We’ve entered the last month of 2024, and as we gear up for the exciting lineup of new and returning series in 2025 — such as Apple TV+’s “Severance,” Season 3 of “The Traitors,” Netflix’s “American Primeval,” and more — it’s also a time to reflect on the beloved shows we bid farewell to this year.
Throughout the past 11 months, viewers had to say goodbye to a variety of shows, both new releases and long-standing favorites, across major networks and popular streaming platforms. The team at Decider took a look back at all the cancellations on television networks such as Apple TV+, Prime Video, HBO, Max, Hulu, Netflix, and others. We have put together a selection of 12 canceled shows that we believe ended prematurely and will be missed by many fans.
If your favorite show that got canceled isn’t on our list, it doesn’t mean it didn’t deserve more seasons. At Decider, we are passionate about television, but we are also human and might not have caught every canceled series or included some hidden gems. (For additional canceled shows in 2024, you can also check out our midyear list.)
Look, I’m not going to sit here and say The Acolyte is the best Star Wars live action show ever made — that would point blank be Andor — but it was the most thrillingly creative. Besides expanding the Star Wars universe’s timeline in new and exciting ways, series creator and showrunner Leslye Headland questioned the very binary nature of good vs. evil when it pertained to our understanding of the Force. As Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith) explains to her daughter, what if it’s not about good and evil, but “power and who gets to wield it”? The Acolyte continued to argue what Obi-Wan Kenobi (Sir Alec Guinness) famously taught Luke Skywalker (Mark Hammill), that “many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.” The Acolyte forced viewers to confront this tense reality and, in return, was promptly canceled after one season. Now we’ll never know what comes next and, perhaps worse, never see Manny Jacinto’s hot Master ever again. — Meghan O’Keefe, Senior Critic
WHERE TO WATCH THE ACOLYTE
Somebody Somewhere is a warm, cozy hug of a series that I’m going to miss with all my heart. HBO’s emotionally resplendent dramedy about a woman in her 40s who moves back to her hometown of Manhattan, Kansas, to deal with an illness in the family is a fresh meditation on grief, loss, companionship, and finding your way in the world. The friendship between Bridget Everett’s Sam and Jeff Hiller’s Joel is viscerally joyful to watch, and Everett and Hiller’s sincere, hilarious performances and infectious chemistry will be sorely missed. I hope somebody somewhere gives Everett and Hiller another opportunity to shine. — Josh Sorokach, Senior Entertainment Reporter
where to watch Somebody somewhere
The passionate fans of this romantic comedy series weren’t exactly surprised when Max canceled Our Flag Means Death after Season 2 — after all, the second season only exists thanks to a desperate social media campaign — but they were nevertheless devastated. From creator David Jenkins, this silly little pirate show blossomed into one of the most sweeping, earth-shattering TV romances of all time. Rhys Darby stars as a dandy, fanciful man named Stede Bonnet, who hears the call of the sea and decides he’s going to be the world’s first Gentleman’s Pirate. Enter Taika Waititi’s character, Blackbeard, a leather-clad pirate bad boy who’s swept up in Stede’s charm. Thankfully, Jenkins seemed to know Season 2 was the end, and managed to give Ed and Stede the happily-ever-after they deserved. — Anna Menta, Senior Film Reporter
Where to watch our flag means death
Prime Video had a chance to capitalize on the recent romantasy craze gripping social media but they squandered it by canceling this delightful new show. My Lady Jane starred Emily Bader as Lady Jane Grey in a mystical retelling of the remarkably true story of a young woman who was crowned queen of England overnight. She must find a way to rule England with her mysterious new husband who has a secret of his own: He’s part of an outlawed class of citizens known as Ethians who have the ability to turn into animals. Yes, it’s ridiculous. But it worked! The show had a hilariously brash narrator and Bader shined as the bold heroine, but My Lady Jane was nonetheless completely kneecapped after just one season much to the disappointment of fans everywhere. It had all the makings of a CW series like Reign and deserved just as long of a run. Now, all fans can hope for is that the show get picked up elsewhere, or that My Lady Jane was enough of a star vehicle to get Bader and Edward Bluemel new projects. — Radhamely De Leon, News Reporter
WHERE to watch My lady Jane
