One and done. Netflix has introduced its viewers to many unique TV shows over the years — but not every original series gets to explore their story beyond one season before getting canceled.
Julie and the Phantoms developed a quick cult following when it hit the streaming service in September 2020. The musical comedy, which was based on the Brazilian television series Julie e os Fantasmas, followed a high school student who accidentally summoned the ghosts of three dead musicians. The characters decided to work together to help each other fulfill their dreams and their unfinished business.
As fans waited to hear if the show was canceled or renewed, executive producers David Hoge and Dan Cross revealed that they already had ideas for the second season.
“If we are lucky enough to get a second season, the ghosts would have a lot going on,” Hoge and Cross told TVLine in September 2021. “They’ve always wanted to get their music out there for the world to hear. Like Luke always says, they want that connection with their audience. A number one album? Song at the top of the charts? Whatever it takes to be remembered for their music. But as you saw at the very end, there are still plenty of obstacles to get in their way. And now it seems there’s an ‘obstacle’ in the inner circle.”
Two months later, executive producer Kenny Ortega confirmed that Netflix chose to cancel the series instead.
“Our [Julie and the Phantoms] family want to send our love and endless thanks to our Fantoms all over the world for the tremendous outpouring of love and support you have shown us since our premiere,” Ortega wrote via Instagram. “We learned this week that Netflix will not be picking us up for another season. Although our hearts are saddened, we move on with such pride for what we accomplished as a team and the family we built while creating Julie.”
He added: “We hope you will continue to follow us as we move forward with our work and careers. Happy Holidays to you all. Wishing you good health, love and #perfectharmony in all you pursue! Kenny, the Cast, Writers, Producers, Creatives, BC Crew, and our devoted [Netflix] Team!”
Julie and the Phantoms wasn’t the only series with a strong online presence that didn’t get to continue telling its story. The post-apocalyptic series Daybreak also drew in fans after it originally dropped in October 2019. The comic series adaption used humor to explore the story of a ragtag group of high school students trying to survive the end of the world in Glendale, California.
One month after it was released, series co-creator Aron Coleite announced that Daybreak would not be returning.
“Thank you for picking up what we put down, for running with it in all of your amazing, weird, monstrous ways and for being such an important part of this show and our experience making it,” he tweeted in December 2019. “Here at Daybreak we don’t say we love you. We say ‘you’re a s–t.’ We say ‘let’s be monsters.’ So be s–ts, be monsters, give ’em Hell. Most importantly, keep being you. No one is as heartbroken as we are that we can’t share more of this ride with you. But we’re so grateful to have gotten to bring it this far. Thank you for riding with us, for your voices, your enthusiasm, your memes, your fart jokes, and your unashamed crazy. We’ll see you out there.”
Keep scrolling for more shows that Netflix ended just as quickly as they began:
One and done. Netflix has introduced its viewers to many unique TV shows over the years — but not every original series gets to explore their story beyond one season before getting canceled.
Julie and the Phantoms developed a quick cult following when it hit the streaming service in September 2020. The musical comedy, which was based on the Brazilian television series Julie e os Fantasmas, followed a high school student who accidentally summoned the ghosts of three dead musicians. The characters decided to work together to help each other fulfill their dreams and their unfinished business.
As fans waited to hear if the show was canceled or renewed, executive producers David Hoge and Dan Cross revealed that they already had ideas for the second season.
“If we are lucky enough to get a second season, the ghosts would have a lot going on,” Hoge and Cross told TVLine in September 2021. “They’ve always wanted to get their music out there for the world to hear. Like Luke always says, they want that connection with their audience. A number one album? Song at the top of the charts? Whatever it takes to be remembered for their music. But as you saw at the very end, there are still plenty of obstacles to get in their way. And now it seems there’s an ‘obstacle’ in the inner circle.”
Two months later, executive producer Kenny Ortega confirmed that Netflix chose to cancel the series instead.
[jwplayer tV7N8JYT-zhNYySv2]
“Our [Julie and the Phantoms] family want to send our love and endless thanks to our Fantoms all over the world for the tremendous outpouring of love and support you have shown us since our premiere,” Ortega wrote via Instagram. “We learned this week that Netflix will not be picking us up for another season. Although our hearts are saddened, we move on with such pride for what we accomplished as a team and the family we built while creating Julie.”
He added: “We hope you will continue to follow us as we move forward with our work and careers. Happy Holidays to you all. Wishing you good health, love and #perfectharmony in all you pursue! Kenny, the Cast, Writers, Producers, Creatives, BC Crew, and our devoted [Netflix] Team!”
Julie and the Phantoms wasn’t the only series with a strong online presence that didn’t get to continue telling its story. The post-apocalyptic series Daybreak also drew in fans after it originally dropped in October 2019. The comic series adaption used humor to explore the story of a ragtag group of high school students trying to survive the end of the world in Glendale, California.
One month after it was released, series co-creator Aron Coleite announced that Daybreak would not be returning.
