Despite largely giving their original shows the benefit of the doubt and allowing them to grow an audience over time, Netflix have been nothing short of ruthless when it comes to wielding the axe this year. Clearly, even the world’s biggest and most popular streaming service isn’t immune to the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, and a huge number of in-house projects have bitten the dust.
Teenage Bounty Hunters, V Wars, October Faction, The Big Show Show, The Society and I Am Not Okay With This were all canned after one season, despite the latter two initially being renewed. Fan favorites Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Altered Carbon were also pulled from the schedule, and the cancellation of GLOW proved that not even Netflix’s most critically acclaimed projects are safe anymore.
However, it isn’t all doom and gloom, as two popular shows have reportedly been renewed for further episodes. The modern day update of The Babysitter’s Club received enthusiastic reviews and it looks to have drawn in enough viewers to survive the cull and earn another season. Having already been ordered for a second run, comic book adaptation Locke & Key is also rumored to have already received the green light for season 3.
Given some of the titles that have been canceled so far this year, there are plenty of shows that face an uncertain future, but by handing out renewals to The Babysitter’s Club and Locke & Key, Netflix have made it clear that they’re more than willing to move forward with original programming provided that it justifies the extra investment brought on by the health and safety protocols required by every production as the industry moves into a strange new era of filming.