More than ever, we are in a world where art doesn't have to be good, it just has to sell. Nowhere is this more apparent than Netflix's rampant cancellation of incredible shows.
This rant of mine comes on the heels of the recent cancellation of KAOS, a truly fantastic show depicting Greek mythological figures and stories in a modern environment. Yet another brilliant creation murdered in its infancy. Like the recently deceased Dead Boy Detectives, KAOS was canceled only months after dropping on Netflix, despite having amassed an impressive following and incurring impressive watch numbers in such a short time. It really doesn't make any sense.
I'm far from the first person to point out that this trend is becoming its own self-fulfilling prophecy: viewers are hesitant to get invested in new programs out of fear that the title will be canceled, thus, new shows get lower viewership, leading them to be canceled.
Somehow, I still find myself sucked into new "series", only to be disappointed when they are quickly dissolved. Perhaps I won't be so willing next time around. The chaos of KAOS may just be the last straw.
I have been burnt countless times by Netflix giving new meaning to the phrase "cancel culture". The following is a list of programs pruned by Netflix that still have me in mourning:
The OA (canceled with a massive cliffhanger)
Sense8 (wrapped up with a half-arsed "movie" that didn't do any of the characters justice, but was made because enough fans wanted closure [at least we got something])
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (a work of art cut off at the knees)
Altered Carbon (high-sci-fi at the highest caliber)
Mindhunter (canceled before I even started watching, but I somehow held onto hope that it would have concluded before "ending"...it didn't)
Anne with an E (it was wrapped up neatly enough, but it had so much potential [and so many fans] - this cancelation is also partly CBC's fault)
1899 (sure it was confusing, but so was the first season of DARK, made by the same people and what was also one of the greatest original series of all time)
Lockwood and Co. (delightful cast and loads of potential)
Shadow and Bone (the second season was slightly lacking, but I feel like Netflix had already made their decision)
Dead Boy Detectives (fun teen exploits and romance with a supernatural twist)
KAOS (one of the best depictions of Greek mythology I've ever seen)
A visible trend is that many of these programs fall into the category of speculative fiction, aka, science fiction and fantasy. I could say that Netflix doesn't care about these genres, but then again, Rebel Moon was made. If you haven't seen it, don't bother. It is demonstrably unnecessary.
Is all of this about money? I'm sure because everything these days is driven by the bottom line. This is part of what makes querying so daunting. Your book could be a masterpiece, but if it's too niche, it won't be picked up. Of course, art is subjective, but the ever-growing trend of money over matter could have dire consequences in many industries. Nowhere is this more prominent than in the animation industry. Don't get me started on the fact that swathes of talented visionaries have been laid off in favour of AI-generated slop machines.
This vicious cancel cycle discourages both the art enjoyers and the art makers. I wonder if things will turn around or if it's already too late.
Is there a show that Netflix or another streaming service axed that you're (rightfully) bitter about?
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