20 Recently Canceled TV Shows That Deserved Another Season

Discovering one of your favorite television shows got canceled can feel like a punch in the gut. We all have those special, canceled shows that live in the back of our minds that we still think about to this day, and we ponder how the story would have continued if it hadn’t been canceled. 

In this list, we’ll take a deep dive into some underrated TV shows that got canceled way too soon and why they got canceled in the first place. Some are in danger of becoming lost media altogether!

In no particular order, here are 20 recently canceled TV shows that deserved another season:

1. Infinity Train

Infinity Train was an anthology series that followed a new main character each season as they boarded an infinite train where every train car was its own pocket universe. The passengers of the train had to complete challenges in every car while facing their own psychological traumas and learning how to cope.

Infinity Train was one of the most creative and interesting premises we’ve seen for a TV show. Each book was different, but all contained fascinating, new mysteries to discover. It’s smart enough for young kids, teens, and adults to enjoy.

Infinity Train received one of the most brutal cancellations of any television show. Even with numbers in high demand, Max did not move forward with a fifth book, despite the fact that it was already written and ready to go. It was of the opinion that there would be no interest in book five focusing on Amelia because there would be “no child entry point” for anyone to latch onto.

Not only was this beloved show canceled, but it was completely erased from the streaming service’s catalog for tax purposes. Not even the DVDs are sold anymore. Infinity Train is in danger of becoming lost media, all to save some money by not wanting to pay residuals.

2. One Day at a Time

A reboot of the beloved sitcom from the 1970s, now re-imagined in the modern day with a Cuban-American family, One Day at a Time showed us how the Alvarez family navigated the push and pull of their multigenerational family dynamics.

One Day at a Time dealt with real issues that so many families in America face, including but not limited to deportation, sexuality, addiction, financial insecurity, divorce, discrimination, and so much more.

Being able to see not only a Cuban-American family represented on television, but how different generations have different perspectives on how to solve the problems they face was a hugely insightful element to the show. These characters were also deeply relatable and before you knew it, you’d feel like you were another family member of the Alvarez family.

One Day At A Time had a rollercoaster of a cancellation. First canceled by Netflix, One Day At A Time was rescued by PopTV, and the show was continued on their platform with its third season. The show then moved networks once again to good old cable television. However, the pandemic had to put a pause to filming the rest of Season 4.

When the entertainment industry finally returned, One Day At A Time did not resume filming and effectively canceled the show in the middle of its fourth season.

3. Anne with an E

Based on the beloved children’s novel Anne of Green Gables, Anne with an E followed Anne Shirley, who was an orphan adopted by the unmarried Cuthbert siblings. Under their care, she learned how to adjust to public school, make friends, grow up, and what it meant to be a part of a family.

The season three finale of Anne with an E left so many open stories that were yet to be explored. How will Anne’s classmates manage university? What is to become of Anne and Gilbert? Will Anne further explore her biological lineage? Anne with an E had a bright spirit to it and tackled serious topics that anyone could relate to.

Renewal campaigns led by fans took off by the news of the cancellation, including buying billboard ads to spread awareness. There was also a petition to renew for season four that gained over 1.5 million signatures.

Unfortunately, it was not enough to save the show.

4. City of Ghosts

Many parents are desperate for a show their kids can watch that is not as hyperactive and overstimulating as many childrens’ shows are. City of Ghosts was a perfect show to fill that void.

A satisfying blend of educational and entertaining, City of Ghosts took the viewer into the world of the local kids of Los Angeles who explore ghosts around their town.

They learned about the history of their city from the ghosts and the humans they interacted with. From Native Land to gyoza to drummers, it was a perfect show for anyone of any age who wanted relaxing, wholesome vibes while learning something new about the history of Los Angeles and what it means to have community in your city.

Elizabeth Ito’s style of art and storytelling is admirable. A live-action-animation hybrid set up as a mockumentary is something so refreshing, and it’s too bad more innovative artists like Ito were given more opportunities to create shows so artistic and impactful.

5. Julie and the Phantoms

After 16-year-old Julie Molina’s mother dies, she struggles to find joy in ever playing music again. When she accidentally summons the ghosts of a teenage boy band from the 90s, Julie and her newfound Phantoms find a way to bring music back into her life and uncover secrets of the netherworld.

Julie and the Phantoms had a Disney Channel-like magical quality to it that was also able to reach deeper into the hearts of its characters and pull out real-world situations of grief and heartbreak that showcased the three-dimensional quality of the show that audiences grew so attached to.

Julie and the Phantoms’ dedicated fanbase organized renewal campaigns to renew the show. #RenewJulieAndThePhantoms was trending on social media multiple times a week. Scheduled re-watches to boost streaming numbers were put into place, landing Julie and the Phantoms at Netflix’s #1 most popular slot on the entire streaming service for weeks on end.

