10 Cancelled Netflix Shows That Deserved More Seasons

It’s frustrating when Netflix cancels well-made shows with dedicated fans after just one or two seasons. However, shows like Stranger Things and The Crown demonstrate that Netflix excels at long-term storytelling when it gives series the support they deserve.

Several other Netflix series were also canceled, but they ran for a good amount of time and made a real impact. This was especially true for its Marvel shows – including Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher, and The Defenders – which all lasted multiple seasons before ending. While the cancellations were sudden, these shows had the chance to develop their storylines and ultimately paved the way for continuations on Disney+ with Marvel Studios.

Sadly, many popular and promising shows have been cancelled before they could reach their full potential, despite early signs of success.

10. The Get Down

Season 1 Released 2016. Season 2 Released 2017. Canceled 2017.

The musical series The Get Down, created by Baz Luhrmann and Stephen Adly Guirgis, depicted the origins of hip-hop and disco in the late 1970s South Bronx. The show followed a group of teenagers who created the fictional band, the “Get Down Brothers.” Despite featuring a fantastic soundtrack of music from the era, Netflix canceled the series after only one season. This decision came after struggles with production, several changes in leadership, and a very high $120 million budget didn’t attract enough viewers.

As a critic, I really appreciated how The Get Down didn’t just tell a story, but showed you the birth of hip-hop in the Bronx. It was a fantastic way to introduce a whole new generation to the music, art, and culture that started it all – the DJs, the graffiti, the storytelling. Sadly, given Netflix’s current direction and Baz Luhrmann’s focus on movies, a second season seems like a long shot. But there’s still a dedicated group of fans, myself included, who wish the show had gotten to finish its story. Honestly, a limited series revival would be a fitting tribute to its incredible artistic vision.

9. Warrior Nun

Season 1 Released 2020. Season 2 Released 2022. Canceled 2022.

The fantasy drama Warrior Nun debuted on Netflix in July 2020, inspired by the Warrior Nun comic book series. The show centered on Ava Silva, who mysteriously awakens in a morgue with a strange object in her back and learns she’s joined a secret society of nuns dedicated to battling demons. After two seasons, Netflix unexpectedly cancelled the series, a decision that surprised both its audience and those who worked on it, particularly because it frequently ranked among the platform’s most popular English-language shows.

I was a huge fan of Warrior Nun, so I was really disappointed when Netflix decided it hadn’t performed well enough for them. It was amazing to see the fanbase rally, though – we quickly got over 100,000 signatures on a petition and trended for millions on social media, all trying to save the show! For a while, it looked like we’d succeeded, but instead of a third season, they announced plans for a movie trilogy. Sadly, even with all that support, those movies haven’t really gotten off the ground after almost three years, which is just heartbreaking.

8. I Am Not Okay With This

Season 1 Released 2020. Canceled 2020.

The Netflix series I Am Not Okay With This, which premiered on February 26, 2020, is based on a comic book of the same name by Charles Forsman. The show centers on Sydney Novak, a teenager dealing with loss, figuring out her sexuality, and feeling like an outsider, all while unexpectedly developing telekinetic powers linked to her emotions. While praised for its dry wit and realistic acting, Netflix unexpectedly canceled the series after only one season in August 2020, due to increased production costs caused by the pandemic.

The show’s creator, Jonathan Entwistle, and the actors were upset when I Am Not Okay With This was cancelled, sharing that they already had scripts prepared for a second season. Even after nearly six years, many viewers still feel the show deserves another season, as it connected with people of all ages. While Netflix is now focusing on different types of shows, the dedicated fanbase and the fact that some of Season 2 was already written mean a revival isn’t entirely out of the question.

7. Shadow & Bone

Season 1 Released 2021. Season 2 Released 2023. Canceled 2023.

The Netflix series Shadow & Bone, led by Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov, took place in the war-ridden world of Ravka, where powerful individuals battled a terrifying, inescapable darkness called the Shadow Fold. Although the first season was popular and Netflix initially renewed the show, it was canceled in November 2023, along with plans for a spin-off based on Six of Crows. This decision came amid significant changes in the entertainment industry due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes, which created challenges for production schedules.

Despite being canceled, season 2 of Shadow & Bone was a hit on Netflix, ranking among its most-watched shows. The show still has a dedicated fanbase who are actively working to bring it back, either on Netflix or another streaming service. While Netflix seems unlikely to change its decision, the fans’ continued support and the growing trend of shows being picked up by new platforms offer a glimmer of hope for a revival.

6. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

Season 1 Released 2019. Canceled 2019.

In 2019, Netflix released The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, a prequel to the classic 1982 film The Dark Crystal. The eight-part series beautifully built upon the original world with impressive puppetry and maintained its unique atmosphere. Despite winning an Emmy and receiving positive reviews, Netflix canceled the show shortly after its release, likely because it was expensive to produce and didn’t attract a large enough audience.

