Although Netflix has more subscribers than any other streaming service in the world, there are still plenty of fans who get frustrated with a lot of what they do. The service has been known to cancel some of their most popular original programming, often before the show gets the chance to finish its story.
This has led to plenty of online campaigns from loyal audiences who want to see these shows return. There are some obvious ones that made headlines everywhere but a few other canceled series have flown under the radar and deserve another chance, even if it's with another streaming service.
The OA (2016-2019)
If there's one thing that upsets viewers, it's when a show gets canceled while ending on a cliffhanger. That was the case for The OA, which was canned after season 2 despite never getting to tell a complete tale. The showrunners had initially planned for things to last five seasons, so a lot was left out.
The series followed a woman named Prairie (Brit Marling) who returned after being missing for nearly a decade and could now see despite being blind beforehand. The social impact and visuals were praised, along with the acting. It even featured guest stars like Zendaya and Riz Ahmed.
Everything Sucks! (2018)
People love nostalgia and looking back on decades they fondly remember. That's why it's surprising that Everything Sucks! didn't stick around longer, since the series took place during the '90s in the town of Boring, Oregon. The plot centered on high school students who work on making a movie together and in the process, they discovered a lot about themselves.
Reviews for the show were strong, indicating that though it hit some familiar tropes, it still managed to work on an emotional level for the audience. It also helped launch the career of Sydney Sweeney, who has gone on to star in major films and other TV shows.
Trinkets (2019-2020)
Unlike a lot of other shows that get axed by Netflix, Trinkets was able to conclude its story. The cast was excited when season 2 was confirmed though it ended up being the final one for the show. However, star Kiana Madeira (who went on to lead the Fear Street films) noted that it worked out since the writers ended things well.
That being said, the series was good enough to warrant a season 3. Even with a solid ending, there was an opportunity to expand that would've made for a welcome season 3. Based on a novel of the same name, the show had strong reviews and featured great LGBTQ+ representation.
I Am Not Okay With This (2020)
Every once in a while, Netflix releases a show that seems like it'll be an instant hit due to the concept and the cast involved. I Am Not Okay with This felt like it would be part of that group as it focused on a teenage girl dealing with family, her sexuality, and unexpected superpowers.
On top of that, the show was led by Sophia Lillis, a talented young actor famous for It and Sharp Objects. Critics and audiences liked the show for the relatable story combined with the supernatural elements but it was canceled along with several other shows due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Girlboss (2017)
Shows about strong, independent women are very popular these days, so it's a shame that Girlboss didn't quite take off. Created by Kay Cannon and based on Sophia Amoruso's autobiography, the series followed how she hustled her way into starting the Nasty Gal clothing company.
Girlboss featured quality performances from the likes of Britt Robertson and RuPaul while being both heartwarming and hilarious. Critics were mixed but viewers seemed to enjoy it (74% audience score on RT and 7.0 on IMDb). Unfortunately, there weren't enough of them to keep the show going.
American Vandal (2017-2018)
Thanks to shows like The Office and Parks and Recreation, the mockumentary format has become one of the most popular ways to tell a story. Audiences also seem to love true crime documentaries more than ever these days. American Vandal took those concepts and turned them on their head.
The show parodied those documentaries by focusing on uncovering the truth about major high school pranks. Both seasons were met with high praise and they succeeded due to how ridiculous the entire premise was. The cancellation was seen as a huge blow to fans.
Sense8 (2015-2018)
The Wachowskis are iconic for their work on The Matrix franchise but they were also among the creators of one of the first hit Netflix original shows, Sense8. The high-concept series saw a group of strangers from around the world discover that they are emotionally and mentally linked.
While the plot was intriguing and well-received on its own, the show really shined due to the multinational cast and representation of LGBTQ+ characters. There was an uproar about the cancellation, though the series did get a special episode to act as a finale. Still, more episodes would be appreciated.
The Society (2019)
If you look at almost any tweet that the official Netflix account puts out, the replies are very likely to be flooded with fans who clamor for the revival of The Society. The show saw a group of teens forced to run a small town after the mysterious disappearance of every adult around and no way to escape or contact the outside world.
Reviews were strong and the cast included young stars like Kathryn Newton, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, and Kristine Froseth. The inaugural season ended on a huge cliffhanger and fans still have plenty of questions but the show was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Teenage Bounty Hunters (2019)
On paper, the premise behind Teenage Bounty Hunters sounds a bit too goofy to work. It followed a pair of twins who stumble into the world of bounty hunting and form a bond with an actual bounty hunter. Despite the wacky setup, the show succeeded due to the intriguing plot and the strong cast.
Anjelica Bette Fellini and Maddie Phillips had remarkable chemistry as TV's best twins, while Kadeem Hardison was an odd but fun father figure for them. As another series with a strong LGBTQ+ couple, the cancellation was heartbreaking for those who followed it closely.
GLOW (2017-2019)
While many of these shows were popular and appreciated by critics, few earned multiple Emmy nominations. GLOW was one of them, with Betty Gilpin getting a nod and it being up for Outstanding Comedy Series at one point. Of every cancellation, this one might've hurt the most.
After three tremendous seasons following a group of women who perform on a wrestling TV show, GLOW was renewed for season 4. Given the cliffhanger ending, audiences were excited for more, only for Netflix to reverse the renewal, citing COVID-19 as a reason. It's a shame fans never got more of Gilpin, Alison Brie, Marc Maron, and the rest of the gang.