The demand for a second season was huge, yet Netflix still canceled the show. On a cliffhanger, no less. This cancellation was a difficult pill to swallow.

6. Twelve Forever

Twelve Forever followed a 12-year-old girl named Reggie and her two best friends who were able to travel into Reggie’s own imaginary childhood-filled world and interact with all the imaginary citizens there. However, the growing pains of puberty often interacted with her imaginary world and Reggie had to find a way to balance the two.

Twelve Forever captured that dreadful stage of life where you know you’re growing up and need to take on more adult responsibilities but you don’t want to let go of the safety of your childhood and all its wonders.

How to balance keeping your creative imagination with also beginning to mature is a struggle for any adolescent and Twelve Forever embraced that struggle with humor, compassion, and relatability. Additionally, not having a season two means we do not get an update on the potential queer romance that was blooming in Reggie’s life. It was such a creative premise and it’s a shame that it’s gone.

7. I Am Not Okay With This

The Netflix series I Am Not Okay With This followed 17-year-old Sydney, who faced juggling school, friends, grief, her sexuality, her crush, and a whole bout of new superpowers.

Based on the comics of the same name, this black comedy captivated fans who saw themselves in Sydney and everything she goes through.

The series aired at the beginning of 2020. A second season was planned, but Netflix canceled the show, stating this was for budget reasons after the COVID-19 pandemic halted production.

8. First Day

There are not many shows out there that showcase what life is like for young transgender adolescents. First Day was one of them, and it did it with care and respect for LGBTQIA+ youth.

First Day followed 14-year-old Hannah as she transferred schools to begin her life as a newly out transgender girl and what celebrations and challenges she faced.

It was a great comfort show to watch, even if queer stories are not your main interest. It was exciting to see how Hannah formed a relationship with a potential love interest, how the GSA at her school expanded, and how her friendships evolved.

Individuals and families alike all deserve to be able to watch a feel-good TV series about a transgender girl navigating growing up. It’s also an excellent show to watch as an introduction to how LGBTQIA+ youth live if you aren’t so familiar with it.

9. The Midnight Gospel

The Midnight Gospel dealt with deep, existential topics such as the meaning of life, death, and various existential questions. A unique premise of pairing animated visuals to the sound of a podcast is the kind of innovative television we should see more of on our screens.

It’s soothing to watch a colorful whirlwind of art while listening to the hopeful and heart-wrenching chatter on the show. It deeply resonated with many people and has helped bring people together during hard times.

There was hope from creator Pendleton Ward that another season would be in production, but it sadly never came into fruition.

10. A League of Their Own

A reboot of the 1992 film of the same name, A League of Their Own followed an all-female lead baseball team in the 1940s and how their lives intertwined with one another.

There are so few television shows out there that have queer women at the front and center of their story. The community and solidarity of the players of the Rockford Peaches gave the show its heart and made it especially unique. The delicate friendship between Max and Carson was also interesting, it would have been great to see where it was going to go in the second season.

The beloved series was already on thin ice with a renewed, but shortened, second season. The second season was then scrapped altogether, claiming the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike was to blame. This sparked outrage by the members of the LGBTQIA+ community, who felt it was a thinly veiled excuse to silence queer stories. 

11. Tuca & Bertie

Tuca & Bertie was an eccentric adult animated TV show about two 30-year-old bird best friends, Tuca and Bertie, who were roommates and navigated all the silly obstacles life would throw at them.

Tuca & Bertie was praised for its ability to not shy away from real issues women go through in their thirties, such as reproductive health. The show originally aired on Netflix, then was canceled after one season.

Adult Swim picked up the series, and it ran on cable for two more seasons until it was canceled again by Adult Swim. Fans of Tuca & Bertie felt the loss deeply at this charming show ending so soon.

12. The Fungies!

The Fungies! followed a family of fungi who were alive billions of years ago, yet go through the same family dynamics of modern day. Seth is a curious young mushroom with a passion for science, whose inventions cause chaos among his family and his town.

The Fungies! was such a sweet show that often had a life lesson to be learned within the episode. You can’t help but feel good after finishing an episode. The Fungies! showed viewers a bright outlook on life, learning from your mistakes, and how your family will always be there for you. It made you realize the things you take for granted, such as seeing snow for the first time.

Despite a stellar voice cast and gorgeous art direction, The Fungies! was not renewed for a fourth season, and was removed from Max’s streaming service.

13. iCarly

The iCarly reboot was a refreshing take on how Carly Shay and her friends dealt with adulthood in Seattle after their famous childhood web series ended.

There were a lot more adult stories yet to be told for these now aged-up characters. I don’t think they reached their full potential for all the interesting situations and relationships they could have been placed in.

