One and done. Netflix has introduced its viewers to many unique TV shows over the years — but not every original series gets to explore their story beyond one season before getting canceled.
Julie and the Phantoms developed a quick cult following when it hit the streaming service in September 2020. The musical comedy, which was based on the Brazilian television series Julie e os Fantasmas, followed a high school student who accidentally summoned the ghosts of three dead musicians. The characters decided to work together to help each other fulfill their dreams and their unfinished business.
As fans waited to hear if the show was canceled or renewed, executive producers David Hoge and Dan Cross revealed that they already had ideas for the second season.
“If we are lucky enough to get a second season, the ghosts would have a lot going on,” Hoge and Cross told TVLine in September 2021. “They’ve always wanted to get their music out there for the world to hear. Like Luke always says, they want that connection with their audience. A number one album? Song at the top of the charts? Whatever it takes to be remembered for their music. But as you saw at the very end, there are still plenty of obstacles to get in their way. And now it seems there’s an ‘obstacle’ in the inner circle.”
Two months later, executive producer Kenny Ortega confirmed that Netflix chose to cancel the series instead.
“Our [Julie and the Phantoms] family want to send our love and endless thanks to our Fantoms all over the world for the tremendous outpouring of love and support you have shown us since our premiere,” Ortega wrote via Instagram. “We learned this week that Netflix will not be picking us up for another season. Although our hearts are saddened, we move on with such pride for what we accomplished as a team and the family we built while creating Julie.”
He added: “We hope you will continue to follow us as we move forward with our work and careers. Happy Holidays to you all. Wishing you good health, love and #perfectharmony in all you pursue! Kenny, the Cast, Writers, Producers, Creatives, BC Crew, and our devoted [Netflix] Team!”
Julie and the Phantoms wasn’t the only series with a strong online presence that didn’t get to continue telling its story. The post-apocalyptic series Daybreak also drew in fans after it originally dropped in October 2019. The comic series adaption used humor to explore the story of a ragtag group of high school students trying to survive the end of the world in Glendale, California.
One month after it was released, series co-creator Aron Coleite announced that Daybreak would not be returning.
“Thank you for picking up what we put down, for running with it in all of your amazing, weird, monstrous ways and for being such an important part of this show and our experience making it,” he tweeted in December 2019. “Here at Daybreak we don’t say we love you. We say ‘you’re a s–t.’ We say ‘let’s be monsters.’ So be s–ts, be monsters, give ’em Hell. Most importantly, keep being you. No one is as heartbroken as we are that we can’t share more of this ride with you. But we’re so grateful to have gotten to bring it this far. Thank you for riding with us, for your voices, your enthusiasm, your memes, your fart jokes, and your unashamed crazy. We’ll see you out there.”
Keep scrolling for more shows that Netflix ended just as quickly as they began: