‘Queen Sono’ Fans Are Beyond Upset Over Surprise Netflix Cancellation

Netflix canceled Queen Sono on Tuesday, and many fans were heartbroken. The spy thriller had already been renewed for a second season, but Netflix reversed that renewal this week, opting not to go forward. This was a huge betrayal to many fans, especially for a show that stands out so much in the current TV landscape.

Queen Sono is a South African drama about a spy navigating a life-altering mission while juggling drama in her personal life. Series creator Kagiso Lediga issued a statement on the cancellation to TV Line, saying: “we wrote a beautiful story that spanned the continent but unfortunately could not be executed in these current trying times.” Most fans took this to mean that the main reason the show was canceled was because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“A huge thank you to our fans across the world for the love shared for our first African Original series,” read a statement from Netflix. “Netflix is also grateful to the… cast and crew for their stellar efforts in creating this show for our members around the world. We’ll continue to work closely with South Africa’s creative industry to keep producing more compelling ‘Made-in-South Africa’ stories.”

These kinds words did little for some heartbroken fans, who flocked to social media on Tuesday. Here is a look at what they had to say about the cancellation.

Hope

Some fans directed their tweet at Netflix, or at Queen Sono creator Kagiso Lediga, saying that they maintained hope for a Season 2. Many had faith that another outlet might pick the show up, or that Netflix could renew it when it was in a more favorable position — though this has never been done before.

Revolutionary

Fans were devastated to see this show go because they saw it as “revolutionary,” and well-worth preserving. Many wished that Netflix had canceled something else, since Queen Sono is so unique.

Despite Backlash

There has been some backlash to Queen Sono among fans, and some misinterpreted the cancellation news, thinking that the show was dropped due to Lediga’s commentary on Twitter. However, among this crowd there were plenty who said that they still wished the show had carried on in some form.

Critics

In fact, much of the talk on Twitter on Tuesday was actually rebukes of the criticism towards the show in general. Many people thought that the “backlash” was unwarranted, and should not have warranted a cancellation.

Potential

The fact that there were gripes about Queen Sono Season 1 was all the more reason it should have been renewed, some fans argued. They thought that the show should have been given time and space to explore its potential.

Cast

While the show may be ending, many fans said they were excited to see what the cast and crew of Queen Sono will do next.

Starting

Finally, with the show canceled some viewers said they had been meaning to watch Season 1, but now found it difficult to get started, knowing there won’t be any follow-up.