Netflix series canceled before its time – how streamer canceled series like Kaos and Dead Boy Detectives with huge Rotten Tomatoes scores against all odds
8 mins read

Netflix series canceled before its time – how streamer canceled series like Kaos and Dead Boy Detectives with huge Rotten Tomatoes scores against all odds

Whether they were loved by fans, hailed as instant classics by reviewers, or billed as the next big thing, streaming platforms has continued to shock viewers by axing their favorite shows.

TV fans are becoming all too familiar with the disappointment of discovering a perfect show, only for streaming giants to cancel it after just one season.

Kaos and Dead Boy Detectives were panned by critics, but just as fans were digging into the dramas, falling in love with the characters and getting hooked on the cliffhangers, they were cancelled.

Viewers have argued that if Jeff Goldblum as the king of the Greek gods wasn’t enough to keep Netflix on board, perhaps nothing can turn the platform’s heart of stone.

The platform is known for its killer approach to shows and Kaos is just the latest victim of their cull.

Read below to find out why streaming giants are ignoring ratings and cutting favorite shows.

Netflix series canceled before its time – how streamer canceled series like Kaos and Dead Boy Detectives with huge Rotten Tomatoes scores against all odds

Netflix series canceled before its time – how streamer canceled series like Kaos (pictured) and Dead Boy Detectives with huge Rotten Tomatoes scores against all odds

CHAOS

Jurassic Park star Jeff Goldblum plays Zeus in the modernized version of his classic fantasy.

Mixing comedy with drama and intrigue, the series is a modern take on Greek and Roman mythology, with the dark comedy centering on Prometheus working with three humans to try to overthrow Zeus after he is punished for trying to interfere with his ruling.

Hailed as an “absolute triumph” by critics, the series was released on the streamer on August 29 – with eight episodes in its first season.

According to the outlet, the show was in the top ten lists on Netflix in its first four weeks, peaking at No. 3.

But that just wasn’t enough to convince bosses to renew it for a second season.

Jurassic Park star Jeff Goldblum stars as Zeus in the modernized version of his classic fantasy that mixed comedy, drama and mystery, which has been canceled after just one season

Jurassic Park star Jeff Goldblum stars as Zeus in the modernized version of his classic fantasy that mixed comedy, drama and mystery, which has been canceled after just one season

Dead Boy Detectives

Part of DC Comics’ Sandman universe, Dead Boy Detectives follows teenage ghosts, Edwin Paine and Charles Roland, as they work alongside Crystal the clairvoyant to solve mysteries for their supernatural clientele.

The eight-episode series, which was released on Netflix UK and Ireland on April 25, proved a huge hit with horror and mystery fans alike, but will sadly not be returning for a second series.

The show received an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 93 percent on the Tomatometer and 87 percent on audience ratings.

Part of the DC Comics Sandman universe, Dead Boy Detectives was a huge hit with horror and mystery fans alike but will unfortunately not be returning for a second series

Part of the DC Comics Sandman universe, Dead Boy Detectives was a huge hit with horror and mystery fans alike but will unfortunately not be returning for a second series

That 90s show

The success of beloved American sitcoms seems to be over. Gone are the days of Friends, Modern Family or The Office.

Even the sequel to That 70s Show couldn’t turn Netflix’s mind, and despite a brief cameo by Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, the show was axed.

Unlike its cousin Kaos, That 90S Show managed to run for two seasons before it was eventually cancelled.

The first half of season two debuted on June 27 and only cracked Netflix’s top 10 once, according to an article by Deadline.

The second half of season two was not shown on the streaming service, which means it received under 1.9 million views in its opening weekend, under 1.6 million in its first full week, and under 1.4 million in its second week.

Even the sequel to That 70s Show couldn't get Netflix to consider it, and despite a brief cameo by Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, the show was axed

Even the sequel to That 70s Show couldn’t get Netflix to consider it, and despite a brief cameo by Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, the show was axed

Disconnected

The romantic drama starring Neil Patrick Harris wasn’t immune to Netflix’s demise either.

The show followed Neil as a single in New York City after he was suddenly dumped by his partner of 17 years.

The short-lived show first came to Netflix on July 29, 2022, and the 30-minute series peaked at number six on the streamer’s weekly Top 10 ranking for one week.

Despite attempts to save it by its co-producers Showtime, the series was canceled.

The romantic drama starring Neil Patrick Harris wasn't immune to Netflix's demise either

The romantic drama starring Neil Patrick Harris wasn’t immune to Netflix’s demise either

Unstable

The fan-favourite show starred Rob Lowe, 60, and his real-life son John Owen, 28, in the workplace comedy series.

Set in a biological research company, shy son Jackson is forced to work for his father’s company, an extremely eccentric and exotic man to save him from disaster.

Although fans enjoyed the real-life bond between father and son, it wasn’t enough to stop the streaming giant axing the show after just two seasons in October.

The fan-favourite show starred Rob Lowe, 60, and his real-life son John Owen, 28, in the workplace comedy TV series which was axed after two series

The fan-favourite show starred Rob Lowe, 60, and his real-life son John Owen, 28, in the workplace comedy TV series which was axed after two series

Shadow And Bones

Fans were furious after deciding to pull the plug on Shadow and Bone as well as its spin-off Six of Crows after just two seasons.

The young adult fiction novel written by Leigh Bardugo was a hit when it first arrived on Netflix in 2021.

Although the screenplay’s scripts were ready to run, the series was canceled as Leigh wrote: “Most writers never get to see their works adapted. Many who do regret the experience. I am one of the lucky few who can watch an adaptation with pride and immense joy .’

While devastated, the author signed off her post with “no mourners”, although she said “I’m going to go cry, and maybe have a drink, and then see where the story takes us next”.

Fans were furious after it decided to pull the plug on Shadow and Bone and its spin-off Six of Crows after just two seasons

Fans were furious after it decided to pull the plug on Shadow and Bone and its spin-off Six of Crows after just two seasons

Lockwood & Co.

Over 46,000 fans signed a petition in a desperate bid to save the Netflix show Lockwood & Co after it was axed after just one series by the streaming platform.

The supernatural thriller, which is based on Jonathan Stroud’s books, stars Bridgeton’s Ruby Stokes and newcomers Cameron Chapman and Ali Hadji-Heshmati.

The TV series takes place in an alternative London overrun by ghosts only visible to the young.

A girl with psychic abilities joins the two teenage boys at the ghost hunting agency Lockwood & Co. to fight the deadly spirits that plague the city.

Over 46,000 fans signed a petition in a desperate bid to save Netflix show Lockwood & Co after it was axed after just one series by the streaming platform

Over 46,000 fans signed a petition in a desperate bid to save Netflix show Lockwood & Co after it was axed after just one series by the streaming platform

Mindhunter

David Fincher’s Mindhunter is widely considered to be the most unfairly canceled Netflix series ever.

Based on the 1995 best-selling true crime book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit, the psychological thriller followed FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench along with psychologist Wendy Carr as they run the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit.

Released in 2017, Mindhunter was praised by critics for its cinematic visuals and rich character development, eventually ranking as one of the best shows of the 2010s.

However, the series was put on indefinite hold shortly after its second season aired in 2019, and in February 2023, Fincher officially confirmed that it had been canceled due to budget and viewership issues.

David Fincher's Mindhunter is widely considered one of the most unfairly canceled shows to ever hit Netflix

David Fincher’s Mindhunter is widely considered one of the most unfairly canceled shows to ever hit Netflix