As someone who spent all of middle school watching Pretty Little Liars, I am often critical of attempted spinoffs. But Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, which lasted two seasons before it was canceled earlier this year, was just getting going — and it still had more story to tell. Like its predecessor, the Max series followed a group of attractive teenage girls who were targeted by an anonymous stalker known as “A.” But this version of “A” didn’t threaten to expose the girls’ deepest secrets. Instead, this version of “A” was murderous, violent, and out for revenge right from the start. The show perfectly captured the teen drama aspect — dating, friendships, and family — all while leaving viewers terrified and begging for more by the end of each episode. It also tackled heavy subjects like sexual assault and teen pregnancy, bringing forth themes that couldn’t be fully explored on the family-based network the original series aired on. And while it did set itself apart from Pretty Little Liars in many ways, there were just enough callbacks and guest appearances from OG stars to keep veteran fans satiated. But, because of Max’s decision, all of that has come to an end and we will never get to find out what would happen next for the Final Girls. — Samantha Nungesser, Features Creator
Where to watch Pretty Little liars: Original Sin
I’ll admit: it took a long time for Station 19, which wrapped up a seven season run in May, to grow on me. But once it did, I made sure to never miss an episode. The second spin-off of Grey’s Anatomy followed a diverse group of firefighters from Seattle Fire Department including Grey’s doctor Ben Warren (Jason George) through personal and professional ups and downs. Promotions, demotions, proposals, marriages, kids, loss, and more, all while fighting fires and patching up injuries. I’ll miss Station 19 for the crazy emergency calls and soap opera-esque romantic entanglements, but mostly, I’ll miss the thing that finally made the show click for me: the friendship between Travis and Vic. The arc of these two people — best friends — who share an incredibly tragic bond (Travis’ husband and Vic’s fiancé, both firefighters, died in action) getting through life together was a true highlight of the seven season run for me. — Angela Tricarico, Commerce Reporter
where to watch Station 19
Apple TV+‘s gone-too-soon musical comedy series, Schmigadoon! — which was canceled after two seasons in January — was a rare treat for musical theater fans. It was the perfect series for those of us who love classic Broadway musicals and are willing to acknowledge that most of them are pretty darn silly. Cecily Strong and Keegan Michael-Key starred as a modern-day couple who stumble into a town where everything is an old-school musical, and they can’t escape until they work out their relationship problems. It toed the line between merciless parody (like the little boy in town whose job it is to shout exposition) and loving homage (like the jaw-dropping tap-dance number done on school desks). Plus, it featured Broadway legends like Kristin Chenoweth and Aaron Tveit. With that level of talent, how could it not be good? The second season, Schmicago, didn’t quite manage to capture the magic of the first, but it still deserved far more seasons than it got. — Anna Menta, Senior Film Reporter
WHERE TO WATCH SCHMIGADOON!
Dead Boy Detectives was one show I was not expecting to enjoy as much as I did this year, which made its swift cancellation hit even harder than I could anticipate. Set in the Sandman universe, the Netflix series followed two teenage ghosts who solve mysteries while desperately evading Death. Jayden Revri and George Rexstrew grounded the series with their truly heartfelt performances and on-screen chemistry. But the series really found its heart as it developed its ensemble cast, with the introduction of Yuyu Kitamura, Kassius Nelson, and Briana Cuoco. The young adult series had a gothic spirit similar to Chilling Adventures of Sabrina but it was buoyed by an optimistic hope for love that could have been further explored in Season 2 if the series had just gotten the chance. Dead Boy Detectives just serves as further evidence that the streaming age is becoming increasingly hostile for new creative ventures. — Radhamely De Leon, News Reporter
Where TO WATCH Dead boy Detectives
Shortly after The Big Door Prize‘s Season 2 finale premiered in June, Apple TV+ canceled the endearing sci-fi comedy, based on M.O. Walsh’s novel of the same name. Though it’s been six months since we last saw Dusty (Chris O’Dowd) get transported into the machine (?!) in a mysterious cliffhanger ending, I think about it often and feel it’s incredibly rude to deprive loyal fans of ANSWERS. Give us a Big Door Prize movie or an extended episode to wrap this up, Apple! I need to know the deal with all the Deerfield drama. While the sophomore season was ultimately less compelling for me than the first, I’m still sad we’ll never see The Big Door Prize achieve its full potential. The charming cast featured Gabrielle Dennis, Sammy Fourlas, Djouliet Amara, Josh Segarra, and more. Not to mention, Season 2 welcomed Succession‘s Justine Lupe shortly before she left a major impression in Netflix’s Nobody Wants This. So this cancellation is also robbing us of more Justine. The Big Door Prize had some pacing issues and wasn’t as compelling as some other sci-fi series on Apple TV+, but it delivered its own intrigue, humor, and heart that will live on in rewatches.
