It's been confirmed that Manifest season 4 will now happen on Netflix, a move that's good for the show but hypocritical from the streaming service. Manifest follows the group of passengers aboard Flight 828. After a bout of turbulence, they land at their destination. But as it turns out, their plane disappeared for five years and subsequently returned out of thin air. The survivors are left to piece together the remnants of their old lives while working through the strange supernatural events beginning to transpire around them.

Manifest ran for three seasons on NBC, with the network announcing its cancellation in the summer of 2021, despite those behind the show having plans stretching as far as six seasons. Previous seasons of the show were added to Netflix on the day of its final episode, and immediately proved to be popular, with the show topping the streamer's top 10 list. Upon the show's cancellation, creator Jeff Rake started a sweeping #SaveManifest viral Twitter campaign to continue the story with season 4 or a movie, and he's now got his wish.

Related: Manifest's Passengers Are From An Alternate Reality - Theory Explained

After a lot of rumors, wishes from fans, and viral campaigns, it was officially announced that Netflix renewed Manifest for season 4 with a 20-episode order. Give its success there and the clear demand for more, it makes sense that the streaming giant would want to resurrect the show on its own platform. That it's done so is good for the show, the creators, and the fans, allowing the story to get the proper conclusion it deserves, but it's also hypocritical from Netflix given how many shows it quickly cancels, without giving them a chance to succeed.

Manifest season 4 Netflix

Netflix is notorious for canceling a number of original television shows after 2-3 seasons. But the streaming platform was especially brutal during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. For example, Netflix canceled two very well-received shows in one announcement — I Am Not Okay With This and The Society. As EW reported, Netflix claimed that the decision was fueled by the pandemic, stating newly sanctioned safety measures such as PPE would drive the shows' respective budgets up too much. In an even more shocking move, Netflix also canceled critical darling GLOW around the same time. The show was already renewed for season 4 but had to go into a temporary Covid-19 shutdown. But during that time, Netflix took back its renewal and retroactively canceled GLOW. Another casualty was the hit show Special.

Netflix saving Manifest happened about a year after canceling a number of its own fan favorites. This move sends a poor message. Netflix was unwilling to spend the money to continue a number of its original television shows but was happy to spend the money to jump on a viral fan campaign for Manifest season 4. As a business model, it does make sense for Netflix to follow the money. But Netflix's original content was launched with the idea that it was a place for actors and creators to experience the creative freedom that major studios didn't allow them. It became a safe haven for experimental content. But with Netflix giving the ax to some of its high-quality original shows — with many casts notably led by women — in favor of a network fan-favorite show, it's going against that promise. By saving Manifest for season 4, Netflix is losing what used to set it apart from other streaming platforms.

More: Manifest Ending With Season 4 Hints At Another Time Jump