Why did Netflix cancel The Get Down and Sense8? Recently, the streaming service’s chief content officer Ted Sarandos discussed the series cancellations, Variety reports.
In late May, Netflix cancelled the costly hip hop music drama The Get Down after one season. Only a few days later, the streaming platform then cancelled Sense8, the ensemble sci-fi series from the Wachowskis.
During a recent conference, Sarandos explained the cancellations as a matter of cost:
Relative to what you spent, are people watching it? That is pretty traditional. When I say that, a big expensive show for a huge audience is great. A big, expensive show for a tiny audience is hard even in our model to make that work very long.”
According to Variety, The Get Down cost around $12 million an episode to produce while Sense8 reportedly averaged around $9 million an episode. Though Netflix does not release ratings, it seems there weren’t enough viewers to justify the cost of either series.
What do you think? Are you a fan of The Get Down and/or Sense8? Do you think Netflix should continue to produce high-cost series?
“Though Netflix does not release ratings, it seems there weren’t enough viewers to justify the cost of either series.”
I didn’t know Netflix (or any other subscription video-on-demand service) made decisions based on viewership/ratings just like the traditional broadcast and cable networks. Also, about the high production costs for “Sense8” and “The Get Down”, it’s not like they got any big Hollywood movie stars to do these series.
I don’t think they have to actually spend that much on each episode. They already have footage from the different locals.
With all the technology today why do they have to travel to each part of the world. I’m sure the cast isn’t costing them $9 million dollars an episode. Bring back Sense8
I have recently started watching both of these shows since their cancellation was announced. I absolutely fell in love with Sense8 and the flair of The Get Down caught me as well. Neither is really a mainstream series and that’s part of their appeal. They present culture, art, and make you think about how we see the world around us as art is supposed to do. I think the cancellation of these shows is a tragedy because many more people would have found them in time, they didn’t give it long enough. Both shows have the potential of developing cult… Read more »
I have no Idea why Netflix insist on paying these huge cost for shows. Stranger things has a decent budget and it was great. Just because you pay more doesn’t mean a shoe it going to better or get more viewers. And I’m not saying I don’t enjoy they’re expensive shoes such as sense 8 because I actually really like them. I’m just saying Netflix should spend a little smarter
They should differentiate themselves from the networks by at least finishing the stories of these shows after a cancellation. CBS did a two hour movie to finish the story of Jericho, which I really appreciated from them and it gave me more confidence in starting a new show from them. Why can’t these content creators wrap their head around the fact that rather than watching current shows more and more people are binge watching completed shows with an actual ending, like The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, even Lost, which at least had an ending even if it was stupid, because they… Read more »
I’m very disappointed. I would have liked for Netflix to commit to their projects. Projects that are innovative, artistic and visually stunning, unlike (almost) anything you see on TV. Finish the stories and then be selective about how you want to produce or spend on your shows. I would have favored a few BRILLIANT costly shows per year instead of several good or average cheaper shows per year. Marco Polo, The Get Down and Sense8 are now incomplete masterpices. And let’s be real, Netflix hasn’t promoted these shows the same way it did it’s first ones (OITNB, House of Cards,… Read more »
Sense8 was a very difficult show to follow. I have watched almost all of the episodes of the first two seasons, but not sure if I would have followed it on a further season. It has been enjoyable, sometimes it seemed that there was too much going on and making sense out of all of it was just getting too difficult. I find that for a lot of other things that I have been watching, 2 seasons seems to be enough and then it is time to move on to other things. I am currently watching about 10 or more… Read more »