The streamer canceled "The Boroughs," a sci-fi mystery executive-produced by "Stranger Things" creators Matt and Ross Duffer, after just one season, according to multiple reports, including Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, on Thursday, June 18.
The show centered on a group of retirees in a picture-perfect retirement community who uncover a supernatural threat hiding beneath the calm surface.
Its cast gave Netflix plenty to sell. Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Bill Pullman, Alfre Woodard, Denis O'Hare, and Clarke Peters starred in the series, which was created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews.
The cancellation came less than a month after all eight episodes premiered on Thursday, May 21. The quick decision is a sharp turn for a project tied to one of Netflix's biggest creative brands.
Strong reviews did not appear to be enough. The show logged 5.6 million views in its opening weekend and 9.5 million in its first full week, then dropped to 3.7 million the next week, a plunge of more than 60 percent, according to the reports.
The slide mattered because "The Boroughs" was not a modest bet. Its sci-fi visual effects and veteran ensemble cast made it expensive to produce, and the audience did not hold at a level that justified the cost, the reports said.
The move also ends bigger plans for the story. The creators had mapped out a three-season arc, and a writers' room had already been assembled for Season 2, according to the reports. There had also been discussions about filming Seasons 2 and 3 back-to-back.
The cancellation adds another sign of distance between Netflix and the Duffer Brothers. The pair, whose "Stranger Things" became one of the streamer's defining hits, moved their overall production deal to Paramount in 2025.
For fans, the result is simple: "The Boroughs" is now a one-season mystery with no second chapter planned.
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