The 6 Greatest TV Shows Netflix Should Have Never Canceled

Netflix subscribers know all too well the pain of finding a new favorite show on the streamer, only to have it canceled unexpectedly.

It’s been tough for streaming shows to gain a foothold in the oversaturated market, but these Netflix Originals sparked straight-up outrage when the streamer announced their unceremonious ends.

1. GLOW (2017—2019)

With big characters and even bigger hair, GLOW‘s three seasons shone just as brightly as the lights in the wrestling ring.

Alison Brie starred in the comedy series as Ruth Wilder, an out-of-work actress living in Los Angeles in the ’80s. When she discovers the spandex-filled world of women’s wrestling, she has to find a way to work alongside 12 other misfits, as well as her former best friend, retired soap opera actress Debbie Eagan (Betty Gilpin), to find stardom.

The show was initially renewed for a fourth and final season in September 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic shut down production on Season 4. In October 2020, the show was officially confirmed as not returning for a fourth season due to safety and budget concerns.

2. Sense8 (2015-2018)

Sense8 was a sci-fi revelation when the drama series from the Wachowski sisters premiered in 2015. The series followed the story of eight strangers around the world who suddenly discover they are “sensates” —people who are mentally and emotionally linked.

The show explored issues of identity, sexuality, gender, and politics in a way that was unique, particularly for the time, but despite its critical acclaim, Sense8 only got two seasons before being abruptly canceled at Netflix.

Just a month after the release of Season 2, which ended on a cliffhanger, Netflix announced that there wouldn’t be a third season. In response to fans’ outcry about the ending, however, Netflix produced a movie-length series finale that was released in 2018 and wrapped up the show’s loose ends.

3. The OA (2016-2019)

The OA was another unique show to meet an early end at Netflix. The mystery-drama series crossed genres with elements of science fiction, fantasy and the supernatural as it told the story of a young woman who resurfaced after having been missing for seven years. Now calling herself “the OA,” the returned woman has also shockingly had her eyesight returned, despite having been blind before her disappearance.

While The OA was originally planned as a five-part story told in five seasons, Netflix canceled the series after just two, leaving it with a cliffhanger ending. Fans rallied for another season of the show, even raising money for a digital billboard in Times Square, but Netflix never gave fans the conclusion for which they hoped.

4. Santa Clarita Diet (2017-2019)

Santa Clarita Diet had all the makings of a comedy-horror classic before it was canceled abruptly after three seasons.

Starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as a married realtors Sheila and Joel Hammond, Santa Clarita Diet takes a turn into the bizarre when Sheila begins to show symptoms of becoming a zombie, including a new craving for human flesh.

Despite the premise leaning more toward horror, Santa Clarita Diet balanced the gore with humor and heart in a way that earned it critical acclaim and a dedicated fandom, but in April 2019, Netflix announced the show wouldn’t be returning for a fourth season.

5. One Day at a Time (2017—2020)

One Day at a Time had a strong start when it premiered on Netflix in 2017 as a reimagining of the 1975 sitcom, now featuring a Latino family.

The star-studded cast, featuring Justina Machado and Rita Moreno, and bold scripts earned the sitcom four Primetime Emmy Award nominations and two wins. However, in March 2019, Netflix announced it would be canceling One Day at a Time after three seasons.

Fans were devastated at the cancellation, but had a win when Pop announced just three months later that it would be reviving the series for a fourth season, making One Day at a Time the first original program canceled by Netflix to be revived on a traditional linear network. Pop did go on to produce and air a fourth season, but amid the COVID-19 pandemic, announced the show had been canceled once again.

6. Tuca & Bertie (2019)

Tuca & Bertie would soon follow in the footprints of One Day at a Time.

The animated series starring Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong as two anthropomorphic birds received positive reviews but was canceled after just one season on Netflix in July 2019.

Less than a year later, Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim announced that it had ordered a second season of the series after witnessing the fan outcry, and Tuca & Bertie would go on to air two more seasons on Adult Swim before being officially canceled in November 2022.