WhileNetflixis famed for its variety of incredible TV shows and movies, it’s also notorious for canceling beloved TV shows before their time. Netflix’s original series often face two struggles. Some shows run for too long and become filled with plot holes as they keep getting renewed. Others, however, join a long list of streamingTV series cut down after a cliffhanger, resulting inunresolved plots, unsatisfying endings, and leaving the fates of cherished characters unknown.
From viewership numbers to high production costs,Netflix has a multitude of reasons for canceling TV shows, leaving fans devastated at the loss of their favorite show. Since its inception in 2007,Netflix has released and canceled many incredible showsthat deserve more seasons. From heartening teen dramas to creepy mystery drama shows, the untimely cancelation of some Netflix original shows still stings.
10Everything Sucks! (2018)
Canceled After One Season
The heartwarming and charming coming-of-age TV showEverything Sucks!was a one-season wonder that was canceled by Netflixless than 2 months after it was released. Set in 1996 in Boring, Oregon,Everything Sucksfollows two groups of teenage misfits, members of the AV Club and members of the Drama Club. The two groups are forced to work together after AV Club member Kate (Peyton Kennedy) accidentally destroys the set for the upcoming play and the two clubs work together to create a movie instead.
Everything Sucks!
Cast
Set in the 1990s, Everything Sucks! follows the lives of high school misfits in Boring, Oregon, as they navigate the trials of adolescence, including friendships, budding romances, and the clash between the A/V Club and Drama Club.
Withgreat casting and acting, touching friendships, and adorable relationships,Everything Sucks!was a brilliant and compelling show that explored important themes like growing up, mental health, and sexuality. Unfortunately,Everything Sucks!cancelation meant that Kate and Emmaline’s (Sydney Sweeney) burgeoning relationship and Luke’s quest to find his father never saw a conclusion.
9The OA (2016-2019)
Canceled After Two Seasons
The mysterious and complex science fiction seriesThe OAwas planned to be told over five seasons but was canceled after two seasons, ending the show on a massive cliffhanger.The OAfollows a young woman,Praire Johnson (Brit Marling) who suddenly resurfaces after her disappearance seven years prior.
The OAgarnered critical acclaim and a large and dedicated fan base that was heartbroken over the cancelation.
Praire’s seemingly miraculous return, her newfound ability to see despite being blind when she went missing, and her refusal to explain both occurrences to anyone except five locals set the tone for the mysterious TV show.The OAgarnered critical acclaim and a large and dedicated fan base that was heartbroken over the cancelation.
The OA
The OA is a mystery drama series that follows Prairie Johnson, who returns to her hometown after being missing for seven years with her sight mysteriously restored. As her baffling reappearance raises questions, she refrains from discussing her ordeal with authorities or family, sparking intrigue and speculation.
The OAseason 2 finale ended on a mind-blowing cliffhangerthat changed the rules of how the world of the show functioned. While a film to conclude the story was offered, the brilliantly complex and meta showThe OAdeserved to have its story unfolded as the creators intended.
8The Get Down (2016-2017)
Netflix’s originalmusical drama showThe Get Downset in the 1970s in the Bronx during the rise of hip-hop followed a group of musically talented teens who dream of becoming successful artists.The Get Downsolidified itself asa groundbreaking music-focused period dramaagainst the backdrop of the violence and poverty of the Bronx in the 1970s.
10 Best TV Shows Canceled Before Their Time
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Zeke (Justice Smith) and Mylene’s (Herizen F. Guardiola) sweet yet turbulent relationship dynamic along with Zeke’s friendship and budding partnership with Shao (Shameik Moore) stole the show.The Get Downseason 1 was released in two parts.
The Get Down
In the South Bronx neighborhood of New York City in the 1970s, the rise of disco and hip-hop music is chronicled through the eyes of a group of teenagers and music hopefuls as they move into young adulthood.
The first part was set in 1977 and followed the trio as they worked towards their goals of becoming musicians, and the second part was set a year in the future and followed the group as they struggled with adulthood, their career, and their future in the music industry. Whileinnovative and critically acclaimed,The Get Downwas canceledafter the high-budget show was not reflected in viewership numbers.
