Netflix cancels shows left and right, almost like it’s the platform’s favorite thing to do! And the trend has obviously followed us in 2026, where viewership numbers and production costs have once again decided the fate of our favorite shows, almost overnight.
Truth be told, I believe some of them deserved to go, but there are obviously titles that I wanted to see more of. So, I’ve ranked the shows that were cancelled in 2026, based on their ratings, and how much they genuinely deserved another season!
10. Selling the City
A still from Selling the City | Credits: Netflix
Selling the City is a reality series where we follow a team of elite real estate agents as they chase multimillion-dollar deals. Though the audience liked the show, more famous franchise favorites like Selling Sunset were prioritized by Netflix (via People). That’s already an established title, and with nine seasons already out, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Netflix calls for a tenth one. So, viewers can continue watching all the same glamour, tense negotiations, and shifting alliances.
9. Pop the Balloon
A still from Pop the Balloon | Credits: Netflix
You might have seen a lot of these pop the balloon concept videos on Instagram and YouTube. Maybe they’re only suited to short-form content because the ratings for a whole live show were poor, and Netflix ultimately had to cancel it (via Deadline). Overall, their experiment with unscripted live shows did not do well, and Sahara Bushue, the director of unscripted series at the company, also left.
8. With Love, Meghan
In January 2026, it was announced that With Love, Meghan wasn’t returning for a third season (via Page Six). As per insiders, we could get a holiday special, and Meghan Markle’s current focus is on taking her lifestyle brand to new heights. With Love, Meghan received a lot of hate during its run on Netflix, and though some appreciated Markle’s interaction with her celebrity friends, the cozy and feel-good tone, it just wasn’t enough to maintain viewership momentum.
7. The Abandons
Lena Headey in The Abandons | Credits: Netflix
After Yellowstone, there has been a high demand for more Western dramas, and most thought that The Abandons would be able to fill that space. The story centered on GoT star Lena Headey’s Fiona, a fiercely protective woman who is raising a group of adopted outcasts in a faraway land, but their peaceful life is threatened by greed-driven and ruthless enemies. Though The Abandons was in the Netflix Top 10 after its premiere, the series quickly faded and dropped in viewership (via Deadline), which led to its ultimate cancellation, though I wished to see more of it because I’d grown quite fond of the characters.
6. Billionaires’ Bunker
A still from Billionaires’ Bunker | Credits: Netflix
Billionaires’ Bunker begins with the threat of a nuclear war, which prompts the ultra-rich families to retreat into a luxurious underground shelter. But then their haven turns into a psychological battleground, with old feuds, secrets, and struggles resurfacing. I wanted to see how this ended because the show feels more relevant than ever with the constant news about war and geopolitical instability. But, sadly, the first season couldn’t perform up to Netflix’s expectations, and now it’s cancelled! (via El Pais)
5. Miss Governor
Rarely do I see representation for women of color in showbiz, and especially in positions of power. But when I do, such projects don’t do well, and Miss Governor has unfortunately joined this list. The political comedy and workplace satire center on Antoinette Dunkerson, who becomes Mississippi’s first Black lieutenant governor and quickly realizes that winning the election was the easy part! Miss Governor could only go on for a season, and then Netflix put an end to it, deeply disappointing the show’s lead, Terri J. Vaughn, and genuine fans (via Blavity).
4. Alice in Borderland
A still from Alice in Borderland | Credits: Netflix
For someone who enjoyed the concept of Squid Game but wanted more from the aesthetics, Alice in Borderland felt like the perfect show! There was sci-fi, action, great visuals, and several interesting characters. But it’s a bit tricky with this show because season 2 was the perfect end to it, and then we had the ambiguous climax of season 3, so fans were expecting more, but according to Netflix, that was the end of it!
3. Class
Class is an Indian teen drama and murder mystery that explores social hierarchy, romance, betrayal, and a shocking murder. Inspired by the Spanish original, Class performed well upon release. A second season was greenlit, but then the news of the show being entirely cancelled hit the tabloids, though we had no explanation of why the streaming giant decided to do this, and the creatives involved were just as shocked (via Men’s Journal)!
2. Terminator Zero
A still from Terminator Zero | Credits: Netflix
A fresh storyline in the Terminator universe, but set in Japan? Sign me up! I thoroughly enjoyed this sci-fi action anime, and I am deeply disappointed to see it go! The plot follows Eiko, who travels back to 1997, to protect Malcolm Lee, the creator of the AI who could rival Skynet. Creator Mattson Tomlin confirmed on X that the viewership wasn’t enough for Netflix to continue investing in it.
It was cancelled. The critical and audience reception to it was tremendous, but at the end of the day not nearly enough people watched it. I would’ve loved to deliver on the Future War I had planned in season’s 2 and 3, but I’m also very happy with how it feels contained as is. https://t.co/Dh7G6gkBF7 pic.twitter.com/dqCSXHIytg— mattson tomlin (@mattsontomlin) February 13, 2026
1. The Vince Staples Show
A still from The Vince Staples Show | Credits: Netflix
Rapper Vince Staples plays a fictionalized version of himself in this surreal comedy-drama titled The Vince Staples Show. It’s such a great mix of absurd humor and social commentary, and I enjoyed how each episode was like a standalone slice of life installment. Though the reviews are great, it only had 1.7 million views in the second half of 2025, and so Netflix had to axe another good series! (via Deadline).
Here’s an overview of the ranking:
RankTitleCastRotten Tomatoes(Tomatometer | Popcornmeter)(As of April 20, 2026) 10Selling the CityEleonora Srugo, Steve Gold, Jade Chan, Abigail GodfreyNA9Pop the BalloonYvonne Orji, featured singles castNA | 3% 8With Love, MeghanMeghan Markle, Mindy Kaling, David Chang, Chrissy Teigen23% | 26% 7The AbandonsLena Headey, Gillian Anderson, Lucas Till, Diana Silvers32% | 50% 6Billionaires’ BunkerMiren Ibarguren, Joaquín Furriel, Natalia Verbeke33% | 58% 5Miss GovernorTerri J. Vaughn, Jade Novah, Jo Marie Payton50% | 75% 4Alice in BorderlandKento Yamazaki, Tao Tsuchiya, Nijirō Murakami78% | 79% 3ClassGurfateh Pirzada, Anjali Sivaraman, Ayesha Kanga86% | 87% 2Terminator ZeroAndré Holland, Sonoya Mizuno, Rosario Dawson, Timothy Olyphant87% | 79% 1The Vince Staples ShowVince Staples, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Andrea Ellsworth94% | 88%
Here are some questions that readers might have:
Which of these cancelled Netflix shows had the biggest fan following?
Alice in Borderland had strong fan engagement and a globally active fanbase, which had a strong reaction when the show was cancelled.
Will Netflix ever revive any of these canceled shows?
While rare, popular canceled titles have been revived, such as Daredevil: Born Again. But most 2026 cancellations show no official plans for continuation or revival, though it can happen on a different platform.
Does Netflix cancel shows because of bad quality?
No, not necessarily. As you can see, some shows on the list have exceptional ratings, but they are still cancelled due to other metrics such as viewership.
2026 has once again proven that Netflix doesn’t mind being ruthless and data-driven. Sadly, originality and critical praise cannot guarantee survival, and that’s why I still mourn the loss of Midnight Gospel every day! So, did any of these cancellations hurt you? Let us know in the comments!
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
