It was a bit of a bloodbath for Amazon Prime original series over the weekend, as the streaming service announced the cancellations of five series in total. The supernatural half-hour dramaForeverwas among those the got the axe, as theMaya RudolphandFred Armisen-fronted series won’t be continuing past its first season. The show—which was run byMaster of Noneco-creatorAlan Yang—kept its entire plot under wraps until it premiered, at which point audiences learned that the series revolves around a widow (Rudolph) who dies a year after her husband (Armisen), only to wake up in the afterlife tied to him forever. It put an interesting, somber spin on well-trodded territory, and Rudolph in particular gave a tremendous performance. Unfortunately, the series didn’t gain any Emmys traction and must not have garnered significant viewership, as evidenced by its cancellation.
Also getting the axe after one season isNicolas Winding Refn’sToo Old to Die Young. The hourlong crime drama launched in June to mixed reviews, after critics were only given episodes 4 and 5 to review ahead of its release. Many contended that theMiles Teller-fronted series was very slow to get going, and despite Refn’s visual flair, the show will not be continuing.
Ditto toThe Romanoffs, which was a significant investment by Amazon. The anthology drama series served as the highly anticipated follow-up show fromMad MencreatorMatthew Weinerbut failed to make a mark with critics, audiences, or awards. Case in point: were you even aware this show existed, let alone premiered last fall?
Also cancelled areLore, a podcast-inspired horror show that ran for two seasons, andPatriot, which also ran for two seasons. The latter series certainly had its fans, and garnered some positive notices from critics.
These cancellations only further drill down Amazon’s new focus on “event series” likeJack Ryan, which was renewed for a third season well before Season 2 has even aired yet based on the strength of its first season. There’s also Amazon’sLord of the Ringsseries, which is still in the development stages but marks the streamer’s biggest investment yet, as well as shows based on the booksWheel of TimeandThe Underground Railroad.
For our complete list of what TV shows have been renewed and cancelled,click here.
