Status Updates: Updates for the sci fi and fantasy shows currently airing/streaming or those waiting for word on their fates. You can see the status of all the active, returning, upcoming, and recently cancelled/ended shows at our Cancellation Watch Page.
Another Life (Netflix)
(Streaming 2nd Season, On the Bubble): This series has not been well-received by critics, currently holding only a 6% Fresh Rating at Rotten Tomatoes (though it does that a 71% Audience Score). It did not make it into the Nielsen Streaming Top 10 for the week of its second season debut (though it did show up there the second week), and for the most part it has been ignored or derided by the sci fi community. The show did wrap up most of its storylines at the end of its second season, so don’t be surprised if it joins Netflix’s ever-growing list of cancelled shows.
Batwoman (CW)
(Airing 3rd Season, Renewal Likely): This is not one of the higher-rated Arrow-verse entries on The CW, but that is not a big issue for that network. It does well in digital viewing (The CW pays more attention to those stats than the other broadcast nets) and it is in the syndication stretch meaning one more season will get it enough episodes for an extended encore run. Plus, The CW almost always allows its shows to go for at least four seasons once they have made it past the first year. Expect at least one more year from this one, though it is possible the network could shake up its Arrow-verse entries after that.
Invasion (Apple TV+)
(Streaming 1st Season, Renewal Possible): Apple TV+ usually renews its originals prior to their debut, but there has been no word on this one yet. The show has not developed much buzz and currently only holds a 42% Fresh Rating and 45% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes. Because of the streaming services it resides on, I still give it a shot at a second season. But if there is not an announcement soon, it could be one-and-done like Amazing Stories.
Star Wars: Visions (Disney+)
(Streaming 1st Season, Renewal Possible): It is unclear if this was planned as a one-off collection of Anime shorts in the Star Wars universe or if Disney+ might consider additional seasons. It has not placed in the Nielsen Streaming Top 10, but the series has been well-received by critics (96% Fresh Rating on Rotten Tomatoes). It is possible that a second season could follow, but it may not be a high priority for the streamer with all of the other projects currently in development.
Nancy Drew (CW)
(Airing 3rd Season, Renewal Likely): This is one of The CW’s lowest-rated scripted shows, but that does not mean that it is in danger. It makes up slack with digital viewing (that network keeps a close eye on those stats), and The CW lets its shows go for at least four seasons once they have made it past the first year. Plus, a Tom Swift spin-off series is currently in the works. Expect at least one more season from Nancy Drew, if not more.
Into the Dark (Hulu)
(Completed 2nd Season, In Limbo): This horror-movie-a-month anthology got thrown off schedule due to the pandemic but did eventually wrap up its second season in Spring of 2021. I would have expected a third season to have started in October 2021 because the first and the second seasons both kicked off during that month. But there has been no word on whether this show will return with new episodes. It has been mostly well-received by critics and fans, and its anthology nature means that it could return at any time. But if Hulu remains silent on the show, that could mean that they have moved on from it.
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I find the writing for La Brea to be quite poor. For one thing, why are these people trying to survive on mushrooms alone when they killed a giant sabertooth tiger. They should have been fed for days.
I gave up after five episodes. The show had some promise, and I would have stuck with it even if it was dumb but still fun. Sadly, it just adhered to the dumb part.
The ending of Another Life seemed pretty well final to me. – I’d be surprised if they even had anywhere to go with the story without turning it into a terrible pastiche of star trek (ST:D and ST:P already have that honor). Regardless it was a terrible series.
I’ll have to disagree on Invasion. I like a good slow burn series – for example I loved Counterpart and was sorry to see it end so early – but this show is steadily going from meandering to annoyingly aimless and intentionally opaque. The home invasion episode added slightly more tension but they had a chance to kill the melodrama (literally) which had me pleasantly surprised only to reverse course in the last minute. ugh.
Invasion is great. It’s really slow-moving, so that won’t go down well with a lot of viewers. But the slow pace increases the mystery & tension, and it makes episodes like last week’s alien horror house detour all the more impactful. Ratings aren’t great, I know, but imho a second season is a must.
Of the others I’ve only seen Another Life. The first season wasn’t very good, so I was surprised when it was renewed… season 2 was better, but not great either, and judging from the season’s last episode, the filmmakers already knew it was coming to an end, as if they were told to wrap up the storyline.