Fans Have Learned Netflix Axed Another First Season Series With The Brothers Sun, And They Are Really Bummed

At this point, it’s understandable if everybody in the world is just a little gunshy when it comes to starting a new series with one's Netflix subscription. There seems to be no way to know just what shows will be successful enough to continue and which will not, and with the sheer volume of new streaming shows, it’s clear most of them won’t survive. Despite a lot of positive buzz, Byron Wu and Brad Falchuk's Netflix drama The Brothers Sun was canceled after a single season, the latest in a line of similar decisions, and fans are understandably frustrated.

The series about two brothers debuted only a few days into 2024, focusing on one sibling who became the chief enforcer of his father, the leader of a Taiwanese triad, and another sibling leading a normal life in the U.S. as a college student, with no ideas what the family business is actually about. The two siblings would then be reunited when a battle for the triad ensued, leading to both action and comedy in equal measure. 

It's a fun premise, and the show was well received by critics and audiences who saw it. But apparently that wasn't enough people to convince Netflix to continue with the story, and fans are lamenting its loss in a big way.

The Brothers Sun wasn’t a show that had a lot of buzz leading to its release, which can often be the case for the streaming giant's originals, but once the series hit Netflix, it seemed to gain a lot of traction. People who discovered it were quick to get vocal on social media in an attempt to spread the word, since fans know that if shows don’t get enough eyeballs early, that can spell doom. 

Artist BossLogic created something of a eulogy piece, hoping that perhaps another platform could pick up the show. 

That’s at least a possibility. Netflix has saved numerous canceled shows in the past, while shows Netflix canceled found life elsewhere. We’ll have to wait and see if there is a fan campaign to bring back the show. Such things have seemingly worked in the past. The biggest downside, however, is that, now that we know the show isn’t moving forward, one wonders how many more views The Brothers Sun will see since many may just skip it knowing there won’t be more.

For what it’s worth, while The Brothers Sun certainly leaves itself open to a future season, and has a post-credits scene tease for just that, the first season does complete its story, so if you’ve never seen the series before, you won’t walk away from the one existing season unfulfilled if you watch it now. Michelle Yeoh is amazing in it as the family matriarch, and Sam Song Li and Justin Chien have shown they are stars in the making. As one fan pointed out…

The Brothers Sun is just the latest in a long line of canceled streaming projects, with Apple TV+ joining the one-and-done cancellation train as it seemingly becomes the rule rather than the exception. Considering the sheer volume of new content being produced, that’s maybe not surprising, but considering that both critical and fan response was so positive, The Brothers Sun looked like it might survive. Now it won’t matter if the show finds an audience later.

Michelle Yeoh certainly will have plenty to keep her busy as the Oscar winner is, finally, one of more recognized names in Hollywood. Hopefully, The Brothers Sun will be enough to get the film’s two young stars noticed, so that if fans won’t see them is Season 2, they will at least see them again in even bigger and better projects. Head to our 2024 TV premiere schedule to see what'll be hitting the streamer and beyond later this year.