We've talked about the mess that was 2020 ad nauseam [1] for many reasons, but one (of the very many) things that got screwed during The Year That Must Not Be Named was TV. I'm not even talking about the delays [2] or the torrential flux of pandemic-centered storylines [3] that viewers had to suffer through this fall season, I'm talking about all the fantastic shows that were initially renewed only to get the decision reversed midpandemic [4] or those that weren't even given a fair shot.
Though Netflix is definitely a repeat offender when it comes to canceling shows too soon [5], the streamer wasn't the only one to evoke people's ire for cutting off a series before it could tie up loose ends or solve a grand plot. And if you notice that there's a theme in that several of these cancellations have diverse casting and stories, I'm sure that's a coincidence. From Hulu's High Fidelity to Netflix's GLOW, here are seven shows that should have been renewed but were canceled instead.
Astronomy Club: The Sketch Show (Netflix)
With the success of HBO's A Black Lady Sketch Show [7], the arrival of Netflix's Astronomy Club was right on time. The first season of the Kenya Barris-produced sketch comedy show aired in December 2019 and featured the first all-Black house team from the Upright Citizens Brigade. The sketches were a mix of ridiculous yet clever setups that were self-aware and important. Whether they were tackling race, classism, or general tomfoolery, it felt like you were learning something. Despite the series receiving critical praise and scoring a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes [8], Netflix announced its cancellation in June. It's a classic case of the streamer not giving a series time to gain its footing.
Drunk History (Comedy Central)
Who doesn't love Drunk History?! The series premiered back in 2013 and was renewed for a seventh season in August 2019. But almost a year later, Comedy Central reversed the decision [9], citing a decision to change the network's focus on adult animation, topical series, and comedic made-for-TV feature films. Three episodes had reportedly already filmed before production halted because of the pandemic, but it's highly unlikely we'll ever see what those were. It's a tragic end to the iconic series, which featured Derek Waters and drunken celebrities recounting history backed by elaborate reenactments. I'll never forget seeing Octavia Spencer as Harriet Tubman [10], watching Tiffany Haddish's retelling of the story of Rose Valland [11], or learning that Coca-Cola was invented using cocaine [12]! Future generations will never get this learning experience, and honestly, we should weep for them.
GLOW (Netflix)
Netflix renewed GLOW for its fourth and final season [13] in September 2019 and had the decision reversed a little over a year later. "Netflix has decided not to finish filming the final season of GLOW," series creators Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch said in a statement to Deadline on Oct. 2. "There's a lot of sh*tty things happening in the world that are much bigger than this right now. But it still sucks that we don't get to see these 15 women in a frame together again." The show was already three weeks into filming when production was halted due to the pandemic in March. They had finished filming episode one and were beginning to film the second episode.
It was explained that Netflix had been trying to figure out how to prevent an outbreak on set — difficult with a wrestling theme — and the increased COVID-19-related costs added to an already expensive budget. But the cancellation is especially painful as GLOW is one of the few Netflix series that offers a diverse cast of women who differ in age, race, body type, and more.
High Fidelity (Hulu)
We've talked about why the cancellation of High Fidelity was a mistake [14], and we're sticking to it!
Party of Five (Freeform)
Unlike how the '90s family drama followed siblings dealing with their parents dying after a tragic car accident, Freeform's reboot of Party of Five utilized a more timely tragedy: the Acostas' parents are deported back to Mexico for being undocumented, leading to a distressing split with their five children. The series received praise from critics, but its low viewership led to its cancellation in April [15]. It sucked, because the series gave viewers a perspective on timely issues [16] that they couldn't get from any other show on air right now. There are no Latinx-led series on primetime TV anymore, and this cancellation emphasizes how necessary those stories are in media.
The Society (Netflix)
Now this just doesn't even make any sense. Netflix reversed The Society's season two renewal back in August [17], which left the series to end on a huge cliffhanger note. Much like the rest of Netflix's reversals, the series was cut short because of uncertainty around production dates and unexpected budget increases due to COVID. Centered on a group of teens who find themselves mysteriously transported to a facsimile of their Connecticut town [18] with no trace of their parents or loved ones, the series was pretty innovative in the stories it featured, covering a multitude of topics [19] like abusive relationships and featuring a deaf character, teen pregnancy, and LGBTQ+ characters. Fans have been leading a passionate campaign to get the series renewed again, but it looks like we're done with the group of teens and their mysterious Connecticut town for now.
Single Parents (ABC)
Maybe I'm the only person who was watching ABC's Single Parents [20], but dammit, I'm OK with that! The series followed an eclectic group of parents as they muddled through raising their children together, and it was the warm-hearted fun needed in this world. I would liken it to Ted Lasso [21] with its feel-good vibes and endearing characters whom you root for regardless of their foolishness.