Netflix and Prime Video keep canceling their best TV shows early

Have you ever invested in a television show and were excited to see how the story would continue, only to find out that it was canceled after just a season or two? If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably experienced this pang of disappointment more than once in the past year.

Lately, Netflix and Prime Video seem to be two of them best streaming services People in the industry have made a habit of canceling their most promising shows when they become good. Instead of giving them time to grow, these streaming giants are choosing to pull the plug without offering closure.

The worst? This trend is starting to change the way we watch TV. With so many shows being canceled early, it’s hard to believe whether they’re worth the emotional investment. That’s why I’m tired of this kind of thing happening…

Now it’s just a matter of the numbers

(Image credit: Netflix)

When it comes to the streaming world, creative freedom and story potential no longer seem to be enough to keep a show alive. These days it’s all about the numbers. Netflix and Prime Video have shifted their focus from telling compelling stories to prioritizing immediate metrics, and this is where things start to fall apart for fans. If a series isn’t an instant hit, it’s at risk of being shelved – no matter how promising the plot, how talented the cast, or how loyal the fanbase.

These streaming services rely heavily on data to determine the fate of a show. It’s not just about how many people watch, but also how quickly they finish a season. The decisive factors for these decisions are completion rates, viewer numbers in the first week and the question of whether a series attracts enough attention on the Internet What’s on Netflix?.

Even shows with good completion ratings sometimes fall short when they fail to meet those high expectations. Dead Boy Detectives, for example, was in the Netflix top 10 for a while and earned over 90% Rotten tomatoes from both critics And audience (this is a rare achievement).

Nevertheless, the show did not meet Netflix’s internal viewership numbers. As deadline reported that Netflix has “a fairly high audience threshold for renewing more expensive genre series compared to comedies and reality shows.” This numbers-based approach explains why so many shows are canceled after just one or two seasons.

Michael Workeye (Archer), Emily Bader (Lady Jane Grey) in My Lady Jane

(Image credit: Jonathan Prime/Prime Video)

Prime Video’s My Lady Jane is another unfortunate example, and that’s it The cancellation really upset fans. deadline explained that Prime Video did not renew the series because it “failed to attract a broad audience or crack the top 10 of Nielsen’s weekly streaming rankings for originals.”

This show was clearly loved, and one fan expressed his disappointment X: “I’m so upset about this. Jane and Guildford deserve their second season. The cast deserves its second season. We had a TV show that had everything: comedy, romance, historical drama, a talented cast. And it has its audience, they just don’t want to renew high-quality things. #SaveMyLadyJane.” Fans even campaigned online to bring the show back. His colleague Martin Shore also shared his disappointment and noted this “My Lady Jane” was his favorite Prime Video show of the year.

I could easily write pages about the multitude of recent cancellations, but the statistics speak for themselves: Netflix and Prime Video only focus on the numbers. While this may make sense from a business perspective, it’s incredibly disheartening for viewers when quality shows are cut. As someone who makes a living watching movies and TV shows, it’s hard not to be disappointed. The constant cycle of investing in stories and then watching them disappear leaves a bitter taste – especially when the series had so much more to offer.

Some shows take time to grow

(Image credit: Netflix)

Not every show is an overnight sensation, and that’s okay. Some of the most popular TV shows we know today only really got going after a few seasons. Take “Breaking Bad” for example – it started with modest ratings, but by the time it reached its third season, it became a cultural phenomenon.

Shows like “Parks and Recreation” and “Schitt’s Creek” also took time to gain traction but were eventually loved by audiences. Had they been subject to the reckless cancellation trends we’re seeing now, we would have missed some of the most iconic moments in television history.

Unfortunately, Netflix and Prime Video seem to have little patience for slow success. But the truth is that some shows take time to build an audience. A current case concerns “Kaos”, which again was the case Unfortunately it was only canceled last week. One reader actually commented on my review and shared his disappointment: “This series is exceptional. It’s a refreshingly new and unique storyline. I have to admit that I’m starting to get tired of the Netflix roller coaster ride of canceling the best shows just when I’m falling in love with them.”

More fans continued to share their frustration Xwith one user saying: “Kaos was the first really good show they’ve done in ages. Sharp, funny, strange and moving. An outstanding cast. And even that is canceled. The final push I needed to delete my subscription.” Another user agreed that shows don’t have enough time to develop properly: “Why do they even bother making new shows that have great potential and canceling them after one season?” You have to eat everything in one day to get more, and even that isn’t enough.”

Josh Brolin as Royal Abbott in the Outer Range series on Prime Video — (Image credit: Prime Video)

Prime Video’s Outer Range actually had time to grow over two seasons and developed quite a large audience. What’s even better is that it took first place in Prime Video’s Top 10 with “Fallout.”which proves that viewers still love it.

However, that is The streamer has decided to cancel this mystery thriller less than two months after the second season aired. Once again, the series’ loyal fan base expressed their disappointment over the cancellation, especially because several storylines were left unresolved. Accordingly The Hollywood Reporterthe show had “strong ratings, but not strong enough to warrant a third season.”

When streaming platforms drop these shows too soon, they not only deprive fans of closure, but also prevent potential cult classics from reaching their full potential. As a viewer, it’s frustrating to invest in a show only to see it canceled before it can even start. We wonder what could have been as platforms move on to the next big thing. Sometimes greatness takes time – and in today’s streaming world, time is a luxury that few shows give.

I’m worried about the future of streaming

When I look at the current state of streaming, I can’t help but worry about its future. It’s frustrating to see platforms like Netflix and Prime Video cutting high-quality, story-driven shows in favor of renewing lower-quality shows focused on mass appeal.

Despite having mediocre critic ratings of around 60% each season and viewer ratings dipping below 50%, Emily in Paris is somehow doing well and was recently renewed for a fifth season. Why? Because with streaming platforms, the number of viewers is what matters most.

This focus on quick, easy wins over meaningful, long-term storytelling is concerning. If shows are renewed based solely on view count and not on their quality or potential, we risk losing truly unique shows. I fear that this trend will lead to a future of superficial content, where originality and depth are sacrificed in favor of what’s popular at the moment. And that makes me sad.

Netflix and Prime Video keep canceling their best TV shows early – and I’m fed up

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