The thrill, the glamour, the drama… some of our favourite Netflix shows had it all yet tragically never made it past a first season.
From the Greek and Roman mythology styled Kaos, to highly ranked Dead Boy Detectives, and Aussie teen smash Dive Club, cut-throat execs have axed highly treasured programmes.
Fans have been left at a loss over the unpredictability of all, especially with Meghan Markle‘s hotly anticipated new series With Love, Meghan being crowned a second season despite its universal drubbing.
Nearly all major publications say the Duchess’s cooking series fell flat, with Time magazine dubbing it ‘bland’, while The Guardian said it writhed with ‘joylessness’.
Rotten Tomatoes was just as unforgiving – ranking it a meagre 35 per cent across the board.
The Telegraph might as well have branded it a flop, describing the Duchess’s show as ‘an exercise in narcissism, filled with extravagant brunches, celebrity pals and business plugs’. The publication said it was worth two stars.
Viewers have undoubtedly been left confused over what and why makes the streaming service’s make or break list, and why paying subscribers have no say.
So what gives, Netflix? The streaming platform is fast growing a reputation for taking a ‘ruthless’ approach to what is allowed back for a prized second season, arguably at the expense of some of the most critically acclaimed shows of our generation.
Netflix cancelled hit show Kaos after just one season, despite it bringing in a whopping 14.9 million views (Pictured: Jeff Goldblum as Zeus in the highly rated show)
Though Netflix has confusingly axed many shows during their prime, the platform did however renew Meghan Markle’s new series, With Love, Meghan with record speed
Viewers even declared that if Jeff Goldblum as the king of the Greek gods in Kaos wasn’t enough to keep Netflix on board, perhaps nothing could.
Elsewhere, one woman said she was ‘mourning’ the loss of loved comic series Scott Pilgrim vs The World after Netflix left it behind after just one season.
Comedy drama Everything Now – about a 16-year-old Londoner who struggles with anorexia – launched in 2023 to rave reviews. But fans were forced to bid it goodbye just one year later.
Here, FEMAIL takes a look at highly rated Netflix shows that were axed after just one season.
Dead Boy Detectives
Though Deadboy Detectives scored a staggering 93 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, it will not be renewed for a second season (Pictured left to right: Yuyu Kitamura as Niko Sasaki, Jayden Revri as Charles Rowland, George Rexstrew as Edwin Payne and Kassius Nelson as Crystal Palace)
A supernatural comedy horror entwined with ghosts, death, and romance – what’s not to love?
The eight-part series dropped onto Netflix UK in April last year and instantly struck gold, with fans hailing it as ’10/10′ and insisting ‘everyone needs to and go watch it’.
Dead Boy Detectives, which is part of the DC Comics Sandman universe, follows teen ghosts, Edwin Paine and Charles Roland, as they work alongside Crystal the clairvoyant to solve mysteries for their supernatural clientele.
It stars a young cast of George Rexstrew who plays Edwin Payne, Jayden Revri who plays Charles Rowland and Kassius Nelson as Crystal Palace.
The show scored a staggering 93 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, along with 87 per cent on audience ratings.
Fans were already demanding a second season, but it appears just as they became hooked, Netflix swooped in to end its run, which viewers say has left them ‘pissed off’.
‘It’s still sick to me that they cancelled dead boy detectives, like who the f**k would do such a thing? #heartbroken’ lamented one person on X.
Hopes of part two at this point will remain a fantasy as sadly it won’t be returning for a second series.
Everything Now
The Everything Now cast from left to right – top row: Robert Akodoto as Theo and Sam Reuben as Alex – bottom row: Lauryn Ajufo as Becca, Sophie Wilde as Mia, Harry Cadby as Cameron and Niamh McCormack as Alison
Showstopper Everything Now was another quick hit on the platform, taking televisions by storm when it debuted in October 2023.
The series revolved around character Mia – played by You Don’t Know Me actress Sophie Wilde – a 16-year-old girl from London who juggles sixth form, life and love while battling anorexia.
It also starred British legend Stephen Fry, alongside Niamh McCormack, Sam Reuben, Vivienne Acheampong, and Alex Hassell.
