Netflix quietly cancels two popular shows – leaving one on a cliffhanger

Published 3 hours ago
Source: metro.co.uk
Netflix is a funny old service at times. While they’ve given us no shortage of brilliant, long-running shows over the years – from Bridgerton to Stranger Things – they’ve also been known to cancel shows without warning. It can be a frustrating experience, especially when a show’s only been with us for a short period of time, barely allowing viewers to get to know the characters or get into the story. And that’s a fate that’s befallen two relatively new arrivals on the platform, just weeks into 2026… (Picture: Getty Images)
THE ABANDONS. Gillian Anderson as Constance Van Ness. Cr. MATTHIAS CLAMER/Netflix ?? 2024
To make matters worse one of the shows, which was cancelled after just one series, ended on a cliffhanger – the very thing guaranteed to leave fans frustrated and wanting. But which shows won’t be returning? Let’s take a look. (Picture: Netflix)

1. The Abandons

THE ABANDONS. Lena Headey as Fiona Nolan. Cr. MATTHIAS CLAMER/Netflix ?? 2024
First up is this star-studded Western drama, which according to Variety has been shelved after just a single season. The Abandons, which counts the likes of Gillian Anderson and Game Of Thrones’ Lena Headey among its cast, is set in 1850 and features the pair as an Irish woman living with a found family of four adult orphans, and a silver mine owner attempting to take possession of their farm. (Picture: Netflix)
The Abandons. (L to R) Gillian Anderson as Constance Van Ness and Lucas Till as Garret Van Ness in Episode 101 of The Abandons. Cr. Michelle Faye/Netflix 2024 ??
From fights for land by unscrupulous means to dealing with the loss of family members, the stage was set in this one for plenty of conflict and drama. But while it got off to a strong start, smashing into the top five of the Netflix chart and being watched just under 20 million times in its first four weeks on the platform, viewing figures quickly dropped off, with the series falling out of the top 10 and Deadline reporting that it scored just 4.7m views over the next 17 days. (Picture: Michelle Faye/Netflix)
The Abandons
To make matters worse, the lack of second series means that the show has ended on a cliffhanger involving a tense confrontation and a fire – leaving it unclear which characters might have survived. Naturally, this hasn’t proven popular with those who did watch it. Taking to X, one viewer wrote: ‘The cancellation still makes me very sad. I had hoped for another season.’ Another added:’The Abandons was excellent and we need to have a proper ending. Shame on you Netflix.’ (Picture: MATTHIAS CLAMER / NETFLIX)

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The Abandons. Gillian Anderson as Constance Van Ness in Episode 107 of The Abandons. Cr. Michelle Faye/Netflix 2024 ??
However, critics were less enthusiastic, with the show landing just a 30% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Variety called it ‘a frustrating, incomplete take on a compelling premise,’ while Time Magazine said: ‘Everyone would probably be in better form if the writing were decent.’ Ouch. But while fans come to terms with its loss, which other show won’t be returning…?
(Picture: Michelle Faye/Netflix)

2. The Vince Staples Show

The Vince Staples Show - Season 2. (L to R) Vince Staples as Vince Staples and Zack Fox as Zack Fox in Episode 204 of The Vince Staples Show. Cr. Ed Araquel/Netflix ?? 2025
The second show to be shelved by Netflix in recent weeks is The Vince Staples Show – which survived a little longer, bidding farewell to the platform after two series. The satirical comedy show stars rapper, actor and songwriter Staples as a fictional version of himself, navigating the bizarre challenges of everyday life in a version of Long Beach, California. (Picture: Ed Araquel/Netflix)
The Vince Staples Show. Vince Staples as Vince in episode 101 of The Vince Staples Show. Cr. Netflix ?? 2024
Unlike The Abandons, The Vince Staples Show was well-received by critics nabbing a cool 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Hollywood Reporter said: ‘Even in its sketchier episodes, there are moments of real inspiration — an audacious premise, a shocking deviation of tone, a scathing line of tossed-off dialogue’. Meanwhile Decider referred to the show as ‘unpredictable, funny, and often weirdly surreal’. (Picture: Ser Baffo/NETFLIX)
The Vince Staples Show. Rick Ross as The Boss in episode 102 of The Vince Staples Show. Cr. Ser Baffo/NETFLIX ?? 2023
Sadly this wasn’t quite so well reflected in the viewing figures. The show never cracked the top 10 Netflix TV charts, and despite being renewed for a second series its ratings declined significantly. Deadline reports that the first series drew around 4.6m viewers between February and June 2024 for its first series but the second batch of episodes, released in November 2025, scored just 1.4m, according to Netflix’s 2025 report. (Picture: Courtesy of Netflix)
The Vince Staples Show - Season 2. (L to R) Vince Staples as Vince Staples, Vanessa Calloway as Anita, and Nat?? Jones as Bri in Episode 202 of The Vince Staples Show. Cr. Netflix ?? 2025
Once again, the decision to axe the show has not been well-received by fans, some of whom have suggested that other networks could pick up the format. One said: ‘I hope another network picks up Vince Staples show, it was really good. I binge watched the second season with no problem.’ Another added: ‘Critics loved it, fans loved it, but if it doesn’t hit the Top 10, Netflix pulls the plug. Sad reality of streaming.’ (Picture: Ser Baffo/NETFLIX)
The Vince Staples Show. Vince Staples as Vince in episode 102 of The Vince Staples Show. Cr. Ser Baffo/NETFLIX ?? 2023
Speaking to the Independent in 2024, Staples explained the show was based on his experiences growing up in Long Beach, with music giving him an escape. He said it shows ‘where I come from and what I was doing prior to music, and what a lot of my family and friends are subjected to,’ he said. ‘I can only be grateful [for music].’ (Picture: Ser Baffo/NETFLIX)

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