If you've read any of my work on BuzzFeed, then chances are you're aware that I eat, sleep, and breathe TV. Whether it's popular must-watch shows like Succession and The Last of Us or more underrated ones like Wynonna Earp and A League of Their Own , I'm a fan of every genre, and I just love TV. Lately, though, I've been a little down when it comes to starting new TV shows.
Don't get me wrong; nothing will replace the rush I feel when I start hyper-fixating on a new show. I mean, I will throw myself into learning everything about the characters, the actors, the story, etc., but I've now hit a point where I don't see the point because there is a high likelihood that it might get canceled after just one season.
In 2023, the major streaming platforms — Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max, Disney+, Paramount+, and Apple TV+ — canceled over 50 TV shows, with more than 20 of them being canceled after just one season. During the 2023–2024 TV season, 36 TV series featuring LGBTQ characters were also officially canceled . According to GLAAD, "As for streaming, 80 characters (24 percent of all LGBTQ characters on streaming) on 23 shows won’t be returning due to series cancellations or endings.
Half of these characters are on Netflix originals." One-and-done TV shows are not new, but they seem to occur more frequently in the streaming era. My So-Called Life and Freaks and Geeks have been talked about for years as shows that were canceled way too soon, and they existed before streami.