Why Netflix canceled Duffer Brothers' Stranger Things successor just 1 month after debut
The Netflix gods have again swung their scythe, with another show joining the likes of Cowboy Bebop, Jupiter's Legacy, and 1899 in the great TV graveyard in the sky.
All of these were canned after one season, although the latest stings almost as much as when the Jeff Goldblum-led Kaos was sent packing in 2024.
When it comes to The Boroughs, the premise of Stranger Things for adults might've been a poisoned chalice. Stranger Things remains one of Netflix's most popular exports, and even though the final season has plenty of critics, fans will die on the hill that it remains one of the best sci-fi shows of all time.
Why was The Boroughs canceled?
News that Matt and Ross Duffer were continuing their work with Netflix as executive producers on The Boroughs piqued our interest, while an all-star cast of Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O'Hare, and Bill Pullman was another major draw.
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Unfortunately for The Boroughs, it's another one-and-done, as the story has officially come to a close after just eight episodes.
Boasting a Rotten Tomatoes score that surpassed all apart from Stranger Things season 1, The Boroughs looked like a surefire hit that was destined to continue. Added to this, it boasted a strong start and 5.6 million views in its opening weekend. This climbed to 9.5 million views in its first week and painted the picture of a positive future for the TV series.
Deadline claims The Boroughs has been given the boot due to high production costs. The outlet was the first to break the news, noting that "elaborate production, along with its all-star cast, made for a high price tag." The streaming giant undoubtedly remembered this, with Deadline saying it's "something Netflix weighs against viewing when making renewal decisions."
This might've come as something of a shock for co-creators Will Matthews and Jeffrey Addiss, who shared the advice they received from the Duffer Brothers with USA Today. Matthews explained: "Tell a complete story. Crack the door on Season 2, but who knows?
"So don't make it too much of a cliffhanger. Don't marry yourself to anything that you have to then do. Have the ending be an ending that is fulfilling, and so we did."
Fans react to The Boroughs axe
There's another thing to bear in mind when it comes to The Boroughs' early demise. Alongside Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, it was the second Duffer-produced paranormal series to debut in a relatively short space of time.
Speaking of the latter, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen was always a limited series, meaning the only Duffer show is the animated Stranger Things: Tales of '85 as the dynamic duo transition to their new deal at Paramount.
Over on Reddit, many seemed unbothered that The Boroughs kicked the bucket. Despite plenty of praise, one person wrote: "I honestly am not surprised. I have not finished it yet but nothing about the show left me thinking it would make sense as multiple seasons."
Another added: "Calling it 'stranger things with seniors' was not a good way to get people to watch."
A third concluded: "Meh, I'm not too bothered by this. It was a fun time, but I don't think I really want multiple seasons. Stretching the lore and fiction out further was probably not going to turn out well. Also, season 1 wrapped up pretty nicely."