Do you ever start a new show on Netflix or Prime Video, get super into the plot, and then find out it was canceled after just one or two seasons? It’s the worst feeling. Then you see thousands of people online signing petitions to bring it back. Streaming services cancel shows so easily nowadays, even ones with really good storylines, just because they’re not pulling in the same numbers as the “big” shows. For example, Netflix has Wednesday and Stranger Things at the top. Wednesday’s first season became the most-viewed English-language series ever on Netflix, with over 252 million views, and Stranger Things pulled in more than 140 million views in its first 91 days. With their huge casts, unique plots, and massive fanbases, it’s not shocking they’re so successful. But honestly, there are a lot of other shows that had the potential to be just as big, or at least make the Top Ten lists. Shows like Shadow & Bone, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, or even non-Netflix ones like Prime Video’s My Lady Jane, and Panic could’ve blown up if the studios had given them more of a chance.
The power of fans
Every day, there are people signing petitions to bring these stories back. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina has over 380,000 signatures on Change.org to bring the show back, along with 208,000 signatures for Shadow & Bone. The cast of Shadow & Bone even acknowledged the petition and thanked fans for all the support, which shows how much these shows meant not only to viewers but also to the people who worked on them. These petitions aren’t just random numbers; they’re proof that fans are passionate and truly invested in the stories, characters, and worlds that streaming services decided to cut short. When hundreds of thousands of people are willing to take time out of their day to fight for a show, it’s clear the series had a bigger impact than studios gave it credit for. Canceling them doesn’t just end the story; it leaves fans without closure and takes away the chance for these shows to grow into something as big as Wednesday or Stranger Things. If streaming platforms actually paid attention to the dedication behind these petitions, they’d realize they’re sitting on stories with just as much potential to become the next big hit.
An Opportunity Missed
Streaming services are totally missing out when they cancel shows too soon. These platforms often cancel shows that could have become really big if they were just given a little more time and attention. Just like how some of the most popular shows today didn’t start out as huge hits (The Office or Parks and Rec for example), shows that don’t hit the mark right away can still grow into something amazing with the right push. By canceling them early, streaming services aren’t just letting go of a TV show, they’re letting go of a chance to build a loyal fanbase that could have stuck with the show long-term. If more shows were given a chance to develop, who knows? One of those “canceled too soon” series might end up being the next big thing.
