It’s always unfortunate when a great show is canceled before it has the opportunity to realize its potential.Many ofthe best shows of all-timehad relatively weak early seasons, but they subsequently became more well-written and dramatically compelling as they continued. However, there are some shows that had no possibility of redemption, and were best suited to being taken out of their misery.
Whether they were trapped inside a narrative hole by the writers,used outdated tropes that made them feel irrelevant, or featured ethical or moral questions that were no longer interesting,some shows needed to be canceled because they no longer had an audience that would engage with them.To continue these shows when there is no one watching would simply be a waste of everyone’s time and hard work. Here are ten television cancellations that made perfect sense.
10‘Iron Fist’ (2017-2018)
Created by Scott Buck
Iron Fistwas easily the weak link in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s roster of shows on Netflix,as it lacked the masterful storytelling ofDaredevil,the dramatic intensity ofJessica Jones, the social commentary ofLuke Cage, or the incredible action sequences ofThe Punisher. The series spent too much time focusing on its origin story, and quickly proved that none of the characters were really worth investing in.
The core issue withIron Firstis that Finn Jones lacked the needed charisma to play Danny Rand, a character whose wealth and privilege made him very hard for audiences to relate to. Although the current state of the MCU has allowed for some of characters introduced in the Netflix showsto reappear in new projects produced for Disney+, there isn’t anyone that is clamorning to seeIron Fistmake a comeback anytime soon.
9‘Bored to Death’ (2009-2011)
Created by Jonathan Ames
Bored to Deathwas an odd misfire for HBO,a network that produced such groundbreaking comedy programs asBarry, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Eastbound & Down,andThe Larry Sanders Show. Although it was ostensibly marked as a comedic spinon the neo-noir mystery genre,Bored to Deathoften chose to focus on melodramatic characters, drug-induced tirades, and a fair amount of raunchy humor.
The characters inBored to Deathsimply weren’t likable enough for HBO to invest in continuing the series, as it never showed any signs that it would be significantly altering its pacing. While it is unfortunate that such talented actors asJason Schwartzman, Ted Danson,andZack Galifinakiswasted three years of their lives working on such an unsuccessful show, they each moved on to star in bigger and better things afterBored to Deathwas canceled after its third season.
Bored to Death
8‘The Peripheral’ (2022)
Created by Scott B. Smith
The Peripheralwas an attempt byWestworldcreators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy to capture the same “water cooler effect” with another dense science fiction show,but the material proved to be too confusing for viewers to follow. WhileWestworldhad used an interesting non-linear structure that made sense after repeated viewings,The Peripheralopted to overwhelm the viewer with an immense amount of information that required extensive note-taking in order to follow.
The Peripheral,unfortunately, did not take the time to develop itscharacters into likable protagonists, despite the genuinely charismatic performances of Chloë Grace MoretzandJack Reynor. Thankfully, the failure to renewThe Peripheralallowed Nolan and Joy to focus their efforts on the adaptation ofFallout, which became one of the biggest hits in the history of Amazon Prime Video and received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Best Drama Series.
The Peripheral
7‘The Muppets Mayhem’ (2023)
Developed by Bill Barretta, Adam F. Goldberg, and Jeff Yorkes
The Muppets Mayhemwas one of the first attempts to expandThe Muppetsfranchise on Disney+, but it sadly lacked the same magic that had madeJim Henson’s original series so iconic in the 1970s.While the titular band has a long and interesting historywithin the largerThe Muppetsfranchise, they’ve always been cast as supporting characters next to Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Scooter, and Sam the Eagle.
The Muppets Mayhemproved that it is possible to have too much of a good thing, as these characters were inadequate as leads of their own show with no other Muppets to support them. Despite some fun music and the type of amusing cameos from celebrities that the franchise is known for,The Muppets Mayhemsadly lacked the type of narrative progression that would have allowed it to improve within future seasons.
The Muppets Mayhem
6‘The Mosquito Coast’ (2021-2023)
Created by Neil Cross
The Mosquito Coaststarted off as an interesting attempt at rebooting one ofHarrison Ford’s best and darkest movies, but it quickly proved that there wasn’t enough material to justify a continued series. The original film had been effective because it told a confined story about one family falling into chaos as a result of greed and ambition; however, Apple TV+’s reboot ofThe Mosquito Coastattempted to tell a sprawling crime story similar toBreaking BadorOzark.
