Netflix Just Canceled One Of Its Newest Horror Series
That's one less series to scare you!
This article is more than 2 years old
The dreaded Netflix curse is rearing its head again. Almost anyone has had it happen to them when they start watching a new Netflix series. You watch the first season, love it, and then Netflix goes and pulls the rug out from under you. Fans of the horror series Archive 81 are the latest victim of this cancellation curse, as Netflix has just decided to pull the plug after only one season.
The horror series starred Mamoudou Athie and Dina Shihabi and was written and executive produced by the showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine. The series was based on a horror podcast that follows Dan Turner (Athie) as an archivist who is restoring tapes from 1994, leading him to uncover a cult investigation by a reporter named Melody Pendras (Shihabi).
It’s always disappointing to see a Netflix series get pulled right when it’s starting to get its footing. The decision is fairly surprising, as the show has pretty good reception from both critics and audiences with a 86% and 71% score from them respectively on Rotten Tomatoes. It even reached the #1 spot on Netflix in the US at one point, so it clearly had some sort of following. While we don’t always know what’s going on behind the scenes with the decisions that Netflix makes, apparently the cost-benefit for the streaming giant caused them to leave this show on the cutting room floor.
Netflix is constantly releasing new original shows and movies, so it’s tough to know which ones are going to stick around for the long haul. It’s likely that Netflix feels like they can only continue their original shows if they become massive hits in the vein of Ozark or Stranger Things. That’s why people feel wary about getting invested in a new Netflix series, as there’s always the chance that you won’t get to see the story end in a satisfactory fashion.
While the cast, crew, and viewers are likely disappointed that they won’t be getting more of Archive 81, at least there are some future projects to look forward to that star the lead actors. Mamoudou Athie has a massive summer blockbuster on his project slate, with a role in the upcoming Jurassic World Dominion that releases in June. Dina Shihabi has another TV series in her near future, with Painkiller, a drama about the opioid crisis that co-stars Matthew Broderick, Uzo Aduba, West Duchovny, and Taylor Kitsch. Painkiller is also a Netflix original, but it’s billed as a limited series, so there are no worries about that one getting canceled before the story is told.
Fortunately, if you’re looking for a horror series to fill the Archive 81-sized hole in your heart, Netflix does have you covered. Locke and Key is one of the newer original series, with two seasons already available to check out and a third season on the way. Stranger Things has its two-part fourth season releasing in May and July, with a fifth season renewal to wrap up the story. You can also check out the anthology series The Haunting of Hill House and its second season The Haunting of Bly Manor which both you a whole story in one season.
