It seems that not even Netflix is immune to the curse of COVID-19. The streaming service has just announced that many of its original series such as The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Ozark, and Dead To Me have been cancelled.
For many, this means crushing disappointment as their favourite series will never return, while others have welcomed the news with open arms as the cancellation brings an end to a show they deemed not worthy of their time. This news doesn’t come as a surprise to many Netflix subscribers though, as, in the past, other Netflix originals have also faced the cut. Notable examples include the announcement early last year that all Netflix original Marvel shows would come to an end, including fan-favourites Jessica Jones and The Punisher.
This time around, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina will see the fourth season as its last with Dead To Me finishing after the upcoming third season. Ozark will also come to an end after its fourth and final season. Ozark, in particular, comes as a shock to fans after the latest season was critically deemed the best as of yet.
IT seems that Netflix sees little value in long-running TV shows, with many critically acclaimed series getting the boot after their third or fourth season. Primarily, this is because it is too expensive and difficult for new viewers to jump into shows that are 6-7 seasons long. Rather, Netflix would prefer to spend their time making new and fresh content for viewers to consume.
Even so, this hasn’t stopped fans casting their disappointment online, with Sabrina fans in particular setting up a petition to stop the cancellation going ahead.
Hopefully, the final seasons give these shows the ending they deserve, but the news still comes with worry for other Netflix originals we are so invested in as, inevitably, they are going to be cancelled down the line.
Words by Lucy Lillystone