Pictured: Our Flag Means Death, Station 19 and Warrior
Cancelations have always been a painful part of the entertainment industry. Just as a show gets going, its network decides to pull the plug. It’s a problem for Netflix shows and certainly a problem for other networks, but revivals do occasionally happen, and we think all these shows are ripe for renewal.
For this list, we will stick with shows that aren’t already Netflix Originals. These shows were ultimately cut short on other networks and not on Netflix. Of course, Netflix has a laundry list of its own shows that fans still want revived. We recently covered eight shows that have very active fanbases still campaigning for their revival. Examples include Shadow & Bone, Mindhunter, and Warrior Nun.
Netflix has a long history of reviving shows from other networks. Whether that’s when it’s taken over production entirely following a partner pulling out (The Last Kingdom falls in this category) or popularizing a show by licensing early seasons and bringing it back (Manifest falls into this category). We’ve also seen straight-up revivals or reboots over the years.
These picks are our opinions, but we’ve also been influenced by active fan campaigns that suggest that these shows could bring with them healthy audiences.
Warrior
Picture: HBO
Fresh in our minds right now is the HBO Original (at least as it’s labeled on Netflix – it’s actually more of a Max/Cinemax Original), which touched down with all three seasons in a slew of regions in February 2024.
We’ve spoken a little bit more on the path of Warrior getting a potential fourth season exclusively to Netflix here, where we suggest that it needs to see a similar meteoric rise that Manifest saw to justify any further season.
The beloved period martial arts series is set during the Tong Wars in the late 1870s in San Fransico and is based on the writings of Bruce Lee.
Station 19
For the most part, we’ve avoided putting titles on this list that are “ending” after their forthcoming or most recently released season, with a preference for actual cancelations. Still, we’re making an exception for Station 19, partly down to the dedicated fans who fill our replies.
Set in the same world as Grey’s Anatomy, the action drama series follows a group of firefighters based in Seattle throughout their professional and personal lives.
Given Netflix has deep ties with Shonda Rhimes (she’s working under an overall deal with the streamer with her biggest title undoubtedly Bridgerton) and the fact that Netflix streams Grey’s Anatomy and is desperately lacking when it comes to procedurals, this could be a great play.
iCarly
Picture: Paramount+
One of the big launch titles for Paramount+ was the reboot of iCarly, which originally aired on Nickelodeon in the 2010s. After 30 episodes across three seasons, Paramount opted not to renew the show for a fourth season, leaving both long-term fans of the show and the people involved with the show devastated.
Given the great reviews the reboot got throughout its run and its bingeable nature, many fans believe iCarly would make a great addition to the Netflix library.
Netflix still streams the Nickelodeon show in a handful of regions, including the United States, although in most instances, you’ve only got out-of-place seasons streaming. Still, when the show was available in a more complete fashion, it frequently appeared in Netflix’s top 10s.
Our Flag Means Death
Picture: Max
Another series from Max on this list cut short is Our Flag Means Death, a romantic comedy series that loosely follows the life of Stede Bonnet and his pirate fellows. The show ran for two seasons, with Max ultimately deciding earlier this year that it would not be moving forward with a third season.
The show was beloved by critics and fans alike, and of all the shows mentioned on this list, Our Flag Means Death has by far the loudest and most passionate fanbase trying to get the show picked up elsewhere using the hashtag #AdoptOurCrew.
Tacoma FD
Picture: TruTV
Like Warrior, Tacoma FD was recently licensed to Netflix in the US and found a new lease of life, having previously just been unavailable to stream in full. Sadly, just a few months after its licensing, we got word that the show would not return for a fifth season. The worst part about that is that the cancelation seems tied to a shift in strategy for the network over anything particular with the show.
While the show was a lot further along in life than other shows mentioned, fans of the title still believe there’s plenty more story and laughs to be had.
Minx
Picture: HBO Max / Lionsgate Television
Minx has had a rough life thus far, beginning as an HBO Max original before being canceled. It was then picked up by Starz and then canceled again. Despite this rough life thus far, we believe this show could be a hidden gem if it was added to Netflix, attracting the same kind of audience that GLOW had way back when.
Starring Ophelia Lovibond, Michael Angarano, and Jessica Lowe, the show was set in the 1970s and sees the formation of the world’s first erotic magazine aimed at women.
Shelter
Picture: Prime Video
One of the big cancelations from Prime Video in 2023 was the Harlan Coben adaptation of Shelter. Sadly, Prime Video wasn’t able to make the series a success despite a small but dedicated audience clamoring for more. The connection between this show and Netflix should be somewhat obvious; Netflix has deep ties to Harlan Coben with a growing list of series under its belt, with the most recent title, Fool Me Once, recently hitting Netflix’s all-time most-watched list.
While this show skews younger than most of Netflix’s output from Coben, we think it would be a great addition to its library.
Are there any shows we missed? Do you think any of Disney+’s canceled shows, like The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, Big Shot, or The Mysterious Benedict Society, should be revived on Netflix? How about The Resident coming back for more? Let us know in the comments.
Rating: TV-MA