It was lauded for tackling hard hitting subjects like anorexia – an eating disorder that causes sufferers to use unhealthy methods to lose weight – sex and alcoholism, and its efforts won over a legion of fans.
The witty drama was ranked four out of five by Evening Standard and a whopping 83 per cent by Rotten Tomatoes, but as we have come to know, that seems to mean nothing to Netflix execs.
Actor Dylan Brady, who wrote part of the series, was himself left heartbroken by the chop and revealed the project was ‘at the mercy of an algorithm’.
In an interview with Film Updates last year, he said he never expected the cancellation as he had begun working on a series follow up: ‘I had written a script for season two. We had some great ideas but we are at the mercy of the algorithm I’m afraid’.
He also lamented the shift in the way shows are consumed nowadays, and that streaming services expected ’16 million views in the first 28 days’.
‘It’s really difficult because historically, TV has worked in one way, which is a slow, consistent growth over several seasons, as opposed to this kind of mentality we see now, where it’s like, “If it doesn’t get 16 million views in the first 28 days, it’s not worth anyone’s while”.
‘It’s really disheartening to see because I think there’s also a lot of people who refuse to invest in a new show with the knowledge that it might just end up getting canceled’.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
Fans were left devastated when Netflix scrapped the animated series after just one season – despite a string of rave reviews
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is yet another series that has fallen victim to the Netflix chopping block.
Last year fans were left devastated after the streaming service scrapped the beloved series after just one season – despite a string of rave reviews.
The animated series, set in Toronto, Canada, is based on Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novels, and sees Michael Cera return to the title role with Mary Elizabeth Winstead voicing Ramona Flowers.
The reboot of the cult classic film featured the entire superstar cast from the original live action movie, with the likes of Alison Pill, Anna Kendrick, Brie Larson, Chris Evans, Aubrey Plaza, Ellen Wong, Jason Schwartzman, Satya Bhabha and Kieran Culkin all back.
The 25-minute show was a major hit with critics and fans, but Bryan has made it clear there will be no more episodes.
Fans have since slammed the network for not only deciding not to renew it, but for removing it entirely from the platform.
‘I had a day of mourning where I showed up to classes in dressed in all black when Scott pilgrim got removed from Netflix’ wailed one woman on X.
Another added: ‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is cancelled? Nooooo why do they always cancel the good shows?’
For Netflix subscribers that haven’t seen it, there’s no chance now.
Kaos
Kaos stars Jurassic Park’s Jeff Goldblum, no doubt his role a contributing factor to it being hailed as an ‘absolute triumph’, as stated by critics. Viewers called the decision to end the critically acclaimed series ‘nuts’
The modernised take on the classic fantasy was instantaneously devoured by fans -and many begged for a second season.
It was also a regular feature in Netflix’s top ten chart and even reached number three, but still, viewers’ pleas fell on deaf ears.
Described as a mix of drama and intrigue, the series is a modern take on Greek and Roman mythology, with the dark comedy centered around Prometheus working with three humans to try and overthrow Zeus after he was punished for trying to interfere his ruling.
Kaos stars Jurassic Park’s Jeff Goldblum, no doubt his role a contributing factor to it being hailed as an ‘absolute triumph’, as stated by critics. It also stars Aurora Perrineau, Misia Butler, Debi Mazar, David Thewlis, Janet McTeer and Leila Farzad.
Despite its first season bringing in a whopping 14.9 million views, the streaming giant chose not to renew it for a second season, a decision viewers have furiously branded ‘nuts’.
‘This decision is NUTS’ critiqued a viewer on X. ‘What on earth are Netflix thinking?’
‘This is one of the best shows I’ve seen for a really long time. I was so looking forward to series,’ said another.
Someone else wrote: ‘Netflix canceling Kaos even though it was in the top 10 shows for how long? What more could these people want?’
Not long afterwards one filmmaker slammed streaming services for ‘treating TV shows as fast food’ but also called out viewers for their own part to play in the madness.