“Thank you for picking up what we put down, for running with it in all of your amazing, weird, monstrous ways and for being such an important part of this show and our experience making it,” he tweeted in December 2019. “Here at Daybreak we don’t say we love you. We say ‘you’re a s–t.’ We say ‘let’s be monsters.’ So be s–ts, be monsters, give ’em Hell. Most importantly, keep being you. No one is as heartbroken as we are that we can’t share more of this ride with you. But we’re so grateful to have gotten to bring it this far. Thank you for riding with us, for your voices, your enthusiasm, your memes, your fart jokes, and your unashamed crazy. We’ll see you out there.”
Keep scrolling for more shows that Netflix ended just as quickly as they began:
[podcast_block]
Credit: Eike Schroter/Netflix
The Midnight Club
Premiered: October 2022
Canceled: December 2022
Credit: Dan Power/Netflix © 2022
The Imperfects
Premiered: September 2022
Canceled: November 2022
Credit: Vanessa Clifton/Netflix © 2022
Partner Track
Premiered: August 2022
Canceled: November 2022
Credit: Marcos Cruz/Netflix
Resident Evil
Premiered: July 2022
Canceled: August 2022
Credit: Brian Douglas/Netflix
‘First Kill’
Premiered: June 2022
Canceled: August 2022
Credit: Patrick McElhenney/Netflix
‘Pretty Smart’
Premiered: October 2021
Canceled: April 2022
Credit: IDRIS SOLOMON/NETFLIX
‘Archive 81’
Premiered: January 2022
Canceled: March 2022
Credit: Kit Karzen/Netflix
‘Cooking With Paris’
Premiered: August 2021
Canceled: January 2022
Credit: KAILEY SCHWERMAN/NETFLIX
‘Julie and the Phantoms’
Premiered: September 2020
Canceled: December 2021
Credit: GEOFFREY SHORT/NETFLIX
‘Cowboy Bebop’
Premiered: November 2021
Canceled: December 2021
Credit: SOPHIE GIRAUD/NETFLIX
‘Tiny Pretty Things’
Premiered: December 2020
Canceled: November 2021
Credit: ALISON COHEN ROSA/NETFLIX
‘Dash & Lily’
Premiered: November 2020
Canceled: October 2021
Credit: BETH DUBBER/NETFLIX
‘Country Comfort’
Premiered: March 2021
Canceled: July 2021
Credit: Netflix
‘#blackAF’
Premiered: April 2020
Canceled: June 2021
Credit: JASPER SAVAGE/NETFLIX
‘Grand Army’
Premiered: October 2020
Canceled: June 2021
Credit: Netflix
‘Teenage Bounty Hunters’
Premiered: August 2020
Canceled: October 2020
Credit: Netflix
‘Away’
Premiered: September 2020
Canceled: October 2020
Credit: Kevin Baker/Netflix
‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’
Premiered: August 2019
Canceled: September 2020
Credit: Seacia Pavao/Netflix
‘The Society’
Premiered: May 2019
Canceled: August 2020
Credit: Netflix
‘I Am Not Okay With This’
Premiered: February 2020
Canceled: August 2020
Credit: Netflix
‘Turn Up Charlie’
Premiered: March 2019
Canceled: April 2020
Credit: Peter H Stranks/NETFLIX
‘V Wars’
Premiered: December 2019
Canceled: March 2020
Credit: Parrish Lewis/Netflix
‘Soundtrack’
Premiered: December 2019
Canceled: March 2020
Credit: Netflix
‘October Faction’
Premiered: January 2020
Canceled: March 2020
Credit: Ursula Coyote/Netflix
‘Messiah’
Premiered: January 2020
Canceled: March 2020
Credit: Adam Rose/Netflix
‘Merry Happy Whatever’
Premiered: November 2019
Canceled: March 2020
Credit: Christos Kalohoridis/Netflix
‘Spinning Out’
Premiered: January 2020
Canceled: February 2020
Credit: Ursula Coyote/Netflix
‘Daybreak’
Premiered: October 2019
Canceled: December 2019
Credit: Ali Goldstein/Netflix
‘No Good Nick’
Premiered: April 2019
Canceled: September 2019
Credit: Ursula Coyote
‘Chambers’
Premiered: April 2019
Canceled: June 2019
Credit: Michele K Short/Netflix
‘The Good Cop’
Premiered: September 2018
Canceled: November 2018
Credit: Adam Rose/Netflix
‘All About the Washingtons’
Premiered: August 2018
Canceled: October 2018
Credit: Scott Patrick Green/Netflix
‘Everything Sucks!’
Premiered: February 2018
Canceled: April 2018
Credit: Cara Howe/Netflix
‘Seven Seconds’
Premiered: February 2018
Canceled: April 2018
Credit: Darren Michaels/Netflix
‘Disjointed’
Premiered: August 2017
Canceled: February 2018
Credit: Alison Cohen Rosa/Netflix
‘Gypsy’
Premiered: June 2017
Canceled: August 2017
Credit: Karen Ballard/Netflix
‘Girlboss’
Premiered: April 2017
Canceled: June 2017
Credit: Netflix
‘The Get Down’
Premiered: August 2016
Canceled: May 2017
