These TV shows all had so much potential, but they’ve all been cancelled in 2025, ending their stories long before their time. While countless TV series are always being renewed for new seasons, revivals, or reboots, others aren’t so lucky. Saying goodbye to TV shows we love is never easy, especially when networks and streaming platforms cancel them before their stories have had the chance to come to satisfying endings. There are many shows we would have wanted to see continue for much longer, but won’t get the opportunity.
Some of the most interesting and exciting TV shows in history have ultimately been cancelled before their time. This includes the likes of The OA, Sense8, 1899, Firefly, Heroes, The Get Down, and many more. It’s possible these shows could see revivals or reboots down the line, but, sometimes, even these continuations aren’t as successful as networks hope, leading to further disappointments. It’s the circle of life for many TV series, including these ten shows that deserved longer on our screens.
10) The Franchise (2024)
After premiering in October 2024 to positive reviews, HBO’s satirical comedy series, The Franchise, explored the behind-the-scenes complications and obstacles during the production of a movie that’s part of a larger superhero franchise. The series poked fun at franchise’s such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Universe, and could have gone on for years doing such – especially with similar series The Boys coming to an end in 2026. However, HBO cancelled The Franchise in January after only one season, attributing the cancellation to high production costs and a smaller-than-hoped viewership.
“I’m really proud of that show, and I think Jon [Brown] is such a strong comedic voice as a writer,” HBO’s head of comedy Amy Gravitt explained to Deadline following The Franchise’s cancellation. “Obviously, we had Armando [Iannucci] involved and Sam [Mendes] involved, and we took a shot with it, and it didn’t necessarily connect in the way I thought it would and it did for me personally. But I look at the writing, it’s genuinely hilarious, and that’s why we take shots.” The Franchise boasted an impressive cast, which increased costs, so HBO simply couldn’t afford a low viewership.
9) Suits LA (2025)
Six years after its parent show’s finale in 2019, Suits LA acted as Suits’ second spinoff, but was equally as unsuccessful as 2023’s Pearson. Suits LA premiered in February 2025, and could have spanned several seasons, with Stephen Amell’s LA-based entertainment lawyer, Ted Black, leading the revamped show to become as popular as its predecessor. However, NBC cancelled the series in May 2025 after just one season, stating that Suits LA wasn’t “showing the potential to grow,” given its poor reception and low viewership.
8) Based on a True Story (2023-2024)
Starring Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina, Peacock’s Based on a True Story featured the former as true crime-obsessed Ava Bartlett, who starts a podcast with her husband, Messina’s Nathan Bartlett, after they realize that their plumber is a serial killer. Based on a True Story had all the ingredients of a successful series, and its second season performed better and achieved more success. Even so, Peacock cancelled the series in April 2025, and the exact reasoning hasn’t been confirmed. Season 2 ended on a cliffhanger that will now never be addressed, frustrating fans of the dark comedy series.
7) Clean Slate (2025)
Clean Slate could have been one of the most important and poignant shows in TV history, but Amazon Prime Video still elected to cancel the series after only one season. Clean Slate starred Orange is the New Black veteran Laverne Cox as Desiree Slate, a trans woman who returns to her hometown to reunite with her father (George Wallace) who was unaware of her transition. The show premiered in February 2025 to rave reviews, making its cancellation even more confusing – though some have suggested it could be due to the second presidency of Donald Trump and his views on the trans community.
6) The Residence (2025)
Another Orange is the New Black alum, Uzo Aduba, starred in Netflix’s The Residence as Cordelia Cupp, an eccentric detective who is called in to investigate a murder during a state dinner for the Australian prime minister. The Residence received a positive response in March 2025, debuting as Netflix’s second-most-watched show, but it still became a victim of a Netflix cull after its first season. The Residence could have been a fantastic, Knives Out or Poker Face-style anthology series focusing on Cupp’s cases, but some considered it overshadowed by Adolescence, which claimed Netflix’s top spot for many weeks.
5) Mythic Quest (2020-2025)
Throughout its four-season run between 2020 and 2025, Mythic Quest became one of Apple TV+’s most-beloved shows, starring Rob McElhenney as Ian Grimm, the creator of the Mythic Quest video game. Apple chose to cancel the series in April 2025, despite its positive reviews and high ratings. Consequently, the season 4 finale, “Heaven and Hell,” was edited to receive a new ending that gave the series a more satisfying conclusion. The series could have continued for years to come, and the positive response to its anthology spinoff, Side Quest, proves it could have been an even bigger success.
4) How to Die Alone (2024)
After a near-death experience, airport worker Melissa (Natasha Rothwell) makes changes to her life on a quest for self-empowerment in Hulu’s feel-good series, How to Die Alone. Rothwell is fantastic in this bittersweet, critically-acclaimed series, making it even more unfortunate that Hulu cancelled the show in February 2025 after just one season. “My team and I are committed to find How to Die Alone a new home because stories like this matter,” Rothwell revealed during conversation with Deadline, claiming she was “shocked, heartbroken, and frankly, baffled” by the cancellation, just like many fans.
3) The Recruit (2022-2025)
This Netflix spy adventure series premiered in 2022 to a mixed response, and while its second season performed better, the streamer still elected to cancel The Recruit after season 2. The adventures of Noah Centineo’s Owen Hendricks CIA lawyer failed to capture the imaginations of The Recruit’s audience, but it was the speed of Netflix’s cancellation – only five weeks after season 2’s premiere – that shocked viewers. Series creator Alexi Hawley has still expressed hopes that a planned season 3 will see the light of day, but its competition on Netflix and a lower-than-hoped viewership marked the end for the series.
2) The Wheel of Time (2021-2025)
Amazon cited high production costs and changing viewership trends as reasons to cancel The Wheel of Time after three seasons. This decision spurred a fan campaign for the series to return, however, including a petition that has garnered over 195,000 signatures. Even so, there’s no sign of The Wheel of Time returning to live-action, much to the disappointment of a huge fan base and the creative team. Boasting an impressive cast and an expansive fantasy narrative, it’s no surprise The Wheel of Time was so expensive to produce, but it’s still a shame the series was cancelled before its time.
1) Frasier (2023-2024)
One of TV’s most iconic sitcoms, Frasier, returned to our screens in 2023 after 19 years off the air. However, the revival and sequel series, which brought back Kelsey Grammer’s Frasier Crane, but didn’t manage to achieve the success of its parent show. The revival was cancelled by Paramount+ in January 2025, and while CBS Studios has made attempts to shop it to other studios, none have yet taken the bait. After two seasons, it’s a shame to see Frasier disappear yet again, especially since the revival series may have inadvertently tarnished the impressive legacy of the original show.
Frasier, a spinoff from yet another iconic sitcom, Cheers, previously ran for 11 seasons between 1993 and 2004. Frasier was a monumental success, and holds an important place in TV history, so it’s a shame to see its revival not attain the same level of success. Frasier’s revival might have suffered from being surrounded by heavy-hitters on Paramount+ – the streamer isn’t known for comedies. Another streaming platform or network might have handled Frasier better, and might pose an exciting future for the revival, but only time will tell if this cancelled series, and any others, are revived in the future.
Which shows are you most upset to see cancelled this year? Let us know in the comments!
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