Netflix Stars Respond To Series Cancellation And Apologize To Fans
Similar to Kirby Howell-Baptiste’s portrayal of Death in The Sandman, Netflix may display a colorful and bright personality on the outside, but on the inside, the streaming giant never hesitates when it comes to collecting its next soul. On August 30, Netflix cancelled the critically-acclaimed Dead Boy Detectives after just one season, leaving fans in a state of shock while mourning the loss of another promising show well before it even had a chance to come into its own. In an attempt to help with the grieving that comes along with losing a young TV series, many of the show’s stars offered up their condolences while apologizing for the abrupt cancellation.
Jayden Revri’s Heartfelt Farewell
In an emotional post on Instagram, series star Jayden Revri took a moment to speak to fans of the show about his work on Dead Boy Detectives. “As this chapter closes I can’t help but reminisce on how incredible the last 3 years have been,” Revri wrote in his post.
“Last but not least I need to thank all of you. From every edit, to every cosplay, to every drawing, to every watch party, to every stream. You all are the heartbeat of this show and we are all so grateful for the love and support you have given us from the moment it was released.”
Kassius Nelson’s Gratitude Is Apparent
In a similar Instagram post, Kassius Nelson, who portrayed Crystal Palace, a psychic medium in Dead Boy Detectives, offered a heartfelt apology to fans. “We’re all so deeply sorry for the cancellation of the show and that you won’t be able to see these characters you love grow and live along side you,” Nelson wrote. “We had so much we wanted to share with you and so many more characters we wanted you to meet!”
Dead Boy Detectives’ Season 1 Setup
Based on the DC Comic of the same name by Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner, Dead Boy Detectives followed the investigative adventures of the ghosts of Charles Rowland (George Rexstrew) and Edwin Payne (Jayden Revri), two poor souls who unfortunately died too soon due to circumstances beyond their control, which sounds vaguely familiar. Instead of passing on to the afterlife, the duo stay behind on Earth to investigate crimes involving the supernatural.
It All Comes Down To Viewership Numbers
According to Variety, Netflix decided to pull the plug on Dead Boy Detectives following an alarming trend in the show’s viewership numbers, which pointed to a steep decline after just a few weeks. When the horror-comedy series dropped in April 2024, it enjoyed a somewhat promising debut as fans checked out the show at what appeared to be a decent clip. Following its first week on the streaming service, Dead Boy Detectives peaked at number two on the Netflix Top 10 English TV chart, collecting 3.1 million views in the show’s first three days alone.
Impressive Ratings, But Not Impressive Enough
Although 3.1 million views might sound like a good number, it triggered alarm bells at the Netflix offices, which is never a good sign for a new show like Dead Boy Detectives that is just kicking off its training wheels. By comparison, Wednesday hauled in a record-setting 50 million household views for Netflix in just one week when it premiered in November 2022, amassing over 350 million hours viewed. The Jenna Ortega-led show still remains one of the most successful Netflix original series of all-time, alongside Stranger Things and Squid Game.
Gone Too Soon
While Dead Boy Detectives saw a brief uptick in views in its second week, climbing up to just under 5 million views, the show just couldn’t maintain its modest momentum for long. By its third week on Netflix, Dead Boy Detectives tumbled to a meager 1.8 million views, barely holding on to its place on the Top 10 chart before being kicked from the chart in the following week, never to make another appearance.
