Netflix has become one of the biggest brands in entertainment, offering original programming and many classic TV series. Netflix Originals like My Life With The Walter Boys and Man on the Inside are so popular that many people binge the entire season as soon as a new one is released and then talk about it endlessly until the next one comes out.
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Unfortunately, sometimes seasons take years to come out — or worse, the streamer decides against a new season of a beloved show. When a Netflix show with a large fanbase disappears, it’s heartbreaking for everyone who loved it, and in many cases it’s shocking that such popular shows don’t get the greenlight for another season.
5) Anne With An E
Anne With an E was controversial because it took liberties with L.M. Montgomery’s classic children’s book series, including shining a light on the atrocities done to Indigenous children and introducing a Black character who dealt with racism during the final season. Despite these complaints, however, it had a passionate fanbase that was devastated when the series was not given a fourth season.
Although Anne with an E was canceled in 2019, many fans are still so eager for a new season that they continue to circulate petitions demanding its return six years later. While it would be difficult to bring this found-family story back now, considering that the young actors have all grown up and some have moved on to other projects, the continued demand for the series demonstrates that it was a mistake to cancel it.
4) The Society
The Society‘s cancellation is especially frustrating because the popular YA dystopian series had been given the greenlight for a second season, but Netflix reversed course after the COVID pandemic and subsequent lockdowns caused new financial challenges that made a second season impossible.
It’s understandable that Netflix would have had trouble with new health and safety protocols and that the streamer lost money during the pandemic, as did many networks and streaming services. However, it’s disappointing that the streamer still hasn’t found a way to continue the series by 2025.
The premise about a town where all the adults disappeared was intriguing, and worse, The Society left many questions unanswered (including the central mystery about where the adults went), and the first season ended on a cliffhanger that will never be resolved now.
3) The Waterfront
In theory, The Waterfront should have enjoyed the same popularity as Breaking Bad, given its similar premise. The series was about a family that turned to drug activity and other criminal behavior in a desperate bid to keep its fishing business afloat. The series’ cancellation after only one season came as a shock, considering that the show was regularly in Netflix’s top 10.
However, Netflix justified its decision because many people had not watched the entire season, which suggested that people were intrigued by the premise but weren’t captivated enough to keep watching. Despite these metrics, it’s surprising that the series wasn’t given a chance to recapture viewers with a second season, since it was clear there was interest in the premise and that people might give it a second chance if some elements were reworked.
2) I Am Not Okay With This
I Am Not Okay With This was another casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic. This queer-coded fantasy series about a group of teenagers with superpowers was popular with its intended audience and had internal support at Netflix, yet it didn’t qualify for a second season for financial reasons.
The most frustrating thing about this cancellation is that it ended on a huge cliffhanger, and Netflix did not greenlight a recut of the final scene to at least give fans closure. The title thus became prophetic, as much of the audience was not okay with a cancellation that left the story hanging.
1) Everything Sucks!
Everything Sucks! was a LGBTQ+ coming-of-age comedy that was likely ahead of its time. This 2018 series was a less-than-nostalgic look back at 1990s teenage life and ostensibly was about students in the AV and drama clubs. It is best remembered for a storyline involving the principal’s daughter coming out, which was a huge deal in that era, and this and similar stories led to a passionate fan base for the show.
Unfortunately, Netflix determined that not enough people were sticking with Everything Sucks! to the final episode to justify making a second season, and fans’ passion didn’t persuade the streamer otherwise. This is especially frustrating because, like many cancelled Netflix series, Everything Sucks! ended with two major cliffhangers that will never be resolved now: Kate and Emmaline’s first kiss (witnessed by McQuaid), and Leroy’s father showing up on his doorstep.
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