Netflix has a reputation for producing great shows only to cancel them before they reach completion. The cancellation left fans and critics scratching their heads, as the service dropped several series that not only became cult favorites but were also critically acclaimed.
The streaming giant’s foray into horror produced hits like very strange things And The ghosts of the house on the hill, which has formed a devout community of viewers demanding more scary content. Several horror series like mind hunter And The Santa Clarita Dietranked higher on Rotten Tomatoes than better-known shows with both the public and critics, but succumbed to Netflix’s cancellation policy, much to the ire of subscribers.
10 1899 (2022)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 76%
Install in 1899, the series is about a group of immigrants traveling from the UK to New York aboard a steamboat. As the show uncovers the backstory of its passengers, it reveals a connection to a ship that went missing four months before it sailed. To divulge anything else would be a disservice to viewers hoping to see the show for themselves.
Made DarkJantje Friese And Baran bo Odar, 1899 received acclaim for its stunning visuals and breathtaking performances. Netflix cut the historical drama just two months after it premiered, prompting fans to start a petition on Change.org, but despite the massive signature count, the creators have moved on to other projects.
9 Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018 - 2020)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 82%
Based on the Archie comic book series of the same name. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina tagged Kiernan Shipka as the titular Sabrina Spellman, who lives the double life of half-witch, half-human. The dark coming-of-age series incorporates elements of horror and drama as Sabrina tries to protect her friends, family and the city of Greendale from the demonic forces of evil.
After two seasons, the series was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic as security measures and frequent testing made production more expensive across the board. Shipka appeared in the companion series riverdale how her character, Sabrina, completes some unfinished business from her series and returns for a new storyline.
8 Archive 81 (2022)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%
Based on the podcast of the same name Archive 81 stars Mamudu Ati as an archivist hired to restore the video dissertation of a PhD student who disappeared in 1994. The further he progresses in his recovery, the more he becomes drawn into the mystery that surrounds her disappearance and the involvement of his evasive employer.
Not only was Archive 81 was canceled after one season, but was discontinued after finishing second in the Nielsen streaming charts. The show was praised by critics for its performances and mixture of horror and supernatural mysteries, but it wasn’t enough to save the series from the block.
7 Society (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%
Told as Gen Z version Lord of the flies Society follows a group of teenagers who return from a camping trip to find that everyone in their town has disappeared. Cut off from the rest of the world, teenagers must learn to stand up for themselves and survive in the struggle for power in their ranks.
The series premiered to generally positive reviews and was renewed for a second season in late 2019. However, like several other series that suffered the same fate, Society was later canceled after the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.
6 Midnight Club (2022)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 87%
Based on the book of the same name by Christopher Pike. midnight club follows a group of teenagers at a hospice who secretly meet every night to trade ghost stories. But the old mansion they live in holds its own secrets, and the adults who are supposed to help them have nefarious motives.
The series, created by Mike Flanagan, was supposed to run for several seasons, but was canceled after one season, partly due to Flanagan’s move to Amazon Prime for his final series and viewership not holding up. The pilot episode of the series is listed in the Guinness Book of Records for the number of screamers (21 in total) in one television episode.
5 Diet Santa Clarita (2017 - 2019)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 89%
Diet Santa Clarita follows powerful real estate couple Joel (Timothy Olyphant) and Sheila Hammond (Drew Barrymore) as they navigate Sheila’s newfound taste for flesh. The family tries to cover up the trail from the bodies left on her trail, trying to find a cure for her undead state and representing an ordinary suburban family.
The cult zombie comedy was canceled after three seasons, despite being a hit with fans, it fell victim to Netflix’s cost-plus budget model. With every season that gets more expensive to produce, it’s getting harder for Netflix to pay off its investors, and with stars like Oliphant and Barrymore, it was too expensive to keep the show going.
4 Marianne (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 94%
When bestselling horror author Emma (Victoria Dubois) kills her protagonist with the intention of retiring, she is visited by a friend who insists that her mother believes she is a character in one of Emma’s novels. As she and her assistant investigate this claim, new characters from her books emerge, posing a danger to her and those close to her.
Marianne was canceled after one season. The French horror series performed very well with international audiences, however its level of completion in France was not high enough to warrant a second season.
3 Mindhunter (2017 - 2019)
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96%
mind hunter begins in 1977 and follows two FBI agents in the Behavioral Science Division. Together they interview imprisoned serial killers to understand patterns in their behavior and help solve crimes.
David FincherThe series, based on true events, was a critical success. The show aired for two seasons and was prepped for a third in development before Fincher revealed that it would not be returning, citing the show’s cost as the reason for its cancellation.
2 Order (2019 - 2020)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Order follows Jack Morton (Jake Manley), a college freshman who joins a secret society steeped in dark magic. As Jack delves deeper into the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose, he discovers an ancient battle between werewolves and practitioners in an organization that is digging into his own family’s dark past.
Another victim of COVID-19, The Order was canceled in late 2020 due to concerns about increased production costs that did not outweigh the more targeted audience the series has attracted. The series has been praised for its tense, humorous writing, and for its proclivity for plottering.
1 Crazy (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
British series Crazy stars Kara Theobold And Susan Wokoma as two friends, one of whom has the ability to see demons and the other is an amateur demon hunter. Together they work to rid their hometown of the demons that masquerade as humans, and in the process create a real bond.
Despite international acclaim, Netflix canceled the series after just one season, leaving fans baffled. Crazy was praised for the gripping dynamic between its stars Theobold and Wakoma and the perfect blend of horror and comedy.
Source: Collider
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