7GLOW (2017-2019)
Canceled After Three Seasons
GLOW,the sports comedy-drama TV show revolves around a fictionalized version of the women’s wrestling circuit Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW). Three seasons ofGLOWwere released on Netflix and the show was renewed for a fourth and final season in 2019. However, in 2020,GLOW’srenewal was reversed and canceleddue to the COVID-19 pandemic.
GLOWhas a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The promise of a planned final season and its subsequent cancelation meant thatGLOW’ssudden cancelation ripped the rugs out under fans expecting a planned conclusion.The wrestling drama show set in the 1980s follows the members of GLOWin their personal and professional lives.
GLOW
Based on the 1980s wrestling phenomenon of the same name, GLOW (aka Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) is a comedy-drama series created by Netflix. It focuses on the women and people behind the unconventional new wrestling federation. The show follows three main characters, struggling actress Ruth Wilder, retried soap star Debbie Eagen, and director Sam Sylvia as they battle each other over how they wish to elevate their new project, all while dealing with the struggles of discrimination in entertainment during the 80s.
GLOWfocuses on two former best friends who joined the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling and were surprised to be forced to work together following their massive falling out. Ruth Wilder, played by Alison Brie, and Debbie Eagan, played by Betty Gilpin, tumultuous past and partnership after they join GLOW makes them the heart of the show.
6I Am Not Okay With This (2020)
In a similar vein toEverything Sucks!with a supernatural twist,thedark comedy coming-of-age seriesI Am Not Okay with Thisfollows a 17-year-old girlwho realizes she has telekinetic powers that are set off by her emotions. The lead character Sydney Novak’s (Sophia Lillis) already turbulent life is thrown into chaos after she discovers she has powers.
I Am Not Okay with This
I Am Not Okay With This is a Netflix series centering on the complicated life of Sydney Novak, played by IT star Sophia Lillis. Sydney is a teenager who is juggling life as a high schooler, family issues, and her sexuality. To top things off, she’s also starting to develop mysterious superpowers.
Sydney struggles to deal with her new powers along with her grief after her father’s death, her tense relationship with her mother Maggie (Kathleen Rose Perkins), and her growing feelings for her best friend Dina (Sofia Bryant). A uniquesuperhero and dark comedyshow,I Am Not Okay with Thiswas originally renewed for a second season. However,Netflix later canceled the series due to issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving audiences with unanswered questions following the cliffhanger ending.
The supernatural comedy horror showDead Boy Detectivesis based on the DC comicsof the same name by Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner.Dead Boy Detectivesfollows the ghosts of Charles Rowland (Jayden Revri) and Edwin Payne (George Rexstrew) after they choose to stay on Earth and solve crimes with supernatural elements instead of going to the afterlife. Charles and Edwin are joined by the living Crystal Palace (Kassius Nelson), a psychic medium that can communicate with ghosts.
Dead Boy Detectives
Based on the DC series, Dead Boy Detectives is a supernatural comedy-mystery series created for Netflix. Two young men from different find one another in death but decide to skip the afterlife and remain among the living with a new purpose - to solve various supernatural mysteries the way only two deceased detectives can.
With hilarious supernatural hijinks, terrifying creatures, compelling characters, and intriguing monster-filled mysteries, Dead Boy Detectivesis a masterful visually entertaining treat. Despite beinga spinoff of the well-received Netflix seriesThe Sandmanwith positive reviews and a loyal fan base, the supernatural comedyDead Boy Detectiveswas canceledby the streaming platform after a single season.
4The Brothers Sun (2024)
The Brothers Sunis a high-octane action comedy show following Bruce Sun (Sam Song Li), an ordinary man whose life is turned upside down after his gangster older brother Charles (Justin Chien) reenters his life. After an assassination attempt on their crime boss father, Charles moves to Los Angeles to protect his brother and mother Eileen (Michelle Yeoh).
The Brothers Sun
The Brothers Sun is a Netflix original action-comedy series starring Michelle Yeoh, Justin Chien, and Sam Song Li. The TV show follows a Taipei gangster named Charles Sun who travels to LA to protect his family after his father is killed by an assassin. The Brothers Sun was created by Brad Falchuk and Byron Wu.
