Netflix Cancels Oscar Winner’s New Series After One Season

Netflix’s track record of one-season cancellations continues, and this one is another shocker. Deadline reports that the streamer has decided to not move forward with a second season of action dramedy The Brothers Sun starring Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh. The series comes from newcomer Byron Wu and Brad Fulchuk, who is known for Glee, American Horror Story, 9-1-1, and Nip/Tuck.

Also starring Justin Chien, Sam Song Li, Joon Lee, and Highdee Kuan, the series is centered on a Californian who learns about his family’s profession as Taipei’s most renowned gangsters after his brother, who was raised by his crime boss father, visits. News of the cancellation comes nearly two months after the eight-episode first season dropped on Netflix. 

The cancellation is surprising, as the series has received mostly positive reviews and has an 84 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a 91 percent audience score. It also peaked at No. 2 on Netflix’s Top 10 and spent a total of five weeks on the chart for English-language series. However, the audience just wasn’t big enough.

After news of the cancellation broke, Chien took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message to the fans of The Brothers Sun: “Thank you for riding with us on this labor of love. It will take some time to digest this news, but I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your love and support for the show. Thank you to every post, tweet, edit, interaction, etc. It fills me with so much joy knowing that the show resonated with so many people. Your love made all of our collective work, sacrifices, and heartache, worth it.”

Chien went on to thank his fellow co-stars, Netflix, and the crew who worked tirelessly behind the scenes. Of course, he also thanked the dedicated fans for all of their love. “Without you, this wouldn’t mean nearly as much as it does,” he continued. “I gave everything I had to this show, and I can’t wait to do the same in the next project, whatever, whenever it may be – I promise I will give it my all.”

It’s a disappointment that yet another series has been canceled after one season. It seems no matter how popular a show may seem or who stars in it, no series is safe. Hopefully, The Brothers Sun finds some life elsewhere, or at the very least, it doesn’t take long for the talented cast to find new roles.