Netflix has developed a notorious reputation for prematurely canceling beloved series, often leaving fans and narratives hanging. The streaming giant has perfected the art of getting viewers emotionally invested in brilliant shows only to yank the rug out from under them. While some cancellations make sense (looking at you, Cowboy Bebop), others feel like genuine crimes against good television.
On that note, here are 9 Netflix originals that deserved so much better than their premature demise.
The Punisher (2017-2019)
Jon Bernthal’s portrayal of Frank Castle was a tour de force of raw emotion and brutal justice. The show tackled heavy themes like PTSD, government corruption, and the cost of violence with enough honesty to elevate it beyond typical vigilante fare.
Why it was canceled: Along with all Netflix Marvel shows, The Punisher became a casualty of Disney’s streaming ambitions despite having one of the most compelling protagonists in the Marvel television universe.
Why it mattered: The Punisher presented a mature exploration of trauma and justice that resonated with adult audiences, and Bernthal’s performance lent depth and humanity to what could have been a one-note character. Disney has since brought him back for Daredevil: Born Again and a standalone Punisher special set to be released next year, but that’s not enough to fill the void left by the original cancellation.
Mindhunter (2017-2019)
David Fincher’s psychological masterpiece about FBI agents interviewing imprisoned serial killers was TV at its finest. Following agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench as they pioneered criminal profiling in the late 1970s, Mindhunter was a slow-burn thriller that treated its audience like intelligent adults.
Why it was canceled: It was too expensive and didn’t pull massive viewership numbers. Fincher himself admitted the show required a “90-hour workweek” and was simply too costly to justify for the streamer’s bean counters.
Why we’re still mad: This wasn’t just any crime procedural. It was appointment television that explored the psychology of evil with unprecedented depth. The show’s attention to detail and phenomenal performances (particularly Cameron Britton as Ed Kemper) created something truly special that Netflix threw away.
Sense8 (2015-2018)
Eight strangers from different parts of the world suddenly become mentally and emotionally linked, sharing thoughts, feelings, and skills. They must band together to survive being hunted by an organization that sees them as threatening the world order.
Why it was canceled: Despite a passionate global fanbase, Netflix cited high production costs as the reason for its cancellation after two seasons. While fans successfully campaigned for a two-and-a-half-hour finale special, it still felt rushed and couldn’t fully explore the rich universe and character dynamics that had been built.
Why it deserves a second chance: The finale special tied up some loose ends, but the Sense8 universe is vast, and its core message of human connection feels more relevant than ever. There were so many more stories to tell with these beloved characters, and the series’ unique global scope and ambitious storytelling still set it apart.
Altered Carbon (2018-2020)
This cyberpunk noir, set in a future where consciousness can be transferred between bodies, was visually stunning and intellectually ambitious. The show’s exploration of identity, mortality, and class warfare wrapped in a murder mystery was unlike anything else on TV.
Why it was canceled: High production costs and viewership for the second season that failed to justify its high budget led Netflix to pull the plug, despite the show’s passionate fanbase and rich source material.
Why it was special: Altered Carbon proved that science fiction television could be both intellectually challenging and visually spectacular. The show’s central premise — that you could die and wake up in a completely different body — created genuinely surprising plot twists and character moments that kept viewers constantly guessing about who was really who.
Daredevil (2015-2018)
Charlie Cox’s portrayal of the blind lawyer-turned-vigilante was nothing short of masterful. This gritty, street-level superhero drama elevated comic book television to new heights with its realistic fight choreography, complex moral questions, and mature storytelling that didn’t talk down to its audience.
Why it was canceled: The cancellation stemmed from Disney reclaiming its Marvel properties for the upcoming Disney+ service. This business decision was compounded by pre-existing creative friction between Netflix and Marvel TV, which ultimately led to the entire lineup’s cancellation despite strong viewership.
Why we’re still mad: Daredevil proved superhero TV could be sophisticated and grounded. The show’s exploration of faith, justice, and morality created appointment TV that Netflix was forced to abandon. The fact that Marvel Studios is now centering a new Disney+ series around this very same portrayal makes the original cancellation all the more baffling.
GLOW (2017-2019)
This was the show that proved Netflix could develop nuanced characters and period pieces with equal skill. Following Ruth Wilder (Alison Brie) and the women of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling in 1980s Los Angeles, GLOW was funny, empowering, and featured some of the best ensemble acting on TV.
Why it was canceled: COVID-19 production delays became the official excuse, but the real reason was likely Netflix’s growing reluctance to fund expensive period productions that don’t generate massive global audiences.
Why we’re still bitter: The series was renewed for a fourth and final season before being “unrenewed”—a particularly cruel move that left storylines dangling and fans without closure. GLOW deserved to finish its story properly.
Santa Clarita Diet (2017-2019)
Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant proved to be comedy gold as a suburban real estate couple whose lives get turned upside down when she becomes a zombie. Far from being your typical undead horror story, Santa Clarita Diet is a pitch-black comedy grounded in the absurdities of daily life, where dismembering a body is just another chore on the suburban to-do list.
Why it was canceled: Despite three successful seasons and a devoted fanbase, Netflix pulled the plug seemingly out of nowhere, leaving fans with a brutal cliffhanger ending.
Why it was perfect: The series’ blend of suburban satire and zombie comedy shouldn’t have worked, but Barrymore and Olyphant’s chemistry made it sing. The series found the perfect balance between gore and heart, proving that even the most ridiculous premises can create genuine emotional connections.
Creator Victor Fresco later revealed on social media that the planned ending would have been a happy one, making the abrupt cancellation even more painful for fans.
Shadow and Bone (2021-2023)
Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse came to life beautifully in this fantasy epic, which managed to weave multiple storylines while building an intricate magical world. The show’s production values were top-notch, and it adapted two seasons’ worth of source material.
Why it was canceled: While it garnered significant attention and a dedicated fanbase, Netflix ultimately decided not to continue with the expensive fantasy production. The decision was likely influenced by a combination of factors, including budget concerns and the broader impact of the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes on production costs and timelines.
Why it stung: While the show had adapted key elements of the main Shadow and Bone trilogy and successfully woven in a prequel storyline for beloved characters from the Six of Crows duology, fans were left with numerous unadapted, highly anticipated stories from Bardugo’s expansive Grishaverse, particularly the full Six of Crows narrative (which had been rumored for a spin-off) and other subsequent novels. The cancellation left international fans particularly disappointed.
The OA (2016-2019)
Brit Marling’s mind-bending sci-fi mystery about a blind woman who returns after a seven-year disappearance, now with her sight restored, claiming to be an “original angel (aka The OA), was one of TV’s ambitious swings. Part interpretive dance, part interdimensional thriller, The OA was wonderfully unique in its premise.
Why it was canceled: It was perhaps too weird for mainstream success, and Netflix probably lost patience with its devoted but relatively small fan base.
Why it deserved better: The OA was the kind of original, boundary-pushing TV show that streaming services claim they want to make. Instead, Netflix killed it on a massive cliffhanger, proving they’d rather play it safe with formulaic content.