Netflix, a popular streaming service that offers a wide variety of tv shows, movies, documentaries, and more, has been known to put the brakes on fast – canceling shows without mercy. Subscribers have now learned not to get too attached to their favorite shows, as there is always the possibility that the streaming service will just cancel a show without much reason.
In 2022 the streaming service has already canceled many of its shows. Some of these shows that completed their first season with stellar reviews and even cracked Netflix’s most-watched list.
At this point, we are wondering what makes a show successful on Netflix. Here are the shows we think were canceled too soon this year on Netflix.
1. On The Verge
The comedy series On The Verge will not return for a second season, as reported by its creator and star, Julie Delpy. When a fan asked Delpy for an update on season two on Instagram, the actress said that the show had been canceled and that its distributors “forgot to announce it was canceled.”
‘On The Verge’ followed four female friends in their late 40s – played by Delpy, Elisabeth Shue, Sarah Jones, and Alexia Landeau. They chose to use midlife not as a time of mourning their youth, but as an opportunity for personal reinvention, with the hope of finally living lives that embodied their beliefs and values.
The show premiered in September last year and ran for 12 half-hour episodes. The Los Angeles set series was a co-production between French TV channel Canal+ and Netflix.
2. Archive 81
Archive 81 was canceled after one season. This supernatural thriller-horror show disappointed many fans when Netflix suddenly canceled it. The cancelation was first reported by Deadline. The cancellation was seen as surprising, as it was featured in Netflix’s top ten ratings for originals and even briefly hit the number one spot in the US streaming ratings.
3. The Baby-Sitters Club
This contemporary dramedy that follows the friendship and adventure of seven friends as they start their own babysitting business in Stoneybrook, Conn., was canceled after two seasons. This show was based on the book series written by Ann M. Martin.
The show was created by Rachel Shukert and starred Sophie Grace, Momona Tamada, Shay Rudolph, Malia Baker, and Alicia Silverstone. Throughout the two seasons, it garnered attention for its nostalgia. Shukert was confused when Netflix decided to end the show, explaining, “It’s not like no one watched it. For whatever reason, the right people didn’t watch it at the right time for Netflix right now.”
4. Gentefied
This show takes you into the lives of the Morales cousins as they scramble to save their grandfather’s taco shop and pursue their dreams as gentrification shakes up their LA neighborhood.
This show was canceled because it never managed to breach the Netflix Top 10 list in terms of viewership. This probably contributed to their decision to cancel the series despite many positive reviews and a 96% certified fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes.
5. Cooking With Paris
Cooking With Paris came out in 2021 and was all about Paris Hilton in the kitchen. Reviewers said that she was turning the traditional cooking show upside down. Can she cook? Kind of? She’s not a trained chef and is not trying to be. Paris made various recipes with celebrity friends such as Kim Kardashian, Nikki Glaser, Demi Lovato, Saweetie, Lele Pons, and mother Kathy and sister Nicky Hilton.
But unlike other celebrity-driven reality shows, this one wasn’t solid enough to survive the Netflix ax.
6. Another Life
Another Life is about astronaut Niko Breckenridge and how her young crew faces unimaginable danger as they go on a high-risk mission to explore the genesis of an alien artifact.
It was in December 2021 that fans got somewhat of a hint that the show may have been canceled.
Responding to a viral tweet, Katee Sackhoff suggests that the original poster saying that Netflix doesn’t allow any show to get three seasons was correct. The second season featured on the Netflix top 10 but didn’t make any meaningful impact. The show failed to appear in Netflix US TV top 10 at all.
On February 21st, there was confirmation that Another Life had been canceled at Netflix.
In a tweet, Katee Sackhoff said:
“I’d like to thank every single person who watched & supported Another Life on @netflix To our crew & cast, thank you for always working so hard & being prepared. I wish we could do more seasons, but sadly it’s just not in the cards 🚀 See you on the next adventure ❤️ Love Niko.”
7. Bone
Bone was a popular independently published graphic novel series that was written and illustrated by Jeff Smith. The books were scheduled to become a new Netflix series, but the show didn’t even make it to air before it was reportedly canceled in April. Sadly, this is the third attempt to bring Fone, Phoney and Smiley to the small screen, and probably the last.
8. Raising Dion
Raising Dion is a show about a single widowed mom that discovers her son has super powers and tries to figure out how to raise him safely and responsibly. The show was produced by Michael B. Jordan and was not renewed after two seasons. The cancellation was announced on Instagram by actor Sammi Haney and confirmed by Variety.
9. Pretty Smart
Pretty Smart was about a self-proclaimed intellectual who is forced to move in with her carefree sister and her sister’s lovably eccentric friends. It starred Emily Osmond, Gregg Sulkin, and Olivia Macklin and ran for ten episodes in total. When season one ended, and things were silent for months, it was announced at the end of April that the show was done.
The show was able to reach the Netflix US top ten list but only spent three days in that position. Its highest ranking was in eighth place.
10. Space Force
Space Force was known as one of Netflix’s biggest comedy projects to date with The Office’s Steve Carrell. However, despite major cost-cutting, it wasn’t enough for the show to continue and therefore was canceled as of April.
The show was about people who were tasked with creating a sixth branch of the armed services: The Space Force. Along with Carrell, John Malkovich, Lisa Kudrow, and Ben Schwartz starred, with Tim Meadows joining the show for the second season.
11. Gypsy
Gypsy was known as one of the shortest-running shows on Netflix, having been canceled just weeks after its first season. We think it was due to Naomi Watts going to star in her own Netflix Original series. However, once the director of 50 Shades of Grey came on board, it was clear where the show was heading. This was a low-key series about a psychiatrist who is ultimately bored of her life and seeks new excitements… often with her clients.