The Brothers Sunwas canceled months after the show debuted on Netflix in January 2024. The Netflix original series boastsa thrilling and captivating plot, well-written characters, compelling character dynamics, and electric action scenes, making the show’s sudden cancelation yet another shocking and devastating victim to Netflix’s cancel streak.The Brothers Sun’spremature cancelationafter a single season meant that the series never got the opportunity to live up to its potential.
3The Society (2019)
The aptly named mystery teen drama seriesThe Societyfollowsa group of teenagers who are forced to build their societyafter they return from a canceled field trip and find the entire population of their town gone. Trapped and isolated from the outside world due to the sudden appearance of a dense forest that surrounds the town and no technological access to the outside, the teens have to survive on their own.
The Society
One day in West Ham, Connecticut, the students of the local high school return from a field trip to find the rest of the town’s population gone. With a dense forest surrounding the town and no way to contact the outside world via phone or internet, the teenagers must formulate their own rules to maintain their own society and survival.
Despite being renewed for a second season,The Societywas canceled due to complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. AlthoughThe Society’screator revealed there was hope for season 2, it’s unclear whether it will happen. The eerie mystery series features a strong and talented ensemble cast that makes each character’s struggle feel relatable and realistic. The survival situation and need for leadership led to many compelling conflicts and forced the morally gray characters into intriguing ethical dilemmas.
2Warrior Nun (2020-2022)
The fantasy supernatural TV seriesWarrior Nunfollows the formerly quadriplegic orphan Ava Silva (Alba Baptista) after she is thrust into a deadly responsibility after a divine artifact gives her superpowers.Warrior Nun’swomen-led cast of strong and compelling characters, beautiful cinematography, enthralling acting, and engrossing plot cementedthe unique show as a masterpiece.
Despite the high ratings and steadfast and passionate fan base,Warrior Nunwas canceled after two seasons, cutting off the burgeoning and compellingrelationship between Ava and Beatrice(Kristina Tonteri-Young).
Warrior Nun
Based on the comic series Warrior Nun Areala, Warrior Nun is a Netflix series created by Simon Barry. When an orphaned teen wakes up in a morgue and a mysterious artifact lodged inside her, she learns she is part of an ancient order tasked with hunting demons - and that she’s the chosen Halo-Bearer with unique superpowers.
Warrior Nunwas said to be returning in the form of a reboot movie trilogy, however, the fact that the original showrunner Simon Barry will not be involved and the absence of the beloved characters and their actors makes the future of the show seem bleak. In addition, the plannedWarrior Nunmovie trilogy faces setbacksdue to a financial probe into the producing company.
1Kaos (2024)
The British mythological drama seriesKaosfollowsthree humans who discover they’re prophesied to overthrow Zeus(Jeff Goldblum). Prometheus (Stephen Dillani) plots the downfall of Zeus through the involvement of the three mortals Eurydice, also known as Riddy (Aurora Perrineau), Ariadne, also known as Ari (Leila Farzad), and Caeneus (Misia Butler).
The dark comedy mythological series ended on a massive cliffhanger leaving the show with unresolved plotlines and unanswered questions.
The intriguing premise and plot along with the cast’s flawless acting made watchingKaosan entertaining and captivating experience.Kaoswas canceled a month after its releasebecause it did not reach Netflix’s viewership benchmark, despite getting 5.9 million views during the show’s second week.
Kaos
Kaos is a dark comedy series starring Jeff Goldblum as Zeus. Zeus is enjoying being the King of the Gods, until he starts to self-destruct after thinking a wrinkle on his forhead is a sign of an ancient prophecy. His situation becomes even worse when Prometheus develops a plan to take Zeus down once and for all.
Kaosis the latest in the disheartening trend of Netflix canceling showssoon after release. The dark comedy mythological series ended on a massive cliffhanger leaving the show with unresolved plotlines and unanswered questions. The sudden and premature cancelation ofKaosdisappointed thecast, crew, and fans of the show.
