5 Most Surprising TV Show Cancellations of the Summer

This summer has seen some surprising cancellations.

A handful of shows have been canceled ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Since May, many platforms and networks have made decisions on shows, and most of them aren’t good. From long-running shows to fan-favorites to even one-season series, no show was safe from the wave of cancellations this summer. There is no telling what will be cut next, but these are five of the most surprising cancellations of the summer.

Duster – HBO Max

Despite a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Duster was canceled by HBO Max after one season in July, which was one of the first decisions the streamer made after rebranding to its old name. From showrunners J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan, Duster centered on a getaway driver and FBI agent who team up to take on a notorious crime syndicate. News of the cancellation came just a week after the Season 1 finale.

Queer Eye – Netflix

Long-running reality show Queer Eye was announced to be ending after 10 seasons in July. The Emmy-winning series is in production on the 10^th and final season in the nation’s capital, but a premiere date has yet to be announced. The series premiered in 2018 and is a reboot of the 2003 Bravo show.

Resident Alien – USA Network

It was announced just last week that the Alan Tudyk-led sci-fi series Resident Alien is ending after four seasons. News comes ahead of the Season 4 finale, which is airing on Friday and will serve as the series finale. Resident Alien premiered on Syfy in 2021 and moved to USA Network for its fourth season, which premiered in June.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – CBS

The most surprising show on this list is The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The late-night talk show was canceled in July, which was reportedly a “financial decision,” although there has been some debate about that. It’s set to come to an end in May 2026, officially ending The Late Show, which began in 1993 with David Letterman before Colbert took over in 2015. Many late-night greats showed their support, including Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel, as well as Anderson Cooper, Seth Meyers, and John Stewart, among other celebrities.

The Wheel of Time – Prime Video

Fan-favorite fantasy series The Wheel of Time was canceled by Prime Video in May after three seasons. The decision was reportedly financial and came not long after the Season 3 finale earlier that month. An adaptation of the book series of the same name by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, The Wheel of Time centers on a member of an incredibly powerful all-female organization as she arrives in a small town where she embarks on a dangerous journey with five young men and women, one of whom is prophesied to either save or destroy humanity.