We are only halfway through the year and there are many shows that are ending or have been canceled in 2024. Interestingly enough, a good chunk of those titles are streaming series. While there have been plenty of shows renewed, it seems like you can’t go a week without at least one show from a streamer getting the ax. Now, Disney+ has added yet another one-season show to its own cancellation list.
British fantasy series Renegade Nell has been canceled after only a single season. Created by Sally Wainwright and set in a fantastical version of 18th-century England, the series tells the story of Nell Jackson, who is framed for murder and becomes a highly notorious outlaw. With the help of a magical sprite, she realizes her true destiny. The eponymous character was played by Louisa Harland, and the Derry Girls alum was joined by an ensemble cast that featured Frank Dillane, Alice Kremelberg, Enyi Okoronkwo, Pip Torrens and Nick Mohammed.
Renegade Nell premiered on Disney+ in March, and there were reportedly several metrics that the series didn’t reach in order to justify a renewal. As far as we can surmise, the biggest factors for a show’s survival in this current entertainment landscape are money and viewership. It's possible that the coming-of-age series just didn’t have the audience needed to score a second season.
However, the show does have an 87% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 88% audience score to boot, so it's hard to dispute that the show had some appeal. A Disney spokesman confirmed the cancelation, saying (via Deadline):
Disney+ Original series, Renegade Nell, will not be returning for a second season on the service. We’re incredibly proud of the world created by Sally Wainwright and lead director Ben Taylor. We’d like to thank them, our production partners at Lookout Point, the entire cast – led by Louisa Harland – and crew for their incredible work on this series, all of whom we hope to work with again in the future.
The streaming cancelations are honestly becoming hard to handle, and it feels like the most frequent titles to get cut are those that only have one season. Earlier this year, Max canceled The Girls on the Bus, a political drama starring Melissa Benoist. Also, Disney-own Hulu axed Mandy Patinkin’s Death and Other Details after only a season. Meanwhile, Netflix obliterated Obliterated following a single stretch of episodes.
What's honestly unfortunate is that a lot of these shows don’t really get a chance to get off the ground narratively, as they typically have around 10 episodes or less before the axe comes down. While we know Netflix and other streamers pivoting away from the pilot model is the reason behind many of these cancelations, it doesn't make it easier to swallow.
As of now, it’s unknown if creator Sally Wainwright and producing studio Lookout Point will be shopping Renegade Nell around. Considering it seemed to have positive reviews and possessed an intriguing premise, it’s a shame that it was canned. Unfortunately, it's more than a given that the series won't be the last one-season show to be canceled by a streaming service. And all we can do is sit and wait anxiously to see if any of our favorite shows end up meeting their demises.
On the bright side, viewers can look forward to a lot of new titles heading to Disney+ soon. That includes the streamer’s first Doctor Who spinoff and the upcoming second season of Ahsoka, among many others. If you have a Disney+ subscription you can, of course, still check out Renegade Nell's lone season to form your own opinion on the show.
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