10 Cancelled Netflix Shows That We’re Still Mad About

One thing Netflix has always done well is creating binge-worthy shows subscribers have access to. Other streaming platforms like Hulu and Max offer interesting shows to watch, yet the iconic phrase “Netflix and chill” somehow still rains supreme. Unfortunately, another thing Netflix has always done is cancel shows well before they rightfully should’ve ended. When you take every TV show Netflix cancelled in 2024 into account, you’ll likely end up feeling super disappointed; however, these are 10 Netflix originals the world is still highly bummed out about losing.

Mindhunter

Mindhunter, a thriller focused on the FBI agents studying the warped thought processes of serial killers and other violent criminals, first premiered in 2017 to critical acclaim and fan adoration. Four years after Season 2, those same fans were devastated to find out that Mindhunter was officially cancelled by the streamer. Director David Fincher opened up about why it went down in flames admitting that he wasn’t willing to sacrifice his vision for the show’s excellence in any capacity, including a budget cut. Instead of bending and caving to the pressure, Fincher decided pursuing a third season wouldn’t be worth it. Netflix agreed, and fans haven’t recovered.

GLOW

When GLOW first premiered in 2017 on Netflix, fans were instantly obsessed. Starring Alison Brie in the lead role of Ruth, the show is set in the ’80s, and focuses on a struggling actress in Los Angeles who turns to women’s wrestling after facing a long stretch without any potential acting roles. The series ran for three attention-grabbing seasons and was even renewed for a fourth-and-final season before Netflix changed their mind.

Brie spoke about the cancellation of GLOW calling it the “greatest heartbreak” of her career. The show was reportedly cancelled due to challenges revolving around COVID-19. She isn’t the only person who feels incredibly sad that the show wasn’t renewed for more seasons because outspoken fans on social media have shared her sentiment.

The Baby-Sitters Club

The kid-friendly books, written by Ann M. Martin, were beloved since they debuted in the 1980s. The Netflix series, like the novels, focused on a group of teenage girls who launch their own babysitting business to earn cash in their local community. Despite running for two seasons, the show abruptly ended. Showrunner Rachel Shukert broke her silence about Netflix’s decision to cancel the show in March 2022, revealing that The Baby-Sitters Club’s performance paled in comparison to Squid Game, which was released at the same time.

Ratched

Fans who love creepy TV shows and movies generally have nothing but positive things to say about Ratched, a prequel series to the iconic One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which premiered in 2020. The series starred Sarah Paulson in the haunting title role, and despite a two-season commitment, the show only lasted for one season. When a fan approached Paulson in February 2024 to ask if the show would ever return for a second season, she responded simply by saying, “No.” Based on her saddened facial expression, she seemed just as disappointed about the cancellation as the fan who asked her the question. Unimpressive viewership numbers have been cited as the reason for the show’s cancellation.

That ’90s Show

Created as a spinoff to That ’70s Show, That ’90s Show landed on Netflix in 2023 with a similar premise, a group of teens in the ’90s, navigating friendship, dating, and coming of age. Despite appearances from original cast members like Wilmer Valderrama, Mila, Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Laura Prepon, and Topher Grace, plus Kurtwood Smith and Debrah Jo Rupp as Red and Kitty Foreman, the viewership numbers for That ‘90s Show weren’t enough to see the show continue.

The Society

In 2019, the Kathryn Newton-starring series hit Netflix. The series focused on a group of Connecticut-born high school-aged kids who find themselves in a modern-day Lord of the Flies-inspired scenario. Much to the dismay of fans who were stoked to see the show’s storyline continue, It was cancelled after one short season. Unlike other shows, the reason for the cancellation revolved purely around the COVID-19 pandemic. Production simply became too expensive with the additional safety protocols that had to be added to the mix.

Santa Clarita Diet

Santa Clarita Diet focused on two well-off real estate agents (Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant) living in a lovely California beach town. Their lives suddenly flip upside down when Barrymore’s character goes through a bizarre metamorphosis that causes her to start craving human flesh and blood. Despite critical acclaim, the show was cancelled after it became too expensive to continue producing, even though the cast and crew had nothing but love for the show.

1899

1899 followed a group of immigrants venturing from London to New York as they faced bewildering challenges on their steamship journey. Low viewership numbers and high production costs were the main reasons for why the show wasn’t renewed. As far as actual numbers go, most of the audience showed up to watch episodes 1 through 3, but there was reportedly a massive drop off in viewership for episodes 4 through 8. Despite this, the cancellation of 1899 still rubs Netflix viewers the wrong way.

American Vandal

Arguably one of the funniest shows to ever land on Netflix, American Vandal was filmed with the same kind of tone as true crime documentary, though it was a purely fictional comedy about a rebellious teenager blamed and expelled for an act of vandalism he denies committing.  Due to an alleged shift toward in-house productions, American Vandal was cancelled by Netflix before making it to Season 3. The “whodunit” concept of both seasons still makes it a worthwhile watch though.

Travelers

Travelers first hit Netflix in 2016, focusing on a group of people living in the future who travel back in time to interact with 21st-century individuals with silent warnings. Somehow, the undeniably intriguing concept wasn’t enough to carry this show’s weight. The justification of production cost for Travelers didn’t exactly match up with the viewership, which is why the show was cancelled after its third season.