige quality at least deserved another chance to grow.
6 Lockwood & Co. (2023)
Canceled after season 1
The latest in the line of Netflix shows about teenagers with supernatural abilities, Lockwood & Co. follows a group of young ghost hunters. Despite a seemingly popular appeal and conversations about a second season, Netflix canceled Lockwood & Co. with many unanswered mysteries, outraging viewers who had quickly fallen in love with the story. Adapted from beloved YA books, the series had plenty more material to explore, but a decline in viewership caused the plug to be pulled early.
5 The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself (2022)
Canceled after season 1
Based on the Half-Bad books by Sally Green, The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself was another teenage supernatural series that ended far too soon. The series ran for one season in 2022 and earned a positive reception from fans and critics, following the character Nathan in a coming-of-age tale as travels through Europe amid a conflict between witches. Netflix’s cancelation stung as audiences had quickly grown attached to the series.
4 The Midnight Club (2022)
Canceled after season 1
Mike Flanagan has been an integral asset to Netflix for several years, helping create successful films like Doctor Sleep and TV series like Midnight Mass and The Haunting of Hill House. He’s consistently delivered content to the platform for spooky season every year since 2017, making it surprising that the platform would cancel one of his shows. In fairness, The Midnight Club wasn’t the best Mike Flanagan horror project and he recently began a new deal with Amazon Prime. Mike Flanagan even took to Tumblr to express his disappointment with The Midnight Club’s cancelation and shed some light on what his plans for the show were.
3 The Irregulars (2021)
Canceled after season 1
The Irregulars was a supernatural mystery series heavily inspired by Sherlock Holmes. The Victorian Gothic aesthetic created an original vibe for the series, distinguishing it from the other Netflix series with similar premises. The Irregulars was canceled without any specific reasoning, though the show’s discontinuation didn’t spark as much of an uproar because the first season had a conclusive ending. The series may have deserved another chance, but at least fans weren’t left with a massive cliffhanger.
2 Warrior Nun (2020-2022)
Canceled after season 2
Warrior Nun is one of the few teen power stories from Netflix that made it to a second season before being canceled. Following a 19-year-old who wakes up in a morgue to discover her role in an ongoing battle between heaven and hell, Warrior Nun had a striking premise that quickly built up an audience. After the show’s cancelation, fans campaigned for Netflix to change their minds. While the streaming service doesn’t seem to be involved, the campaign successfully earned Warrior Nun a movie trilogy.
1 Cursed (2020)
Canceled after season 1
Arthurian legend has been adapted into tons of King Arthur movies, but the Netflix series Cursed took a new approach based on an illustrated novel by Frank Miller. The series explores the origin story of Nimue, also known in legend as the Lady of the Lake, mixing classical stories with a fresh, modern appeal. Cursed wasn’t as well received as other Netflix fantasy shows and didn’t draw in enough viewership to merit a continuation.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
