Apple TV+ has achieved massive success with its best shows like Ted Lasso, Black Bird, and The Morning Show. However, just like Netflix, which has been canceling many shows after one season, the streamer has been letting shows go after a single installment too. Sadly, this Apple-owned service has been on a roll this past week with another of its own series facing cancellation after one season.
It’s a shame finding out a streaming show didn’t make it past its first season just when you were starting to get invested in its story and characters. On July 1, Apple TV+’s High Desert starring Patricia Arquette was canceled after one season along with the wrestling docuseries Monster Factory. It was also announced on August 1 that yet another Apple TV+ series, Suspicion, would not be getting a second season. Just when you hope these one-season cancellations will come to a halt, it was reported by Deadline that the crime drama series City on Fire will not get a second season either. This news comes a month and a half after the Season 1 finale.
Based on the novel by Garth Risk Hallberg, City on Fire is about the murder of an NYU student who was connected to a series of citywide fires. Deadline said the news of this cancellation isn't too surprising since the book-adapted series didn’t generate a lot of buzz like other Apple TV+ shows have, like Silo and Hijack.
However, fans of the show will not have to face the frustrations of an unresolved cliffhanger. While there were story elements that foreshadowed a second season continuation, the first season apparently covers the arc of the book. So, that should be a relief compared to feeling cheated out of knowing what’s going to happen next.
12 TV Shows That Will Probably Be Canceled Unless Something Major Changes
The news of a lot of these Apple TV+ shows never making it past the first season would come off as shocking considering many showed promise. The cancellations happen all the time though. In August 2021 when the rom-com music series Little Voice only survived one season despite having a great soundtrack by Sara Bareilles and scoring a 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. Then in October of that year, Mr. Corman, which was created, written, directed, and starred in by Joseph Gordon-Levitt didn’t make it past 10 episodes despite a 70% on Rotten Tomatoes. Sweet family dramas like Amber Brown and Dear Edward also faced endings after one season.
You may be wondering why all of these shows are struggling to make it past their first seasons even if they have star power and endearing stories. With network TV, a pilot episode would be signed and produced by a studio. Based on the reception of the first episode, the studio would decide if it deserves a full season. Streaming shows work differently. Services sign on for a full season of a show at once. Without a pilot episode, a series will go straight to a full order with the hope that it will go viral and catch audiences' attention. Word of mouth is a key factor to make sure these shows make it. If streaming services detect that hardly anyone is watching them, they decide they aren’t worth a second season and cancel.
Along with this, many studios are cutting their budgets, which may also explain why we've seen so many one-season cancellations this year.
With City on Fire being the latest Apple TV+ show in the mix for one-season cancellations, hopefully, fans won’t have to keep experiencing the disappointment of more shows coming to a close anytime soon. Even though the show is over, it's not gone, so make sure to check out City on Fire with an Apple TV+ subscription. You can also take a look at our 2023 TV schedule so you’ll be the first to know about any upcoming series worth your interest.
