Generally, it seems that the big streamers are tightening their belts and turning towards licensing as an avenue for revenue (see: the Suits renaissance). Max led the way for cancellations in January; a Vulture report chalked the decision up to big budgets that couldn’t be justified by ratings and evolving strategies for the Warner Bros. Discovery streamer. But Issa Rae, who created and produced the canceled series Rap Sh!t, has a more cynical view of the state of television in 2024. “I’ve never seen Hollywood this scared and clueless, and at the mercy of Wall Street,” she told Time in February. “I’m sorry, but there aren’t a lot of smart executives anymore. And a lot of them have aged out and are holding on to their positions and refusing to let young blood get in.”
Montrel McKay, president for development and production at Rae’s company Hoorae, observed that the industry “kind of ground to a halt” after Netflix’s 2022 earning report. “When you have all of these streaming services that are competing with each other, it means they’re also moving the goalposts of what success looks like and what their brand is,” Rae said. “It’s all mush.”
Will 2024 be able to recapture the golden age of peak TV? Or will the herd continue to thin out with changing economics and expectations in the entertainment industry? Perhaps the list of shows canceled throughout the year can tell the story. Without further ado:
All the shows canceled in 2024
- Obliterated (Netflix)
- Secrets Of Sulphur Springs (Disney Channel)
- Wolf Pack (Paramount+)
- The Flight Attendant (Max)
- Schmigadoon (Apple TV+)
- Rap Shit (Max)
- Julia (Max)
- Our Flag Means Death (Max)
- Minx (Starz)
- American Born Chinese (Disney+)
- Evil (Starz)
- Good Trouble (Freeform)
- Grown-ish (Freeform)
- Bob Hearts Abishola (CBS)
- Magnum P.I. (NBC)
