Over the years, Netflix has developed an (unwanted) reputation for being pretty quick to cancel shows. The streaming service certainly isn’t afraid to axe a series after just a single season if it doesn’t find a larger enough viewership right out of the gate.
I was writing about this “issue” in 2021, and in the years since, if anything, Netflix’s reputation for trigger-happy cancelations has only become more pronounced. And the platform certainly won’t be shedding that rep in 2025, as the last few months have already seen a skew of shows being canceled, including big original bets like “The Residence” and “Pulse.”
Below, I’m rounding up every Netflix show canceled in 2025, from action-packed thrillers to sports docuseries offering an insight into elite competitions. These are the Netflix shows that won’t be returning.
Every Netflix show canceled in 2025
‘Territory’
Netflix was hoping to carve itself a slice of the “Yellowstone” empire with “Terrority”, and while the early signs were positive (The Australian neo-Western show managed to hit No. 1 globally for a brief period), clearly the streaming service didn’t see a long-term future pulling the plug after a single season. The show starred Anna Torv, Michael Dorman and Robert Taylor, and centered on a family running the world’s largest cattle station. “Terrority” also scored highly with critics and viewers, so this early cancellation seemingly wasn’t tied to a lack of quality.
Seasons: 1
Total episodes: 6
‘Six Nations: Full Contact’
In the wake of “Formula 1: Drive to Survive’s” major success, Netflix went big on sports documentaries, and while some like the golf-focused “Full Swing” appear to have found an audience, others haven’t been quite so fortunate. “Six Nations: Full Contact,” which offers an inside look at the world of professional rugby, was confirmed to be finished ahead of its second season in January, showing Netflix’s lack of faith in the project.
Seasons: 2
Total episodes: 16
‘Surviving Summer’
The jokes write themselves with this one because “Surviving Summer” didn’t manage to survive cancellation. It did get two seasons under its belt before its fate was sealed, but the teen drama never achieved the popularity of similar shows like “Outer Banks” or “Ginny & Georgia.” It saw a rebellious teen named Summer (Sky Katz) forced to move from Brooklyn to Australia after being expelled from her high school.
Seasons: 2
Total episodes: 18
‘Tour de France: Unchained’
Another victim of Netflix’s current cull of its sports docuseries, “Tour de France: Unchained” won’t be returning in the future. The series did manage three seasons, which is a respectable total, but I guess we’ll all just have to enjoy more traditional coverage of next year’s Tour de France as the Netflix cameras won’t be there to capture the unseen drama.
Seasons: 3
Total episodes: 24
‘The Recruit’
“The Recruit” was canceled less than two months after its second season debuted in late January. This one came as quite a shock, as the Noah Centineo-fronted action-thriller seemed popular, and a good alternative to Prime Video’s “Jack Reacher” show. However, perhaps the writing was on the wall for “The Recruit” as its season 2 run was reduced from an initial eight-episode order to just six. Releasing so close to the similarly themed “The Night Agent” has been pointed to as a potential cause.
Seasons: 2
Total episodes: 14
‘Shafted’
“Shafted” was a French spin-off from Netflix’s Spanish show “Alpha Males,” but like many spin-offs, it wasn’t able to capture the same interest. The synopsis reads “A group of four middle-aged male friends navigates the complexities of love, life and career challenges in modern-day Paris,” which, to be honest, is such a generic setup for a show that I’m not particularly surprised it only scored a single season. I can’t see a hook.
Seasons: 1
Total episodes: 6
‘The Lady’s Companion’
Netflix may have hoped it would have another “Bridgerton” on its hands with “The Lady’s Companion,” a Spanish period drama with plenty of frothy romance. Sadly, viewers weren’t swept away by this one. Its reception was muted, and it barely registered on the Netflix charts. Of course, I don’t foresee this being the streaming service’s last stab at creating another smash-hit period drama, so if you enjoyed “The Lady’s Companion” and wanted a second season, something of a similar ilk is bound to come along pretty soon.
Seasons: 1
Total episodes: 8
‘Kaala Paani’
“Kaala Paani’s” axing feels particularly cruel. The Indian survival-thriller series debuted in October 2023, and a second season was confirmed shortly afterwards. However, earlier this year, reportedly just a few days before production on the follow-up season was due to begin, Netflix opted to cancel the show due to budgetary concerns. If these reports are accurate, this cancellation is quite harsh on both the creative team behind “Kaala Paani” and the show’s fans who were patiently waiting for season 2 to premiere.
Seasons: 1
Total episodes: 7
‘The Residence’
Ahead of release, I thought “The Residence” would be the next big thing on Netflix. It comes from Shonda Rhimes, a Netflix star after helming the uber-popular “Bridgerton,” and it’s a detective mystery in the vein of the “Knives Out” movie franchise. On paper, that sounded like a recipe for a winner, but instead, the show ended after just one season. At least the core mystery was wrapped up in that single season, but I’d have loved an anthology approach with each season seeing Uzo Aduba’s investigator solving a new mystery.
Seasons: 1
Total episodes: 8
‘Pulse’
“Grey’s Anatomy” will premiere its 22nd season in October, but Netflix’s latest attempt to get in on the enduringly popular medical drama craze won’t even make it to season 2. “Pulse” was canned back in July after a single 10-episode run. The show starred the ever-excellent Willa Fitzgerald, and centered on the lives (and loves) of a medical team at a trauma center in Miami. Perhaps all the hype around HBO Max’s “The Pitt” stole “Pulse’s” thunder a little.
Seasons: 1
Total episodes: 10
‘FUBAR’
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Monica Barbaro’s action-comedy series “FUBAR” always seemed better suited to the movie format to me, and with poor reviews across its two-season run, I can’t say I was very surprised to see it canceled over the summer. The show saw Arnie and Barbaro play a father and daughter who both work for the CIA, unbeknownst to each other. When teamed up on a mission, their father-daughter dynamic causes problems and hilarious hijinks.
Seasons: 2
Total episodes: 16
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