Netflix and Disney+ have been busy with cancellations lately, with both streaming services giving the boot to multiple shows. This includes some freshman shows and some that were fan favorites. Now, HBO Max seems to be joining in, as the streamer has now axed the Head of the Class reboot.
The multi-camera comedy update of the 1986-91 sitcom has been cancelled by HBO Max after its first season, according to THR. All 10 episodes of the reboot premiered on November 4. While the cancellation may be heartbreaking for fans, it’s interesting to note that it is only the second scripted series HBO Max has cancelled since its launch in 2020, the first being Generation.
The original Head of the Class originally ran on ABC for five seasons and followed a group of gifted students in the Individualized Honors Program at a high school in Manhattan. Both the original series and the reboot are created by Michael Elias and Richard Eustis.
It’s unclear why HBO Max opted not to renew the show for a second season, but doing a reboot of a beloved classic is never easy. It’s possible they just didn’t have enough momentum for the show this time around but, hopefully, it won’t be gone forever.
As for fellow streaming platforms Netflix and Disney+, the latter recently cancelled two shows within two weeks. A reboot of its own of Turner and Hooch, as well as the coming-of-age series Diary of a Future President were canned. Netflix, on the other hand, always seems to be cancelling something. Just recently the streamer announced that Cowboy Bebop will not be returning, as well as Julie & the Phantoms (fans had been waiting for over a year for any news on that one, too).
The good news? Even without Head of the Class, there is still plenty of content to stream on HBO Max when it comes to original series. The Sex & the City revival, And Just Like That…, recently made its debut, and teen dramedy from Mindy Kaling, The Sex Lives of College Girls, got picked up for a second season not too long ago.
2021 has been pretty brutal with cancellations but also pretty nice with some shows getting the occasional rare save. It wouldn’t be surprising if a network or streaming platform announced one more cancellation before 2022. Though, going into the holidays, hopefully there’s a little more joy and a lot less Scrooge.
While Head of the Class will not be coming back for a second season, you can still binge the first season, as well as all five seasons of the original series on HBO Max. Fingers crossed that we as fans can get through the next couple of weeks without any more bad news, because I'm not sure sure I'll be able to take it.