As a huge fantasy fan, I still think about The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance and how amazing it looked – all those puppets and practical effects really stood out, even now when everything’s done with computers. The world they built was incredible, honestly – it had so much history and detail, it felt as expansive as any of the big franchises out there. It’s a real shame Netflix cancelled it before they could really explore everything Thra had to offer. While a full revival on Netflix seems unlikely given the reasons it ended, I’m hoping maybe another platform could pick it up, even if just for a few special episodes. It deserves to be seen!

5. Santa Clarita Diet

First Season Released 2017. Second Season Released 2018. Third Season Released 2019. Canceled 2019.

The horror-comedy series Santa Clarita Diet debuted in 2017, starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as Sheila and Joel Hammond, a typical suburban couple whose lives change drastically when Sheila becomes a zombie with a craving for human meat. The show lasted for three seasons over two years before Netflix cancelled it. The cancellation was likely due to the show’s cost compared to viewership numbers, and Netflix’s decision to focus less on moderately-priced comedy series.

Santa Clarita Diet cleverly plays with the conventions of both horror and sitcoms, and the actors are fantastic. While it seems unlikely Netflix would bring the show back, especially given the decline in popularity of zombie stories, the show’s core idea – a family sticking together through incredibly difficult circumstances – makes a limited-release movie sequel a possibility.

4. Sense8

First Season 2015. Second Season:2017. Canceled 2017. Series Finale Special 2018.

Created by the Wachowskis and J. Michael Straczynski, Sense8 centers around eight people from different parts of the world who unexpectedly become connected mentally and emotionally. This allows them to share their abilities and feelings with each other. Over its two seasons, Sense8 was groundbreaking for its international scope and diverse cast. Although Netflix canceled the show after season two in 2017, fans launched a large online campaign that successfully led to a two-hour finale in June 2018, providing the only real conclusion to the series.

Fans deeply connected with Sense8 because its idea of people being linked mentally represented a shared human experience, with characters from eight different countries and cultures. While a full revival seems unlikely due to the show’s expensive international filming locations and the existing finale movie, there’s still potential for a sequel film, a shorter reboot series, or a new story inspired by the original concept.

3. The OA

Season 1 Released 2016. Season 2 Released 2019. Canceled 2019.

The OA, a unique mystery drama co-created by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, centers on Prairie Johnson, a woman who mysteriously regained her sight after being missing for seven years. The show explores her experiences with interdimensional travel and strange, ritualistic movements that seem to alter reality. The second season became even more complex and ended with a shocking cliffhanger. Despite positive reviews and the creators’ intention for a five-season arc, Netflix canceled the series in 2019.

When Netflix cancelled The OA, fans were immediately upset, launching campaigns and even a short hunger strike at Netflix headquarters. The show suffered the most because its story was cut short, leaving many questions unanswered. However, The OA has gained a dedicated following over time, becoming a notably ambitious unfinished series, and many fans still hope it might be continued.

2. GLOW

First Season Released 2017. Second Season Released 2018. Third Season Released 2019. Canceled 2020.

Premiering in 2017, the series GLOW starred Alison Brie as Ruth Wilder and Betty Gilpin as Debbie Eagan. Inspired by the real 1980s women’s wrestling circuit Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, GLOW was a funny and dramatic show that followed the complicated friendships of a group of female wrestlers as they worked on a low-budget wrestling program. Throughout its three seasons, GLOW received consistently positive reviews, earned several Emmy nominations, and became known as one of Netflix’s most intelligent comedies.

Netflix originally renewed the show GLOW for a fourth and final season in September 2019, but reversed that decision in October 2020 and canceled it. They explained the cancellation was due to difficulties and costs related to production during the COVID-19 pandemic. The cancellation is disappointing because the writers had already planned the final season’s storyline, and filming had even started before everything was shut down. GLOW was meant to have a conclusive ending, which had already been developed, making the abrupt cancellation feel especially unsatisfying.

1. Mindhunter

First Season 2017. Second Season 2019. Placed On Indefinite Hiatus 2020. Effectively Canceled 2023.

The Netflix series Mindhunter, set in the late 1970s, tells the story of the FBI’s pioneering Behavioral Science Unit. It follows agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench as they interview incarcerated serial killers to create the first criminal profiling methods. Created by Joe Penhall and executive produced by David Fincher, the show received high praise for its writing, acting, and direction during its two seasons. However, production was put on hold in January 2020, and Fincher has since explained that despite his pride in the series, viewership numbers didn’t support the high production costs.

Mindhunter is a remarkably insightful look into the minds of criminals, offering a level of psychological depth rarely seen on TV. Its deliberate pacing and dedication to realism create an incredibly captivating atmosphere, setting it apart from standard crime shows. Even the incomplete storyline involving the BTK killer feels intentional. Although a third season seems unlikely due to David Fincher’s other projects, Mindhunter still has a dedicated fanbase that continues to revisit the series and hope for its comeback.

Which Netflix show cancelation hurts you the most?

2026-02-24 03:45