All of the Cancelled and Ending Sci Fi TV Shows from the 2023-24 Season (So Far)

Updated 8/2/2024

The 2023-24 television season has come to an end, so now is a good time to take a look back at how many sci fi and fantasy shows were sent to the Network Executioner over the past year. There have actually been fewer cancellations than I expected so far despite the fact that Peak TV has come to an end and the industry is cutting back on scripted programming.  Of the 83 genre entries I have tracked this season (which is down from last year), 21 (27%) have been cancelled or have ended during the 2023-24 season.  (Three of the shows included below, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Superman & Lois, and The Umbrella Academy, will count toward the 2024-25 season.)  There are still 22 shows awaiting word on their fate, and I do expect more cancellations to follow, but the number tracked so far is down from this point last season.  (Next week I will put up a post to look at which of the remaining shows are in danger of getting the ax.)

The Cancellation/Renewal Score for the 2023-24 season stands at 21 cancelled and ending sci fi and fantasy shows (27% of the shows tracked) vs. 34 renewed (44%).  Mini-series are not included in the tally since they were designed to run one season.  Below are the season’s numbers, and you can see the full list of shows and keep up with the score throughout the week at our Cancellation Watch Page.

For fans who want to help any of the cancelled/ending shows (or the ones On the Bubble), a Call to Action on the social networks would be a good place to start. We have seen other shows like The Expanse, Lucifer, and Manifest saved in the past, and it could happen again with one of the recently cancelled shows.  And be sure to stay tuned to this site and the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Page for status updates and breaking news.

See all the upcoming sci fi and fantasy TV premieres at this link and keep up with the weekly schedule at this link.

Cancelled and Ending Shows:

The Big Door Prize (Apple TV+, Cancelled After 2 Seasons):  This series arrived in Spring 2023 with little promotion, but still received an early second-season renewal shortly after it premiered. It returned in Spring 2024 and again received very little in the way of a marketing push, and it did not make it into the Nielsen Streaming Rankings. Apple TV+ has been good about supporting its originals, but the streamer may be feeling the pressure from all the money it has put into those and from the post-Peak TV crunch, and that may have resulted in this one landing on the chopping block.

Bodies (Netflix, Mini-Series):  This series is based on the DC Comic of the same name, and the final moments tease a possible continuation. However, writer Paul Tomalin has claimed that it was pitched to Netflix as a “one and done” series with no plans for a second season. It did perform well in viewership, though, so don’t be surprised if the streamer chooses to revisit that decision.

Carol and the End of the World (Netflix, Mini-Series): This animated apocalyptic drama was designed to tell a full story across its ten episodes according to creator Dan Guterman. It did not make it into the Netflix Top 10 after its premiere, so expect this show to remain a one-shot as intended.

Constellation (Apple TV+, Cancelled After 1 Season): This series did not make it into the Nielsen Streaming Rankings during its first season run, but few shows from that streamer succeed in placing in that chart. And apparently, the show did not draw enough viewers on Apple TV+ compared to other originals on that service (according to the TV Grim Reaper, it drew just 1.2 million views in its first week),  so it did not get picked up for a second season.

Echo (Disney+, Mini-Series): This series is part of the “Marvel Spotlight” banner which emphasizes stand-alone seasons with minimal connection to other MCU movies and shows. And this appears to be the approach Disney+ will be taking with this franchise as well as its Star Wars shows (see Tales of the Empire below) going forward. However, the characters from Echo could show up in other MCU shows (most likely Daredevil) or in one or more of the movies, and perhaps this one could make its way back to the streamer for a second season at some point.

Cult-SciFi.com: Looking Back at Cult Movies, TV Shows, Books, and More from the Worlds of Sci Fi, Fantasy, and Horror

Evil (Paramount+, Cancelled After 4 Seasons): Had this show remained on CBS, it probably would have been cancelled already by this point, so consider it a good thing that it shifted to Paramount+.  And ultimately it will end up with a decent run for a streaming series at four seasons and 54 episodes. It received four additional episodes tacked on to the planned fourth year and that gives the creative team the opportunity to wrap up its storylines and provide a satisfying conclusion.

Disenchantment (Netflix, Ending After 5 Seasons): This animated dramedy from Matt Groening had a good run for a streaming original, totaling five seasons and 50 episodes (sometimes referred to as three seasons broken across five parts). But Groening did have plans for further adventures in the Disenchantment world, so he may try to shop this one around to different venues. Netflix keeps the streaming rights for a minimum of two years after the show ended, but like Futurama this one could find a new home at some point down the road.

