Summary

• TV shows getting abruptly canceled after being renewed is frustrating for fans and those involved in production, as seen in examples like The Society and GLOW.
• External factors like cost-cutting, low ratings, and creative changes can lead to the cancellation of renewed shows, such as Roseanne and Snowpiercer.
• Strikes and budgeting issues have also affected the fate of TV shows like A League of Their Own.

It has become strangely common for TV shows to be abruptly canceled after being renewed for a new season. Every year, a vast number of TV shows get canceled by the network or streaming platform, but it's more devastating when a show is renewed, and then canceled anyway. This is frustrating not just for fans of the show who are invested in it, but also for those involved in the production. At a time when so many shows get canceled before they have a proper conclusion, such as Westworld and Shadow and Bone, getting hopes up for a new season only for the series never actually returning is extremely disappointing.

Several external factors, such as cost-cutting, low ratings, or a creative change, can for why a TV show that is set for renewal gets canceled. For example, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some TV shows that were renewed for a new season, like Glow, had to be canceled, reportedly because of financial constraints. Recently, the WAG and SAG-AFTRA strikes affected the production time of multiple productions before a fair deal was reached, such as The Peripheral, leading to the cancelation of the renewed season.

10 The Society (2019)

Canceled After Season 2 Renewal

The Society was one of the shows that Netflix abruptly canceled after it was renewed for a second season. With a relatively successful first season that pleased both critics and viewers alike, the streaming platform renewed it for a second season two months after its debut. However, Netflix canceled The Society after only one season due to the COVID-19 pandemic (via Variety). The Society had a large cast, so filming during the coronavirus pandemic would not have been safe for the people who were involved in the show's production. Still, The Society ended on a cliffhanger, meaning the story never got a proper conclusion.

9 Roseanne (1988-2018)

Canceled After Season 11 Renewal

Reviving TV shows has become a common occurrence in the television industry. Roseanne is a popular sitcom that first aired from 1988 to 1997 for nine seasons before concluding. In 2018, the sitcom was revived for a 10th season, which received critical acclaim and high ratings, resulting in the show getting renewed for an 11th season. Two months after ABC announced the season 11 renewal, the show was canceled after star Roseanne Barr got fired for tweeting a racist comment (via CNBC). Roseanne was so popular that a new show titled The Conners, which was essentially Roseanne but with the lead character being her daughter Darlene, was greenlight as a replacement.

8 GLOW (2017-2019)

Canceled After Season 4 Renewal

Netflix's groundbreaking TV show, GLOW, follows a group of female wrestlers working in a wrestling company. Despite the critical acclaim and success of the show, GLOW was canceled after three seasons. The show was renewed for a fourth and final season in August 2019 before Netflix reversed the renewal in October 2020. GLOW was already three weeks into filming its fourth season, but production had to stop because of the coronavirus pandemic (via Deadline). GLOW is widely considered one of the best comedies that was produced by Netflix, and it is saddening that such a great show did not get to the conclusion that it deserved.

7 Minx (2022)

Canceled After Season 2 Renewal

HBO has a knack for picking TV shows that end up being wildly successful. Minx, which premiered on HBO in 2022, was one of those shows before it was canceled after airing for only one season. Two months after the season 1 debut, HBO renewed Minx for a second season in May 2022 before canceling the show in December 2022. Even though the show was almost done with the production for season two, Warner Bros. Discovery canceled Minx due to cost-cutting measures (via Variety). Fortunately, Minx season 2 was picked up by Starz after being canceled by HBO.

6 Dangerous Liaisons (2022)

Canceled After Season 2 Renewal

Pierre Choderlos de Lachlos' novel, Dangerous Liaisons, has served as inspiration for several movies. With the popularity that came with the classic novel, a new TV show seemed like it would be a smashing success, which was why it was picked up by Starz. Starz executives believed in the show so much that they had it renewed for a second season before the first one even aired. That decision, however, proved to be disastrous, as season 1 did not get the expected high ratings they thought it would bring. Dangerous Liaisons was canceled the same month the show premiered because it was unable to find an audience (via Variety).

5 Snowpiercer (2020-2023)

Canceled Before Season 4 Was Released

Snowpiercer debuted to critical acclaim and somewhat okay ratings. The first two seasons of the show, which is based on the movie of the same name, did well with audiences. However, the creative changes implemented in Snowpiercer season 3 led to low ratings. The show was canceled despite being renewed for a fourth season. The fourth season was already complete when TNT was acquired by Warner Bros., which canceled the series because of tax write-offs. Snowpiercer wasn't the only title that was axed for tax write-offs. Other movies and shows, including the Batgirl film, were also scrapped for the same reason. (via Deadline).

4 A League Of Their Own (2022)

Canceled After Season 2 Renewal

A League of Their Own is one of the shows that was affected by the WAG and SAG-AFTRA strike. Initially, the show was supposed to air on Prime Video for one season, which had eight episodes, but after fans of the show campaigned for more episodes, Amazon decided to renew the show for a second season. Season two of the show was meant to be the final season with only four episodes. Despite being renewed for a second season, Amazon canceled A League of Their Own in August 2023 because of the WAG and SAG-AFTRA strike that resulted in the production of several TV shows being halted (via Deadline)

3 Inside Job (2021-2022)

Canceled After Season 2 Renewal

Inside Job was one of Netflix's best animated shows. Despite having a successful first season and a season two renewal, Inside Job was canceled in January 2023. So far, Netflix hasn't announced why it canceled the popular animated series, but budget cuts might for the decision. The show's creator, Shion Takeuchi, was understandably devastated by the news. Takeuchi took to Twitter/X to announce the cancelation of the show, saying "I'm heartbroken to confirm that Netflix has decided to cancel season 2 of Inside Job."

2 The Peripheral (2022)

Canceled After Season 2 Renewal

The Peripheral, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video, is one of the most recent shows that was scraped only after one season. With its unique plot and great performances by its cast, it was a no-brainer that the series should be renewed for a second, which Amazon did in February 2023. However, Amazon Prime Video decided to cancel season 2 because the WAG and SAG-AFTRA strike affected the time the show would be released (via Deadline). If The Peripheral season 2 had not been canceled, it would likely have aired in 2025 because of production delays.

1 Vinyl (2016)

Canceled After Season 2 Renewal

With Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger at the helm of its creation, and the talented Olivia Wild and Ray Romano starring in the show, Vinyl is a series that should have been a smashing success. To HBO and everyone else's disappointment, Vinyl did not get the high ratings that were predicted the show would bring in. After the pilot of Vinyl aired, HBO promptly renewed it for a revamped second season. However, Vinyl season 2 was canceled after HBO hired a new programming president, Casey Bloys. Vinyl was expensive to create, so it was axed so that the budget could be used on HBO's other pending projects (via Deadline).

Sources: Various.