Speaking to FEMAIL, Marianna Beltrami, 27, who has worked on documentaries including Guardians of the Rainforest and Alganesh, said that the trend ‘is a mutually reinforcing thing’.
‘Netflix overproduces, audiences get used to overconsuming, and in turn they demand more overproduction to satisfy their changing needs,’ she explained.
Writing a statement under the Sisters Global Instagram account – an independent entertainment group – Kaos executive producer Charlie Covell, wrote: ‘There’s no renewal’.
Aurora Perrineau as Eurydice in Kaos – which also wasn’t renewed for a second season
‘Satisfyingly meta, even in cancellation…? Of course I’m gutted not to be making more KAOS, but I don’t want this news to overshadow what we did make.
‘I’m incredibly lucky to have worked with such an exceptionally talented cast and crew, and I’m extremely proud of our show.
‘Thank you to absolutely everybody involved: it was a Herculean team effort, and a huge privilege to work with you all.
‘And to the marvellous fans: thanks so much for your love and enthusiasm. I’ve been shown subreddits that have made my heart positively sing: the tiny details and Easter eggs you noticed made my day many times over.
‘I’ve been chuffed to the point of overwhelm by your positive responses to the show – thank you! (Also, by the way, one theory about who or what “Kaos” is was bang on the money…)
‘My hope now is that people still continue to discover and enjoy the show: I reckon there are some potential fans out there who might need more time to find it, so please keep talking about KAOS if you enjoyed it.
‘Thanks so much for watching!’
Sadly all the commotion just wasn’t enough to convince bosses to renew it for a second season.
Uncoupled
Uncoupled was said to be at the tail end of season two preparations before falling victim to the chopping block (Pictured: Tuc Watkins as Colin McKenna and Neil Patrick Harris as Michael Lawson)
The romantic drama starring Neil Patrick Harris was also not immune to Netflix’s cull.
More than a year after teaser updates of a second season, Showtime gave the How I Met Your Mother star’s series the official boot.
The show – which followed Neil as a singleton in New York City after he was abruptly dumped by his partner of 17 years – is different from many others on our list, in that a second season was already in the works, stated Deadline.
In fact, ten scripts were mostly finished before the network decided to scrap the program, added the publication.
The short-lived show first arrived on Netflix on July 29, 2022 and the 30-minute-long series peaked at number six on the streamer’s weekly Top 10 rankings one week.
Other stars of the show included Emerson Brooks as TV weatherman Billy; Tisha Campbell as Michael’s business partner Suzanne and Brooks Ashmanskas as art dealer Stanley.
Despite attempts to save it by its co-producers, Showtime, the series was ultimately cancelled.
Lockwood & Co
Over 46,000 fans signed a petition in a desperate bid to save Lockwood & Co, but efforts were futile as the network ended the show after just eight episodes
Viewers were left less than impressed when Netflix cancelled supernatural series Lockwood & Co after just one season.
The supernatural thriller, which is based on Jonathan Stroud’s books, stars Bridgeton’s Ruby Stokes and newcomers Cameron Chapman and Ali Hadji-Heshmati.
The TV series is set in an alternative London overrun with ghosts visible only to the young.
A girl with psychic abilities joins the two teen boys at the ghost-hunting agency Lockwood & Co to fight the deadly spirits plaguing the city.
Perhaps Netflix didn’t think the thrilling storyline was worth a season renewal as they eventually scrapped it.
Over 46,000 fans signed a petition at the time in a desperate bid to save the show, but efforts were futile as the network went ahead with the decision after just eight episodes.
Several fans took to X to complain about how ‘devastated’ they were by the news.
One wrote: ‘My kids and I are utterly devastated by this. Daughter feeling grief like she’s lost a friend @NetflixUK has a lot to answer for’.
A second said: ‘Why do they even bother commissioning new stuff? Lockwood & Co was well liked and had good viewership. What do Netflix need to renew a show? Is it literally only the Bridgertons and Stranger Things?’
Though the petition gained momentum, the network stood firm by its decision and Lockwood & Co has officially ended.