The Mosquito Coastwould have worked much better as a limited series, as the first season ends on a rather conclusive note with just the right amount of ambiguity. Sadly, the second season was such a disappointment that it is not surprising in the slightest that Apple TV+ opted to kill offThe Mosquito Coastbefore it could get to a third installment.
The Mosquito Coast
5‘Willow’ (2022-2023)
Developed by Jonathan Kasdan
Willowwas a series that ultimately didn’t connect with its intended audience, as the decision to continue the world ofRon Howard’s 1988 fantasy film was always a confusing one. While other Lucasfilm properties likeStar WarsandIndiana Joneshave managed to connect with fans of a younger generation through new projects,Willowwasn’t exactly a film that conjured up a lot of nostalgia.
Unfortunately, the attempts by theWillowsequel series to introduce a new set of younger and more progressive heroes fell flat, especially when the show spent so much time dedicated toWarwick Davis’ return as the titular character. Despite ending with a cliffhangerthat teased a potential second season,Willowwas canceled by Disney+ before being completely scrubbed from the service entirely, suggesting that everyone at Lucasfilm just wanted to forget about the whole ordeal entirely.
Watch on Disney+
4‘Julia’ (2022-2023)
Created by Daniel Goldfarb
Juliawas one of the many shows made exclusively for the Max streaming servicethat didn’t air on the traditional HBO broadcast network, which gave it a strange role within the rollout of Warner Brothers Discovery’s programs. Although it had its charms,Juliawas a strange mix of comedy and drama that didn’t really fall into either category.
Juliamay have suffered from there simply being an overabundance of content out there about Julia Child, includingthe acclaimed documentaryJuliaand theNora EphronbiopicJulie & Julia, which earnedMeryl Streepa very well deserved Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. There may have been viewers with enough casual interest in Child and her career, enough to watch a film or documentary about there, but committing to watching an entire television show may have proven to be too much to handle.
Watch on Max
3‘I Am Not Okay With This’ (2020)
Developed by Jonathan Entwistle and Christy Hall
I Am Not Okay With Thiswas one of the many teen-centric genre shows that Netflix aired to attempt to cash in on theStranger Thingsphenomenon, as itshared many commonalities with the streamer’s massive hit.However, the two shows had entirely different origins; whileStranger Thingswas modeled after classic 1980s adventure films likeThe GooniesandThe Lost Boys,I Am Not Okay With Thiswas based on a niche comic book that most viewers were not aware of.
I Am Not Okay With Thiswas much more graphic and disturbing thanStranger Thingsever was, which may have prevented it from connecting with younger viewers. Unfortunately, the extensive focus on young adults and their anxieties didn’t exactly endear it to older viewers either, so it’s not all that surprising that Netflix opted to pull the plug onI Am Not Okay With This.
I Am Not Okay with This
Watch on Netflix
2‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ (2019)
Developed by Jeffery Addiss and Will Matthews
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistanceis easily one of the most ambitious shows that Netflix ever aired,as the reboot of the classic film featured extensive puppetry and practical effects. Despite featuring an extensive cast of voice actors,includingMark HamillandTaron Egerton,The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistancewas always going to be gunning for a niche audience of people who grew up with the original.
It’s likely that younger viewers simply didn’t care aboutThe Dark Crystal, and that the extensive production costs involved with being faithful to Henson’s original vision proved to be too much of a burden on the showrunners to move forward with a second season. Thankfully, the first season ofThe Dark Crystal: Age of Resistanceends on a fairly conclusive note, so those interested in catching up with it don’t need to be worried about not having a satisfying ending.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance
1‘The Finder’ (2012)
Created by Hart Hanson
The Finderwas an unusual attempt to create a spinoff ofBones, the highly popular crime procedural mystery series fromHart Hansonthat ran for seven seasons on ABC. WhileBoneshad a set of likable protagoniststhat viewers legitimately cared about,The Findercentered on a group of generally egocentric heroes who lacked the same charisma.
The Finderrelied very heavily on cameos from characters onBones, yet didn’t depict them in a way that fans appreciated. The strange mix of graphic violence with odd needle drops created a confusion of tone that never gave the series the chance to define its own identity. ABC likely canceledThe Finderin order to ensure that it did not in any way tarnish the legacy ofBones, which continues to amass new fans thanks to its popularity on streaming and in syndication.