Not to mention the biggest cliffhanger of finally being able to meet Carly’s mother, a hugely anticipated character ever since the beginning of the original show, all for that to slip through our fingers due to the show’s cancellation.

14. Inside Job

Inside Job was a satirical comedy about all the conspiracies we have ever heard about the US government: except they are real. The president is a robot, aliens are our politicians, and technology is surveilling us 24/7.

Inside Job was a clever show. It had an outstanding balance of keeping it weird, but also keeping the humanity of having these human & non-human characters grow and feel.

It never fell into the hopelessness and doom of what our society is crumbling into. Instead, the comedy punches up and added creative, quick gags to lighten up the sense of humor. Adult fans of Gravity Falls were an easy target audience for this show. Former Gravity Falls creatives, Shion Takeuchi and Alex Hirsch, served as showrunners, producers, and writers for Inside Job.

After initially renewing Inside Job for a second season, Netflix went back on their decision and canceled the show altogether. Even worse, Season 1 ended on a cliffhanger, so we will never get to know what happens next.

15. Close Enough

Navigating and settling into adulthood as young parents of an energetic toddler, living with your friends who are divorced, and the trials and tribulations of everything life throws at you, the black comedy sitcom Close Enough was a fan-favorite for many.

Close Enough was highly anticipated by adult fans of Cartoon Network’s beloved Regular Show, as J.G. Quintel served as the same creator.

There are some similarities in comedy and quality to Regular Show that pleases fans, but at the same time, it stood on its own with new dilemmas to tackle and so much more to dive into now that Quintel could spread his wings and not have to censor adult topics.

Utilizing animation fit so well for the show as the storyboards had such clever gags you could only find in animated suspension of disbelief.

Despite rave reviews by fans, it was canceled after three seasons and was erased from Max’s streaming service.

16. The Wilds

The Prime Video series The Wilds became a cult classic, revolving around a group of teenage girls who crash-landed on a deserted island and were forced to reconcile with each other as part of a larger social experiment.

Fans of The Wilds resonated with the queer storylines and the dynamics the girls and boys faced while trying to survive on this deserted island. The second season did not receive as high ratings as the first season did, leading it to be canceled by Prime after the second season.

17. Final Space

Final Space followed an astronaut named Gary Godspeed and his new alien friend Mooncake as they explored the galaxy together in all its mysteries and adventures.

Final Space had the perfect blend of comedy and drama. Gary’s optimism yet deep sensitivity for his past and his friend Mooncake was so sweet to watch. The medium of animation was perfect for the show, as it provided so many gorgeous backgrounds of deep space and planets..

Olan Rogers, the creator of Final Space, had more ideas for more seasons of the show. However, it was canceled after three seasons following complications with the Discovery and WarnerBros merger. Shortly after, Final Space was erased from Netflix’s streaming service.

18. The Baby-sitters Club

Based on the beloved children’s novels of the same name, The Baby-sitters Club followed a group of tween girls who start their own babysitting company while navigating their own families and friendships and what it means to grow up.

It’s important for pre-teens, especially young girls, to have media that caters to them as this is becoming a shrinking genre with only young adolescent and teenage stories being written with less and less of anything in between. 

The Baby-sitters Club on Netflix was updated for the modern age, but it still paid homage to the books from the 90s, and did not stray too far from the original source material.

The problems the girls faced were handled with such maturity and care and left you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. It is meaningful for parents who grew up on the original books to be able to introduce a new generation of kids to them through a lens they will be able to understand.

Many believe the reason Netflix canceled The Baby-sitters Club is that the algorithms did not push the show to a wider audience and was not adequately advertised. This show could be enjoyed by anyone of any age, and it’s unfortunate that it was not allowed to have more seasons.

19. Dead End: Paranormal Park

Originally a webseries, Dead End: Paranormal Park followed two new friends, Barney and Norma, who began working at a paranormal amusement park and uncovered spooky secrets and creatures.

Dead End: Paranormal Park was a breath of fresh air in terms of representation. The main character, Barney, is a transgender teenager, and the show dealt with how his grandmother did not accept who he is.

Norma is an autistic bisexual girl whose info-dumping and hyperfixation traits were refreshing to see on television. Dead End: Paranormal Park had charming world-building and appealing character designs. It is a shame to see a show with great representation be canceled after two seasons.

20. 1899

The Netflix series 1899 was a mystery about immigrant passengers on a ship sailing from Southampton, UK to New York, NY who get caught up in a puzzle they must solve.

Fans of 1899 passionately enjoyed figuring out the puzzle of the show as the episodes went on and lamented how eccentric shows like this are not often kept in production anymore. This sentiment would be proven to be true as Netflix canceled 1899 after just one season.

—

What are your favorite recent canceled TV shows that you miss? Comment below!

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

20 Most Captivating Sci-Fi / Fantasy TV Series of 2023