Dive Club
Not only was Dive Club a screen hit, it was praised by locals as it hoped to ‘create in excess of 110 jobs for Queenslanders and inject nearly $8million into the economy’
Dive Club was released in August 2021 to rave reviews and a staggering 75 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Aussie series follows the lives of a group of teenage divers who strive to uncover a mysterious disappearance which will change their small town, and each other, forever.
Not only was it a screen hit, it was praised by locals as it hoped to ‘create in excess of 110 jobs for Queenslanders and inject nearly $8million into the economy’.
As producers have since kept shtum regarding a second series, questions have been raised over whether it too will fall at the hands of Netflix bosses.
Three years is a pretty long time to wait for another 12 episodes, but here’s to hoping.
The Get Down
Created by famed Moulin Rouge director Baz Luhrman, The Get Down stars Shameik Moore, Justin Smith and Jimmy Smits, as well as Will and Jada Smith’s son, Jaden Smith, as Marcus ‘Dizzee’ Kipling
When Netflix washed their hands of Jaden Smith’s The Get Down, the news didn’t go down too easy.
Created by famed Moulin Rouge director Baz Luhrmann, the 70s musical drama was set in the Bronx, New York and follows the rise of hip-hop and disco music through the eyes of a group of teenagers.
The series stars Shameik Moore, Justin Smith and Jimmy Smits, as well as Will and Jada Smith‘s son, Jaden Smith, as Marcus ‘Dizzee’ Kipling, a graffiti artist known as Rumi 411.
Considering it was one of the most costly projects backed by Netflix, with the 12-episode first season costing about $120 million, we’re sure its cancellation didn’t go down a treat with the platform either.
In a Facebook post, Luhrmann appeared to blame his desire to return to making movies for the cancellation.
After putting off making a new film for two years, he was itching to get back to a big – perhaps a sticking point for distributor Netflix and producing partner Sony Pictures Television.
‘It kills me that I can’t split myself into two and make myself available to both productions… But the simple truth is, I make movies,’ he wrote to fans.
He added: ‘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’.
Taking the news extremely personally, one person wrote on X: ‘I been praying on Netflix’s downfall since they cancelled The Get Down and Sense8’.
‘Ever so often I think about The Get Down being cancelled and I am reminded that Netflix hates us’ added another.
So far, the backlash has failed to sway Baz Luhrmann or Netflix, and The Get Down was never renewed for a second season.
Seven Seconds
Seven Seconds was well received by critics and audiences, but that didn’t stop Netflix from pulling the plug on it just a few weeks after its debut (Pictured: Clare-Hope Ashitey as assistant prosecutor KJ Harper in Seven Seconds)
Seven Seconds was a major hit having stirred emotions over real life subjects such as racism, police brutality and sexism.
The crime drama centers on the accidental injuring, and eventual death, of an African-American teenager by a white police officer in Jersey City, New Jersey, and its subsequent cover-up.
The series, which premiered in 2018, featured stunning portrayals by Regina King and Russell Hornsby as Latrice and Isaiah Butler – the parents of slain teenager Brenton Butler, played by Daykwon Gaines.
Clare-Hope Ashitey also shone as flawed, yet diligent assistant prosecutor KJ Harper who is determined to get justice for the Butlers.
It was well received by critics and audiences, but that didn’t stop Netflix from pulling the plug on it just a few weeks later on April 18, deeming it a limited series rather than a long-running program.
The wrath of its viewers is not to be toyed with, as they refused to let the decision slide, with many mercilessly mocking the platform months later.
The proud network congratulated Regina King for nabbing an Emmy for her standout performance as grieving mother, Latrice, but viewers were quick to point out the irony.
Despite many popular shows being cancelled, Meghan’s Netflix show has been renewed for a second season despite criticisms
Following her epic win, Netflix wrote in a tweet: ‘REGINA KING DESERVES THE WORLD’.
Many social media users scoffed at the post, writing that she deserves the world along with another season of Seven Seconds, after the show was canceled following its first season.
‘She deserved to not have her show canceled,’ an X user chimed.
‘How bout uncanceling this great show?’ said another.
Cindy Holland, former vice president of original content at Netflix, said at the time: ‘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’.
