Terrible Netflix Shows You Forgot Existed

For every Squid Game or Stranger Things, there’s plenty of Netflix originals that should’ve never seen the light of day. Here’s five of them.

Marco Polo

Remember when Netflix tried to compete with Game of Thrones? The streaming service dropped an eye-watering $200 million on this historical drama full of sex, violence and intrigue based on Marco Polo’s years in the court of Kublai Khan. Viewers opted to simply avoid a copycat of the HBO hit, and critics concluded it was “less entertaining than a round of the game that shares its name,” leading to its later cancellation. Ouch. Maybe the creators should’ve added some dragons?

Between

This sci-fi drama starred Jennette McCurdy (of iCarly fame) as a pregnant teen who lives in a town where one day, everyone older than 21 starts dying. The town is quarantined by the government as the teens inside work to find a cure to the mysterious illness. It was unpopular with both viewers and critics, with many criticizing the show’s acting and lack of depth. There’s never been an actual cancellation, but Netflix has been quiet about the series since the second season finished in 2016—meaning every actor involved is now much older than 21, and it’s impossible for the show to go on.

Richie Rich

Did you know Netflix tried to reboot Richie Rich, the 1994 comedy starring Macaulay Culkin, as a TV series? You’d be forgiven if your answer was “no.” It’s one of the lowest rated series on IMDb of all time, so it’s not like you missed anything. Somehow, Jenna Ortega was in this.

The Goop Lab

If you’ve ever wanted to watch Gwyneth Paltrow talk at you and make pseudoscientific claims to sell you her products, here’s your answer! The Goop Lab is all about quack medicine topics like “energy healing.” Incredibly, watching this series is more boring than going to the dentist.

Every Marvel Show That Wasn’t Daredevil Or Jessica Jones

Controversial? Sure. But can you even remember the four other Netflix Marvel series? With derision from critics (Iron Fist, in particular, was one of the worst reviewed TV shows ever) and low viewership, it’s no surprise that Marvel decided to cancel all six shows before bringing Daredevil, Kingpin, Bullseye, and Jessica Jones to Disney+ while leaving the rest of the Defenders to flounder.