The Peripheral: Amazon’s Canceled Sci-Fi Series That Could’ve Been the Next Westworld

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Amazon’s sci-fi series, The Peripheral, shares a similar style and even creators with Westworld, making it a strong contender to fill that show’s void after its cancellation. Adapted from a novel by William Gibson – a pioneer of the cyberpunk genre – The Peripheral tells its story across two different eras: a bleak near-future and a devastated far-future.

Chloë Grace Moretz plays a talented virtual reality gamer who finds herself pulled into a bizarre alternate world that may reveal a troubling future. The series jumps between the years 2032 and 2099, showing how advanced technology has subtly but significantly changed society. These two time periods offer a compelling contrast – it often feels like watching two separate shows, each with its own unique vision of the future.

The Peripheral & Westworld Almost Felt Like They Existed In The Same Universe

After Westworld was canceled, The Peripheral could have easily filled its spot. Westworld started strong with a fantastic first season, but later seasons became overly complicated and lost more casual viewers. Only dedicated science fiction fans remained, but that wasn’t enough to keep the show going past four seasons – or even keep it available on HBO Max.

After Westworld finished, viewers were looking for another ambitious science fiction series to fill the void. The Peripheral seemed like a likely candidate, particularly because it was created by the same team behind Westworld. Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, the creators of Westworld, worked extensively on The Peripheral between that show and their current project, Fallout.

As a big fan of smart sci-fi, I was really intrigued by The Peripheral. It was created by Scott B. Smith, who you might know from the novel and movie A Simple Plan – he was the showrunner here too. But what really drew me in was that Christopher Nolan and Lisa Joy were executive producers. That meant it had a similar feel to their work – big ideas, really solid science fiction, and a lot of thought put into what technology means for us as people.

Both Westworld and The Peripheral were compelling because they combined fascinating futuristic technology with realistic, complex characters. The Peripheral especially excelled at balancing intense human stories with thought-provoking science fiction.

Chloe Moretz is fantastic in the main role, and Jack Reynor (from Midsommar) delivers a strong performance as well. Adapting a story with multiple timelines can be difficult, but The Peripheral successfully brought William Gibson’s complex novel to life on screen.

The Peripheral Was Just Getting Good When Amazon Canceled It

Like many TV shows – particularly those with complex stories – The Peripheral needed a few episodes to get going. By the end of its first season, it was becoming one of the most exciting sci-fi series around, but Amazon unexpectedly decided to cancel it.

Amazon originally planned a second season of The Peripheral. After the first season premiered in October 2022, Prime Video renewed it in February 2023, giving them time to assess viewership and production costs. However, a few months later, with the start of the 2023 Hollywood strikes, Amazon changed course and canceled the show.

It’s disappointing when a TV show is canceled prematurely, but it’s especially frustrating when it’s just starting to hit its stride. The Peripheral was a compelling sci-fi drama that seemed poised for success, much like Westworld. Sadly, it ended up sharing Westworld’s fate – a fantastic show that was unfortunately cut short before it could reach its full potential.

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2026-03-15 21:38