It’s the time of year most TV viewers dread -- cancellation season. Yes, a number of shows have met their demise over the past couple of months, and it shouldn’t surprise many to hear that Netflix has been the source of a number of these cancellations. In the past, the streamer has proven to have no problem giving a show the axe, and the results can be both surprising and heartbreaking. Well, we have ourselves another bloodbath, as the platform has now cancelled four more shows, including underrated comedy Mr. Iglesias.
In addition to Mr. Iglesias, Netflix has cancelled Kevin James-led comedy The Crew, Katherine McPhee’s Country Comfort, and single-camera dark comedy Bonding, per Deadline. Mr. Iglesias and Bonding will finish their runs with two seasons each, while The Crew and Southern Comfort will wrap up after their freshman seasons. However, Netflix isn’t cutting ties with a number of the creatives.
According to the trade, Netflix has opted to keep working with Kevin James, as the streamer has reportedly signed a development deal with the comedic actor. With this, James would reportedly produce and star in a new single-camera comedy series, a la Michael Douglas’ The Kominsky Method. Netflix is also maintaining ties with Gabriel Iglesias, as the fan-favorite comedian will star in his third stand-up special for the streamer. Said special is set to start shooting this summer. And finally, Bonding creator Rightor Doyle is also staying in the fold, as he’s signed a development deal with the platform as well.
There is sure to be bittersweet news for fans of the cancelled TV series. Even though they can expect more content from the lead creatives of the series, they still won’t have the shows themselves to look forward to. Believe it or not, another recently cancelled Netflix series found itself in the same unique position.
Jupiter’s Legacy, the Millarworld superhero series starring Josh Duhamel and Leslie Bibb, met its untimely demise less than a month after its premiere. This decision was reportedly the result of budget strains. However, Netflix is continuing its relationship with Millarworld by spinning the series off into a TV universe, with the next installment being an adaptation of Supercrooks.
As Netflix cut a number of its own original series, one network television show actually sought refuge with the service following its own cancellation. The producers of Manifest were reportedly in talks with the streamer in an attempt to revive the show, following NBC’s decision to cancel the show after three seasons. Unfortunately, talks broke down, though the creator is still aiming to continue the story, even without Netflix’s help.
There are also still a number of shows that are in limbo at Netflix, and one of these is musical dramedy Julie and the Phantoms. While there hasn’t been official word on the show’s status, fans are already campaigning for the Emmy-winning show to continue.
There’s honestly no telling how Netflix will choose to proceed with a given series, unless it’s a bonafide hit like Stranger Things or Ozark. All we can do is tip our hats to the renewed shows, honor the cancelled ones and wish our best to those still waiting for answers about the future.
