Fans Begged To Get These Single Season Shows Renewed!
It’s been a constant battle between fans and streamers in recent years to get shows renewed for multiple seasons. In the era of streaming and numbers, studios and streamers have become trigger happy on canceling series that do not meet their standard of success. Undoubtedly, the pandemic played a large role in a lot of fan favorites getting the ax, but many shows are not being given the time to grow and find their audiences. Minority communities are the center of this issue with shows centering around queer stories and those of people of color being the ones hit the hardest. Pop Culture Planet contributor Jordan Bohan breaks down the fan favorite series that were canceled before their time.
Bunheads
Bunheads follows the story of Michelle Simms, a classically trained professional dancer who was once a Las Vegas star. After she impulsively gets married, she relocates to a small California town where her mother-in-law owns a local dance studio. Michelle begins working there and helps the students with family problems, body image issues, and dance lessons, while they help her acclimate to her new lifestyle.
Sutton Foster shined in the role and fans loved the series. It seemed as though the story was a bit too niche for ABC Family’s audience, leading to the series cancellation.
Everything Sucks!
This drama set in the 90s follows a group of outcasts in Boring High School’s A.V. and drama clubs as they navigate a simpler world without smartphones or other 21st century technology. The crews don’t get the attention they’re looking for and join forces to create a movie.
The comedy drama premiered in 2018 and was canceled only two months later. Everything Sucks! had strong viewership, but lacked in terms of completion rate. Lucky for us it introduced us to future star Sydney Sweeney.
First Kill
First Kill is based on a short story written by V.E. Schwab for an anthology titled Vampires Never Get Old. The series follows Juliette, a vampire, and Calliope, a monster hunter, who are both trying to make their first kill.
The series came out in June of 2022 and was canceled just two months after, leaving audiences questioning why, given the cliffhanger ending. The series garnered over 30 million hours of viewership, but was still deemed too low to offset the costs of another season’s production. Fans were disappointed to see this queer vampire drama get the ax.
Freaks and Geeks
Freaks and Geeks follows a group of misfit high school students in the 1980s as they experience the classic coming of age problems. The students cut class, experiment with drugs, attempt to get good grades, and share their first time falling in love.
The series had an impressive cast including Jason Segel, James Franco, Busy Philipps, and Linda Cardellini. The series faced an erratic episode schedule and there were disagreements between the creators and NBC, leading to the show’s cancellation.
Girlboss
Based on Sophia Amoruso’s autobiography #Girlboss, the series tells the story of how Amoruso started the fashion company Nasty Gal.
The series had a mixed reaction from fans, splitting into the love or hate opinions. Many found the main character to be unlikeable and the show didn’t seem to resonate with fans as well as the original book. Netflix ultimately decided not to renew the comedy series.
Gordita Chronicles
Set in the 1980s, Gordita Chronicles follows young Cucu Castelli as she leaves her home in the Dominican Republic to pursue the American Dream when her family moves to Miami. The series had a passionate fan base that especially resonated with the Latino community.
After the series dropped, it was revealed that HBO Max was cutting down on live action kids and family content, resulting in the series cancellation. Fans were disheartened to see such a representative and positive coming-of-age story end.
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies
Paramount+ original series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies was a fan favorite for musical theatre lovers. This original story detailed the creation of the Pink Ladies through their shared high school experience, relationships, and power struggle. With a diverse cast, countless Easter eggs, and an incredible original soundtrack, Rise of the Pink Ladies deserved so much more.
Unfortunately, only a week after the final episode aired, Paramount+ announced its cancellation and shared that it would be removed from the streaming service. The cast and fans came together in an effort to save the show, but were halted due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
I Am Not Okay With This
Premiering in 2020, I Am Not Okay With This follows a teenager as she navigates high school, family, and her sexuality, all while dealing with new superpowers. The show is based on graphic novels by Charles Forsman.
The series had positive responses from critics and fans, but the COVID-19 pandemic prohibited the series from getting a second season.
Julie and the Phantoms
Julie and the Phantoms follows a girl as she renews her passion for music and helps a trio of ghosts, resulting in them becoming a hot new band.
Fans loved the show by Kenny Ortega, the brilliant director behind hits like High School Musical, The Cheetah Girls 2, and Hocus Pocus. While the series was created for a younger audience, the majority of viewership ended up being people in their teens and twenties. It was not announced until 2022, two years after the show’s release, that the series was officially canceled.
Red Band Society
Red Band Society followed a group of teenagers in the pediatric ward of Los Angeles’ Ocean park Hospital. The teens find comfort in one another as they undergo treatment for a variety of illnesses.
The series has some dedicated fans, but did not seem to garner a large enough audience to renew for a second season. Many critics thought the show was too pessimistic and sad for a teen drama. The studio made attempts at shopping it around, but in the end the series was canceled after a single season.
The Society
The single season teen drama series The Society follows a group of high school students that leave for a camping trip. After a storm forces them to return home, the teens realize that all the adults are gone. Their newfound freedom is a joyous celebration of teen exploration, but it quickly becomes dangerous as the struggle for power and violence ensue.
The series originally premiered in 2019 and left on a cliffhanger, leaving fans demanding a second season to finish the storyline. The show had initial success and was renewed for a second season, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, production became too expensive and unsafe for cast and crew.
