Those who’ve possessed Netflix subscriptions for some time now have probably come to realize a few things about the streaming service. One of those is likely the fact that it has a tendency to cancel its original shows after only one season. In some situations, a cancellation is widely publicized, quickly making the rounds across the web. Sometimes though, these casualties happen and are confirmed in a low-key way that causes them to go unnoticed. Well, it would seem that yet another program has been inconspicuously given the axe.
Standing Up, a French dramedy series created by Netflix, has been cancelled after its freshman season. The news was reported by French cultural magazine Les Inrockuptibles, as it received a statement from the streamer. Apparently, the decision came down to the show’s viewership, which the company, of course, doesn’t release to the public. What’s most interesting here is that the news outlet also notes that two-thirds of a second season had already been written before the creative team was “released” by Les Films du Kiosque’s producers.
Created by Call My Agent!’s Fanny Herrero, Standing Up centers on four friends who attempt to make their way into the world of stand-up comedy. While doing so, they experience professional and personal setbacks and use humor to cope with their situations. The show premiered on March 18, 2022 and received mostly positive reviews from places like Leisure Byte and Ready Steady Cut. Most of the praise was aimed at the performances of the cast and the authentic approach to France’s comedy scene.
Netflix’s methods of cancelling shows after one season is interesting, to say the least. As mentioned, in many cases, there’s a bit of fanfare, specifically viral displeasure from fans, whenever the company puts the kibosh on a notable title. That was the case earlier this year when sci-fi horror thriller Archive 81, a solid show, was cancelled after only one season. Last December, fellow one-season show Cowboy Bebop was cancelled, and the internet went wild, given how anticipated the live-action anime adaptation had been before its release.
The more subtle cancellation confirmations can definitely take one by surprise, though. Shortly after Archive 81 was cancelled, On the Verge was as well, but the latter news was confirmed in a very different way. The show’s creator, Julie Deply, confirmed it on her Instagram after a fan asked about the status of Season 2. As she put it, her dramedy had been “cancelled, but they forgot to announce it was cancelled.” And if that weren’t unconventional enough, it took a year for Netflix to confirm that Dash & Lily was canned. The platform did confirm this officially, but one could argue that after a year, fans may have moved and not cared as much.
It’s become very hard to pinpoint how the streaming giant chooses what moves forward and what gets the axe, unless you have mega hits like Stranger Things, Bridgerton or Cobra Kai. Chances are the corporation will continue to stick to its approach when it comes to deciding shows’ fates after their first seasons. And that will surely continue to draw mixed feelings from viewers and possibly even the creatives who are involved with productions such as Standing Up.
Those who are interested in keeping up with the latest moves have a prime resource on their hands, as CinemaBlend has a list detailing what Netflix has cancelled and renewed as of late.
