21 shows that Netflix cancelled after just one season
14 September 2022, 21:22
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How many of your favourite Netflix shows have ended up in the dreaded 'Cancelled After One Season' club? There's probably quite a lot more than you thought.
The longest running Netflix series as of September 2022 is Grace & Frankie, which reached seven seasons on the platform – and six more episodes than Orange Is The New Black. The series' final episodes dropped on April 29th 2022.
But that's a rarity. The majority of shows on the streaming service don't see that kind of longevity. In fact, there's countless series that only ended up having one season, leaving fans hanging on cliffhangers and unresolved storylines.
Here's some of the biggest shows that Netflix have cancelled after just one season, including I Am Not Okay With This, The Society and Julie & The Phantoms.
1) I Am Not Okay With This
Released: February 2020
Cancelled: Renewed for season 2 before being cancelled amid the pandemic in August 2020.
The Sophia Lillis-led series based on the popular graphic novel of the same name was a hit with Netflix viewers, but it became a victim of the one-season club after being cancelled during the pandemic. Netflix made the disappointing decision to end the show because of the "uncertainty around production dates...combined with unexpected budget increases due to Covid."
Prior to the show's cancellation, show runner Jonathan Entwistle revealed that season 2 (which was going to be the final season anyway) was just about to start filming before it got cancelled. He also said that he asked Netflix if he could re-edit the ending to avoid it being left on a cliffhanger. (It was never changed.)
2) The Society
Released: May 2019
Cancelled: Renewed for season 2 in July 2019, before being cancelled amid the pandemic in August 2020.
The Society was one of Netflix's most exciting and intriguing shows, seeing a group of teenagers left to fend for themselves after everyone else in the mysterious town of West Ham completely disappear.
The series was renewed after a solid first season, and was later cancelled amid the pandemic due to COVID-19 cost increases and scheduling arrangements with the large cast. Fans, as well as the cast, were devastated by the news –- particularly because season 1 ended on a massive cliffhanger that we were dying to see resolved.
3) Julie & The Phantoms
Released: September 2020
Cancelled: December 2021
When Julie & The Phantoms was cancelled after just one season, the show's loud and loyal fanbase set up a petition in order to save the series, with over 200,000 people signing their name.
No reason has ever been shared behind the show's cancellation. Executive producer Kenny Ortega shared a message to fans on Instagram in December 2021: "We learned this week that Netflix will not be picking us up for another season. Although our hearts are saddened, we move on with such pride for what we accomplished as a team and the family we built while creating Julie."
4) Everything Sucks!
Released: February 2018
Cancelled: April 2018
Everything Sucks! – the show that introduced a lot of us to Euphoria's Sydney Sweeney for the first time – was sadly cancelled after one season. Fans had applauded the teen series for telling the story of Kate Messner, a high school student who is coming to terms with her sexuality.
The show was reportedly cancelled because the first episode, which was only 23 minutes long, wasn't completed by a high enough number of viewers, who turned it off in favour of something else.
5) First Kill
Released: June 2022
Cancelled: August 2022
First Kill debuted in the weekly Top 10 for English-language TV series with its first three days of release. But despite the impressive number of hours viewed, it apparently didn't meet thresholds for viewing and completion of episodes.
Calls for Netflix to un-cancel the series quickly flooded the internet, with fans calling out the streaming service for cancelling yet another show that featured a Black main character, and a female couple (vampire Juliette and vampire hunter Calliope) at the centre of the love story.
6) Resident Evil
Released: July 2022
Cancelled: August 2022
Just over a month after it first dropped on Netflix, the streaming service reportedly decided against renewing the series – based on the popular video games – because of low ratings and viewership. Resident Evil debuted at number 2 on Netflix's weekly chart (behind the juggernaut Stranger Things 4) and eventually fell out of the Top 10 after only three weeks.
7) Grand Army
Released: October 2020
Cancelled: June 2021
The teen drama series had been likened to Euphoria and 13 Reasons Why, but while it garnered favourable reviews, it failed to reach the same level of hype. The show was reportedly cancelled due to cost increases amid the pandemic and general lack of viewership.
8) Daybreak
Released: October 2019
Cancelled: December 2019
The fun post-apocalyptic comedy Daybreak (based on the graphic novel of the same name) sadly didn't last very long. Netflix hasn't revealed the reason behind the show's cancellation, but it likely didn't meet the streamer's standards for episode completion and viewership.
9) Cursed
Released: July 2020
Cancelled: July 2021
The big budget fantasy series based on a reimagining of the "Arthurian legend, told through the eyes of Nimue," hit the streamer in the summer of 2020. The show, starring Katherine Langford of 13 Reasons Why fame, only spent a few weeks in Netflix's Top 10 chart. One year later, Netflix confirmed the series would not be returning.