where to watch The Big Door Prize
9-1-1: Lone Star, which will end in January after a five season run, took the winning 9-1-1 formula, following a handful of firefighters and EMTs from the same station, one key 9-1-1 dispatcher, and one police officer in the same city, and brought it to Austin, TX. Just like the original, there are familial entanglements (fire captain Owen Strand (Rob Lowe) works with his son, paramedic firefighter TK Strand) and romantic entanglements (TK and the show’s sole officer, Carlos Reyes, have a near-immediate connection, while firefighter Judd Ryder is married to dispatcher Grace). It also offered similar hijinks and wild emergencies — I don’t think I’ll ever forget the frozen guy CPR scene. Though it occasionally fell short of the original, mostly due to an over-emphasis on Captain Strand and his exploits outside the firehouse, 9-1-1: Lone Star is the kind of show that could have — and maybe should have — run for years, at least matching the original 9-1-1’s ongoing eight season run. — Angela Tricarico, Commerce Reporter
where to watch 9-1-1: Lone Star
Josh Brolin’s broody Western sci-fi was unceremoniously canceled earlier this year just weeks after its memorable second season premiered on Prime Video. Royal Abbott (Brolin) is a rancher living on a remote farm in Wyoming where he discovers a mysterious black hole on the outskirts of their land. Desperate to keep it a secret, Royal puts everything on the line to keep his family and neighbors from discovering the hole, all while grappling with the mysterious disappearance of his daughter-in-law and the equally mysterious arrival of a disturbed woman. Unfortunately, the show left off on a wild cliffhanger in Season 2 that will leave you wanting more. There was so much left to be explored for Royal, Autumn, and Deputy Sheriff Joy Hawk. But it is still worth streaming the two seasons of Outer Range that are now available on Prime Video; the show’s finale left much to be desired, but each member of this stellar cast got a chance to shine on screen. — Radhamely De Leon, News Reporter
Where to watch outer range
It’s been two and a half years since Max’s comedic thriller The Flight Attendant aired its Season 2 finale, and yet, I still miss our Chaos Queen Cassie Bowden (Kaley Cuoco), her bestie Annie Mouradian (Zosia Mamet), her coworker Shane Evans (Griffin Matthews), and the rest of the Flight Attendant crew. Like so many other cancellations, what hurts the most about losing The Flight Attendant is that fans were sure we had a Season 3 coming. Though showrunners Steve Yockey and Natalie Chaidez admittedly felt comfortable concluding the series with Season 2’s finale, they more complex shenanigans up their sleeves, and I’d have tuned in again in a heartbeat to see another hot mess Cuoco performance. (Several have tried, but we may never get a series with that many Kaley Cuocos again.) I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Whiel I wish The Flight Attendant‘s trip hadn’t been cut short, I’m thankful for the wild ride and will always take comfort in Cuoco and Yockey’s positive words around the cancellation. “What started out as an attention-grabbing book cover quickly evolved into an extraordinary flight of a lifetime,” Cuoco said in a statement. “I always envisioned TFA as a limited series and thanks to an incredible creative team, we were able to deliver two thrilling seasons. Personally, playing Cassie has been a dream come true and I am so grateful for everyone who played a part in bringing this extremely original series to life.” Yockey added, “The Flight Attendant was a true passion project and the reception from viewers and critics alike was pretty stunning. Our unorthodox spectacle of a show really found people. As we all move on to new projects, those two seasons of television and the incredible team of professionals behind them will always stay at the top of my list.” If you want another thrilling Kaley Cuoco trip, we suggest heading to Peacock to check out Based On A True Story, which recently returned with Season 2.
where to stream The flight attendant
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