Netflix has produced some of the greatest shows of the 21st century, giving the audience a taste of all the genres and a variety of shows to binge-watch. Though many of these titles get renewed and hit the five-season mark, some suffer the dismal fate of cancellation, much to the shock and sadness of fans.
While the reasons for getting the axe are multiple and distinctive, and understandable most of the time—owing to high costs and low viewership—yet when fairly engaging shows with unexplored potential disappear into the void of streaming abruptly, it leaves hearts broken. Here are such shows that got scraped off too soon by Netflix despite their immense promise.
20. The Chair (2021)
There is no doubt about Sandra Oh’s talent, and ‘The Chair’ should’ve afforded her more time to shine. In this comedy drama, she plays Dr. Ji-Yoon Kim, who gets the opportunity to become the first woman to be appointed Chair of the English department at fictional Pembroke University. But if her professional life is riddled with chaos, her home life is another soap opera.
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19. The Midnight Club (2022)
Based on Christopher Pike’s YA novel, ‘The Midnight Club’ had fun and mysteries galore. There are eight terminally ill young patients at a tranquil hospice who share scary stories and promise to return and tell tales from beyond the grave upon death. The spooky vibes are heightened by the strange and secretive doctor who runs the facility.
18. Dead Boy Detectives (2024)
A spinoff of ‘The Sandman,’ the dream of this series was snubbed out before it could manifest into something great. The story follows Charles Rowland and Edwin Payne, who have traded their afterlife to ghost around and solve supernatural crimes. Our ‘Dead Boy Detectives‘ deserved better.
17. Archive 81 (2022)
‘Archive 81’ offers a concoction of supernatural horror, mystery, and suspense. There’s an archivist, Dan, who has been tasked to restore some old tapes from the 1990s. But shocker: he comes across a demonic cult, and more horrors from the past that penetrate the veil to haunt the present.
16. The Society (2019)
In a sea of teen dramas, ‘The Society’ stood out for its theme of rich kids living out a ‘Lord of the Flies’ reality. How? They just returned from a weird field trip to find their home had transformed into a ghost town. The heartbreak is never knowing whether they were dreaming, or they died, or they reached a completely different dimension.
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15. Warrior Nun (2020–2022)
There are still posts about resurrecting ‘Warrior Nun’ on social media. The story follows a young woman battling not just evil forces, but spearheading the balance between Heaven and hell. She does all this after waking up in a morgue with an artefact jammed in her back. Yes, there’s so much more to this tale we are missing.
14. 1899 (2022)
The mind-bending historical sci-fi show, ‘1899,’ climbed the Netflix chart to the top and then dropped out of existence. The plot had promise – a group of Europeans make a voyage across the deep-dark waters to New York City in 1899, but their journey isn’t treacherous due to just natural catastrophes. There are strange phenomena festering on and under the surface.
13. Fate: The Winx Saga (2021–2022)
A fresh take on Nickelodeon’s animated series, ‘Winx Club,’ this Netflix series showcased the lives of five young fairies, all sequestered in a prestigious boarding school for all those with magical gifts. This fantasy show had heart and adventure, and it deserves a comeback.
12. Lockwood & Co. (2023)
Yet another supernatural detective series that met an untimely end. ‘Lockwood & Co.’ gave ghost-hunting duties to a group of teens led by a psychic girl in a spirit-plagued London. Without any adult intervention, it’s upon these misfits to maintain peace in their city.
11. I Am Not Okay With This (2020)
Based on Charles Forsman’s graphic novel, ‘I Am Not Okay With This’ includes themes of high school drama, heartbreak, angst, and sexual exploration. But that’s not all. The plot throws in superpowers, too. What comes out is an offbeat yet gripping coming-of-age story.
10. The Residence (2025)
Reminiscent of ‘Knives Out,’ ‘The Residence’ is a razor-sharp yet quirky whodunnit that unfolds in the White House. Detective Cordelia Cupp is as eccentric as she is brilliant. How she solves the murder mystery with a labyrinth of 132 rooms and 157 suspects is a delight to watch. Unfortunately, Netflix didn’t have faith in this novel concept and axed the show after just one season.
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9. The Brothers Sun (2024)
‘The Brothers Sun’ was taken off Netflix’s slate after just one season despite critical acclaim and praise from viewers. Michelle Yeoh gives a terrific performance in this deadly comedy series full of fear, death, and mayhem.
8. Anne With An E (2017–2019)
The beloved children’s classic book series was brought to life beautifully on screen. Anne was a force to be reckoned with. She laughed hard, loved deeply, and never stopped questioning the world and making the best of her life.
7. Santa Clarita Diet (2017–2019)
Drew Barrymore’s ‘Santa Clarita Diet’ is a show that serves horror and comedy in equal measure. A family’s life is turned upside down when a member turns into the undead. Yes, death and destruction follow. But still, the outcome is wholesome as their suburban life is flipped on its head.
6. Jessica Jones (2015–2019)
Fans clamouring to bring back Jessica Jones has paid off. She officially returns in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 2, which had its resurrection on Disney+ after Netflix cancelled ‘Daredevil.’ In any case, Jessica was a fearless street-level superhero who battled her own demons and ruthless villains. The gritty take on crime, trauma, and redemption needs more attention, and possibly a solo show again.
5. The OA (2016–2019)
A class apart science fiction thriller, ‘The OA’ still has ardent fans trying to revive the series. The story follows a woman who reappears after seven years with her vision restored. She also makes claims about knowing the secrets of the dimension and the portals that have ripple effects on our world.
4. Sense8 (2015–2018)
‘Sense8’ still reverberates through the wasteland of Netflix cancellations. The story follows eight individuals from around the world whose lives, unbeknownst to them, are connected psychically. They share experiences, knowledge, and skills. What unfolds next is complex yet resonant.
3. Shadow And Bone (2021–2023)
Fantasy fans rallied when Netflix canceled ‘Shadow and Bone’ just after two seasons. Based on Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse series, the story follows Alina Starkov, an orphan with mysterious magical abilities. Of course, sinister forces pop up, and a mission to save the world begins.
2. GLOW (2017–2019)
This unceremonious cancellation still hurts. Based on the true story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, a rip-off of the WWE focusing on the fiercest ladies, ‘GLOW’ has rightly gained a cult favorite status.
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1. Mindhunter (2017–2019)
This is perhaps the most infuriating Netflix cancellation ever. It robbed us of a novel concept, a deep dive into the minds of serial killers and their twisted psyches that deny them remorse or rationale. It’s upon the FBI to unravel these cases to prevent further depravity of humanity.
