by Winfred Odhambo
Netflix, safe to say you’re on thin ice right now. You’ve been around for a while and have continued to produce content for your viewers for more than 2 decades, you have been feeding us well……. up until recently.
Time and Time again, Netflix has been cancelling shows that has been showered with love by critics and audience. FYI, I am not talking about the shows that have been poorly revied by critics and the audience and have received very few streamers, but rather talking about the ones that were enjoyed by many and have received much love over social media platforms. To illustrate, the society, a 2019 Netflix original mystery drama series that centers around teens who come back to their town after their camping trip was cut short and find out everyone in town has mysteriously vanished and they are all alone, what’s more eye catching than that? Unfortunately, it got cancelled after one season when they were already shooting for a second season in 2020. I was extremely shocked by the news, as it got overall has high ratings. 7/10 on IMDb and 81% audience score on rotten tomatoes. Now, I can’t give Netflix all the heat, as it was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and they couldn’t afford to produce the show and pay for COVID testing, but they drew the line when they kept cancelling other shows that were favored by others and were further along in their series.
In 2020, Netflix was on a roll with cancelling fan favorites, like it was a sport, starting from, “I Am Not Okay With This” Starring IT stars Sophia Lillis and Wyatt Oleff to “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” starring Kiernan Shipka, Gavin Leatherwood and Austin and Ally star, Ross Lynch, that one especially hurt to “Insatiable” Starring Debby Ryan, it sucked to see our childhood Disney star, star in a role that tackled on problems of body dysmorphia, insecurities and societal expectations in high school and out of high school get shut down after two seasons (oh c’mon) Its more frustrating than sad honestly, it’s like I’m constantly worried if a new show that pops up that I am interested in will get shut down because Netflix said so, boo-hoo, and I’m not the only one that feels this way. “I honestly don’t understand why they cancel the most popular shows on Netflix and just because of a few bad reviews or similarities.” Said Lunden Underwood, Sophomore. “If they don’t start listening to what their subscribers are wanting then they will eventually go out of business. They keep making these corny, dramatic, unrealistic shows that nobody wants to watch anymore” Beware Netflix, they might start a protest against you.
“As someone who has been a part of sharing Netflix passwords because of financial situations, it’s harsh to hear that Netflix thinks that’s the reason they’re losing subscribers, and not because they cancel every good show on there” said Emily, Senior. “Not talking about Gotham or Shadow and Bone though, you guys are my light in Netflix’s darkness. Sorry, that was a bad Shadow and Bone pun.” I’d give the joke a good 7/10, most of the points goes towards the Shadow and bone reference.
I could joke all day about the cancellations of my favorite shows in order to hide the soulfulness I feel when Netflix just keeps disappointing us, or I could hope that Netflix will soon realize their own shows potential instead of cancelling them so soon. (RIP Grand Army)