12. The Punisher
The Punisher surrounds Marine veteran Frank Castle and the murder of his family. Frank becomes the vigilante known as “The Punisher,” intending to avenge his family. The show starred Jon Bernthal, Amber Rose Revah, and Ben Barnes.
The show was canceled at the beginning of 2019, and all of the Marvel Netflix series were removed from the network on March 1st, 2022. The license for all of the ‘street level’ Marvel shows reverted to Disney, and began streaming on Disney+ from March 16th. With Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin making recent appearances in the MCU, the door seems to be wide open for Berenthal’s Punisher to join the mainline Marvel Cinematic Universe as well.
13. Seven Seconds
Seven Seconds is about African American citizens whose tensions run high between them and Caucasian cops in Jersey City when a cop critically injures a teenage African American boy.
Originally the show was laid out to be an anthological series. Despite that intention, Netflix axed the show on April 19th.
Cindy Holland, VP of Original Content at Netflix, said, “We loved working with Veena Sud, Regina King, and the cast and crew of Seven Seconds. Together they created a compelling, timely, and relevant crime drama. The first season is a complete, stand-alone story that we are proud to feature on Netflix for years to come.”
14. Everything Sucks
Everything Sucks takes place in 1990s Oregon, where high school A/V club members clash with the drama club. It starred Jahi Di’Allo, Peyton Kennedy, and Patch Darragh.
Earlier in 2018, the show was canceled and faced huge fan backlash. Netflix offered its condolences and explained its cancellation. It also suggested that the show is dead and buried at this point.
Holland says she was passionate about #EverythingSucks, but the completion rate for the season was below average. Thus, the axe. #TCA18
— Kate Aurthur (@KateAurthur), July 29th, 2018
15. Disjointed
Disjointed is about cannabis legend Ruth Whitefeather Feldman who employs her newly graduated son and a team of young “budtenders” to help run her Los Angeles marijuana dispensary. It starred Kathy Bates, Aaron Moten, and Elizabeth Alderfer.
In the beginning, the show received a 20-episode first season order at the streamer in 2016. The first half of the season debuted in August 2018, and the second half premiered at the beginning of 2019. Chuck Lorre and The Daily Show alum David Javerbaum served as writers and executive producers. The critics, however, were not too pleased with this series, only giving it a 23 percent critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes (and an 80 percent audience approval rating).
16. Bloodline
Bloodline is about a family forced to face their past secrets and scars when the black sheep returns home. It starred Kyle Chandler, Ben Mendelsohn, and Linda Cardellini.
The show was canceled on Netflix after its third season. Cindy Holland, Netflix’s vice president of original content, confirmed the cancellation in a press statement.
“Bloodline season three will be the show’s final season,” Holland said.
She continued, “[Executive producers] Todd A. Kessler, Daniel Zelman, and Glenn Kessler (KZK) are thoughtful and visionary storytellers who lead a prestigious cast that includes Kyle Chandler and Ben Mendelsohn, who have both garnered two Emmy nominations for their roles on the series. Together, with our collaborative partners at Sony Pictures Television, they created a seductive show that Netflix viewers worldwide love and continue to discover. We are looking forward to the exciting climax KZK has in store for the series conclusion in May 2017.”
17. The Get Down
The Get Down was a series from Baz Luhrman about a ragtag group of teenagers who ran wild in the streets of the Bronx in the late 1970s. It starred Justice Smith, Shameik Moore, and Herizen F. Guardiola.
There were a lot of setbacks with production delays, a ton of money, and the show was canceled after only 11 episodes. Originally the show was announced to be 13 episodes. Netflix did not give a reason for the cancellation.
18. GLOW
GLOW gave the audience in its two-season series a look at the personal and professional lives of a group of women who performed for a wrestling organization in Los Angeles during the 1980s. It starred Alison Brie, Marc Maron, and Betty Gilpin.
The show was renewed for a fourth and final season in 2019, but COVID protocols made it too difficult to produce, according to the streaming site. The third season was also halted, and the show concluded without resolution.
“We’ve made the difficult decision not to do a fourth season of Glow due to COVID, which makes shooting this physically intimate show with its large ensemble cast especially challenging,” said a Netflix spokesperson. “We are so grateful to creators Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch, Jenji Kohan, and all the writers, cast, and crew for sharing this story about the incredible women of Glow with us and the world.”
19. The Society
The Society is about a place where everyone else mysteriously vanishes from their wealthy town, and the teen residents of West Ham must forge their own society to survive. The show starred Kathyrn Newton, Gideon Adlon, and Sean Berdy.
The show started in 2018, and after renewing for a second season, Netflix pulled the plug on the series.
Another show, I Am Not Okay With This, another popular teen Netflix show, was also canceled around that time. Both shows had made the list of shows on Netflix that shouldn’t have been canceled. The cast and crew were supposed to start filming the new season in March 2020, but filming was shut down before it could even get started. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
20. The OA
The OA was about a previously blind woman, Prairie, returning home after going missing seven years ago. She is now in her twenties with her sight restored. While many believe she is a miracle, others worry that she could be dangerous. The show starred Brit Marling, Jason Isaacs, and Scott Wilson.
The show’s first season appeared out of nowhere in late 2016 and evolved into one of the most bonkers shows on TV. Its second installment arrived in 2019 and generated even more praise. In August 2019, Netflix announced the series was being canceled after its second season. In a statement, Cindy Holland, Netflix head of originals, said,
“We are incredibly proud of the 16 mesmerizing chapters of The OA and are grateful to Brit and Zal for sharing their audacious vision and for realizing it through their incredible artistry… We look forward to working with them again in the future, in this and perhaps many other dimensions.”
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