10) Teenage Bounty Hunters
Released: August 2020
Cancelled: October 2020
Despite having an impressive 94% Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, Teenage Bounty Hunters didn't make it past one season. No reason was given for the cancellation, but the general consensus? This show definitely deserved better.
11) The Irregulars
Released: March 2021
Cancelled: May 2021
The supernatural teen series, based on the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, gained praise for its exciting plot and brilliant young cast. But the production costs vs. viewership likely resulted in the decision for Netflix to cancel the series.
12) Spinning Out
Released: January 2021
Cancelled: February 2021
Starring Skins' Kaya Scodelario and The Hunger Games' Willlow Shields, ice-skating drama Spinning Out had barely been on the platform for a month before Netflix cancelled it. The show ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, but the viewership didn't appear to be big enough to green light season 2.
13) Cowboy Bepop
Released: November 2021
Cancelled: December 2021
After disappointing reviews, Netflix opted to cancel the highly-anticipated anime adaptation after just one season. Speaking about the cancellation, star John Cho told The Hollywood Reporter: "It was very shocking and I was bummed. I was very warmed by the response [to the show]. I wish I could have contacted everybody and gotten hugs…
"I’m mystified a little bit about how you can connect with people that you don’t know doing your work, but I won’t question it. I will value it and treasure it. I’m just really deeply appreciative that anyone would care. It’s stunning to me."
14) AJ and the Queen
Released: January 2020
Cancelled: March 2020
Not even RuPaul is immune to the one-season cancellation curse. In a tweet, Ru told fans: "End of the road for ‘AJ and The Queen'. Netflix has decided to not extend our trip across America. Thank you for all the love & support. We’re so very proud of the work."
15) Tiny Pretty Things
Released: December 2020
Cancelled: Date unknown
The dance drama series was quietly cancelled by Netflix a few months before actor Brennan Clost took to YouTube in November 2021 to let fans know that it would not be returning for a second season.
16) Away
Released: September 2020
Cancelled: October 2020
The Hilary Swank-led space drama followed a crew of astronauts on their journey to Mars, but after the show was abruptly cancelled, viewers will never know what happens next. It seems likely that Away was another show that ended up losing the production cost vs. viewership battle.
17) V Wars
Released: December 2019
Cancelled: March 2020
Ian Somerhalder? In another show about vampires? Seemed like an instant win for Netflix, but sadly, it was not meant to be. Following the news, Ian wrote: "I just wanna thank you for all the incredible messages I've been getting, incredible amounts of incredible messages, asking me if this is the end of the road for Dr Swann and V Wars. No, no it's not the end of the road for Dr. Swann or V Wars. There are a lot of great stories to tell and I'm going to tell them."
18) Soundtrack
Released: December 2019
Cancelled: January 2020
Jenna Dewan starred in Netflix's musical drama which only ended up with 10 episodes. Creator Joshua Safran released a statement after its cancellation, commenting on the fact that it barely even got promotion or attention.
"What if you made a show and no one noticed? That's how it felt with SOUNDTRACK," he wrote. "The most incredible team of artists worked tirelessly on it - some of them (like me) for over two and a half years - and felt we'd made something unique, fresh, weird, and, well, great. And yet, it all but disappeared. Barely even got reviewed. I personally feel like it never came out."
19) Chambers
Released: April 2019
Cancelled: June 2019
The supernatural, psychological horror series, starring Sivan Alyra Rose, Uma Thurman and Tony Goldwyn, was cancelled pretty swiftly after its release. No explanation was given, but it was likely due to low viewership. Fans were upset to see the end of this one.
20) The Get Down
Released: April 2016
Cancelled: May 2017
Technically, The Get Down was released in two parts, but they both made up one season. The big-scale, big-budget Baz Luhrmann hip-hop musical series lasted for 11 episodes.
After the cancellation, Baz released a statement thanking the fans, adding: "The simple truth is, I make movies. And the thing with movies is, that when you direct them, there can be nothing else in your life. As for the real future of the show, the spirit of The Get Down, and the story it has begun to tell... it has its own life. One that lives on today and will continue to be told somewhere, somehow, because of you, the fans and the supporters."
21) Girlboss
Released: April 2017
Cancelled: June 2017
If you watched Girlboss, you might remember the criticism, terrible reviews and controversy that plagued the series following its release. The show only racked up 35% on Rotten Tomatoes, and was seemingly cancelled because it was, well, bad.
Prior to the show's cancellation, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos explained the reasoning behind some of the streamer's cancelations: "Relative to what you spent, are people watching it? A big, expensive show for a huge audience is great. A big, expensive show for a tiny audience is hard, even in our model, to make that work very long."
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