Netflix has weathered numerous controversies, scandals, and criticisms since its rise to prominence in the early 2010s. However, the streamer is stronger than ever, churning out content like nobody’s business and securing its place as the undeniable king of its industry, especially as the streaming world seemingly collapsed onto itself.
Indeed, Netflix has many great movies and shows, some of which have earned prominent accolades. However, Netflix has also become infamous for pulling the plug on its shows after the faintest sign of weakness; if a show is not a hit from the get-go, they cancel it without so much as a warning. This cutthroat attitude has led to the cancelation of many objectively great shows; these projects had critical and audience support and are wholly deserving of another season.
Santa Clarita Diet (2017-2019)
Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant star in the delightfully wicked Netflix comedy Santa Clarita Diet. The plot follows a loving marriage in the suburbs whose lives are upended when the wife undergoes a metamorphosis, becomes undead, and begins craving human flesh.
Santa Clarita Diet went all in on its zany premise with a combination of morbid humor and genuine heart. Barrymore and Olyphant were stellar as the loveable Hammond marriage, bringing a mix of levity and gravitas that separated the show from similar offerings. Santa Clarita Diet remains among Netflix’s most refreshing shows; its three seasons are a clever mix of horror, comedy, and family drama, making it more than deserving of a fourth season, especially considering the near-perfect set-up in season 3’s final episode.
The Society (2019)
Kathryn Newton leads an ensemble of young performers in Netflix’s dystopian teen drama The Society. The plot revolves around a town where the teenagers discover everyone else suddenly and mysteriously disappears. With a dense forest surrounding the town and preventing them from leaving, the teens are forced to survive on their wit alone.
The Society boasts a compelling cast and a riveting premise, making the best of its limited setting to tell a classic story of survival and endurance. Although initially renewed for a second season, Netflix canceled The Society due to complications with the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s probably too late for a second season, what with Newton’s career exploding since the show’s cancelation. However, The Society is a superior teen drama, a tense and intelligent mystery with an intriguing-enough premise to support several seasons.
Daybreak (2019)
The zombie drama received a heavy dose of absurd comedy with the 2019 Netflix original Daybreak. Set in California, the plot revolves around a 17-year-old and his ragtag group of friends searching for his girlfriend across a devastated and dystopian world. The group is haunted by a series of evil gangs, most notably the Ghoulies, led by the unhinged Turbo.
A clever and hilarious cross between Mad Max and season 1 Riverdale, Daybreak is the rare teen show that stands out due to its originality and humor. A charming ensemble and witty dialog made it instantly memorable, a worthy addition to the ever-increasing zombie genre. Daybreak got unceremoniously canceled after one season, wasting one of the most refreshing and promising shows from the 2010s. A second season could’ve expanded the show’s initial premise, and if Netflix can’t see Daybreak‘s value, someone else should.
I Am Not Okay with This (2020)
It breakouts Sophia Lillis and Wyatt Oleff star in the Netflix teen black comedy I Am Not Okay with This. The plot follows Sidney, a teenager navigating high school and her sexuality while discovering she possesses mysterious and unstable superpowers.
A hidden Netflix gem with ample critical and audience support, I Am Not Okay with This is an awkward, charming, and clever teen comedy. Benefiting from Lillis’ winning lead performance, the show stood out among the numerous teen shows that plague television. Like The Society, Netflix canceled I Am Not Okay with This due to COVID-related circumstances, giving an unfairly tragic ending to this delightful show. However, I Am Not Okay with This remains a modern teen classic, and another streamer should be clever enough to recognize its promise and bring it back for a second season.
Sense8 (2015-2018)
Co-created by the Wachowski sisters, the ambitious sci-fi drama Sense8 arrived on Netflix in the summer of 2015. It features a large, multi-national cast to tell the story of eight strangers from different parts of the world who discover they are “sensates,” beings mentally and emotionally linked to each other. Daring and striking, Sense8 is among the most progressive and exciting shows from the 2010s.
The show juggled issues of sexuality, identity, gender, diversity, and empathy with intelligence and sympathy, aided by an impressive cast of committed performers. Netflix canceled the show citing high production costs and a small, albeit passionate, audience, although a two-hour special was greenlit to serve as a series finale. However, Sense8‘s premise invites further exploration, and a third season would surely continue the show’s groundbreaking and boundary-pushing storytelling.
GLOW (2017-2019)
Alison Brie and Betty Gilpin star in GLOW, Netflix’s acclaimed, ’80s-set dramedy. The show presents a fictionalized version of the syndicated women’s professional wrestling circuit Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling or GLOW. Storylines follow the women’s private and professional lives while offering an explosive look at the neon-colored ’80s.
If there’s one show Netflix shouldn’t have canceled, it’s GLOW. A critical and commercial darling, GLOW was among the streamer’s first breakout hits, a critically-acclaimed comedy with a healthy footprint in pop culture. Like other shows, GLOW was a victim of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Netflix shouldn’t have pulled the plug, plain and simple. This Emmy, SAG, and Golden Globe-nominated show was the definition of a breakout hit, and Netflix owes it a considerable debt. What better way to repay it than to bring it back for a much-deserved fourth season?
The OA (2016-2019)
Brit Marling leads an impressive ensemble in Netflix’s mystery drama The OA. The plot centers on Prairie Johnson, a young woman who resurfaces after seven years missing. Reluctant to speak about her missing years, Prairie only causes more shock among her family and the authorities when she reveals she is no longer blind. Co-created and executive produced by Marling, The OA is widely considered among the 21st century’s best mystery shows.
Critics and audiences have lauded its intriguing premise, the performances of its large ensemble, and its distinctive visual style. The OA‘s reputation has only increased with the years, with many considering it among the all-time best Netflix original shows, making its cancelation more frustrating. Fan reaction to the series’ demise was quick and intense – one eager fan even went on a hunger strike outside Netflix’s headquarters. Not that the notoriously callous streamer cared, tough; The OA remains canceled, but hope never dies, and a show like this deserves another shot to finish its ambitious and rewarding story.