The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix, Mini-Series): This adaptation of the classic Edgar Allen Poe story came from Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House) and it was designed as a mini-series, though it is possible that he planned for more Poe-related shows to follow. He has since moved over to Amazon, but House did well enough in viewership that Netflix may consider creating its own Poe-verse of originals.

Halo The Series (Paramount+, Cancelled After 2 Seasons): This video-game-based entry performed well for a Paramount+ original in viewing, and it has also been fairly well-received by critics. A reason for the cancellation has not been given, but the show is expensive to produce, and the streamer has been going through some cost-cutting measures. Xbox, 343 Industries, and Amblin Television will shop the property around and it should draw some interest.

La Brea (NBC, Ending After 3 Seasons): This prehistoric adventure series counted as a minor hit for NBC in its first year, ranking in the Top 30 for its inaugural run. Its numbers dropped notably during its second season, but apparently it did well enough in digital and delayed viewing that the network decided to give it the greenlight for a final six-episode season. That gave it the chance to wrap up its storylines, which is more than the network afforded Quantum Leap (see below).

For status updates on the current sci fi and fantasy shows along with breaking news on cancellations and renewals, follow our Cancellation Watch posts.

The Lazarus Project (TNT, Cancelled After 2 Seasons): This British import performed well in viewership in its home country and received some attention from the BAFTAs, but Sky has elected not to continue it for a third season even though the second year ended on a cliffhanger. There is no word on whether it will be shopped around to other venues.

Loki (Disney+, Ending After 2 Seasons): The Season 2 finale wrapped up most of the show’s storylines, and Tom Hiddleston said in an interview that Loki’s journey has ended and that the character has come “full circle”.  Kevin Fiege had previously indicated that a third season could happen, and in the world of superheroes nothing is really final. But Disney is trimming back its Marvel content, and there has been no word on a third installment of the show as of the end of the 2023-24 season, so I am going to count it as ended for now.

Nautilus (Disney+/AMC, Cancelled Before It Began): This Captain Nemo prequel series is one of two Disney+ shows that were completed but cancelled by the streamer so that the company could count them as write-downs for tax purposes (more on that at this link).  AMC has since picked the series up and will air it as a “special television event” in 2024 (it will also be available for streaming on AMC+), but that is likely just a burn-off run with little chance of a second season following.

Outer Range (Prime Video, Cancelled After 2 Seasons): For reasons unknown, Amazon decided to cancel this show after only two seasons. In its first year, it spent five weeks in the Nielsen Streaming Rankings, and in its second season it was there for three weeks, overall performing well for a Prime Video original. Series star Josh Brolin expressed an interest in seeing the show continue to a third season and perhaps it will get shopped around to other venues.

Quantum Leap (NBC, Cancelled After 2 Seasons): By all appearances, NBC seems to have just soured on this show and decided to cancel it instead of giving it a concluding season as they did with La Brea (see above). It performed well in Fall 2023, but when it returned from hiatus in January they moved it to the Tuesday 10 PM EST timeslot where the ratings plummeted and it was cancelled. Now they have a long-running franchise, going back to the original, with two separate entries that end without a resolution. Sure seems like a final season where they bring both Sam and Ben back would have been the better choice and provided a more satisfying resolution for encore runs. But who are we to question the decisions coming from the network execs living in their ivory towers?

Reginald the Vampire (Syfy, Cancelled After 2 Seasons): This supernatural dramedy was not a strong performer in its first year, though it did manage to at least get a second season nod. Its numbers dropped even further when it returned–not helped by the fact that Syfy is terrible about promoting its own shows–and the network execs decided not to bring it back for a third year.

For the weekly schedule of sci fi and fantasy shows along with news and the latest trailers, follow our Sci Fi TV Highlights posts.

Scavengers Reign (Max, Cancelled After 1 Season): This unique animated sci fi entry did not make it into the Nielsen Streaming Ranking during its first season run on Max, but it slowly built up word-of-mouth buzz as a sleeper genre entry. Max decided to cancel the show, and while the first season did tell a complete story, executive producers Sean Buckelew and James Merrill have indicated that they have mapped out two more seasons. Netflix picked it up for an encore run with the possibility that it could continue to additional seasons on the service. But it has not charted there so far, and it appears that this one will remain a one-and-done sci fi TV casualty.

Shining Vale (Starz, Cancelled after 2 Seasons): This supernatural comedy arrived on Starz with little fanfare and never developed much of an audience. Despite low viewership in its first year, it did get a second-season nod, but when it returned the show barely registered in the ratings. Starz decided to cancel it at that point, but there are plans for a third season and it has been shopped around. There has been no further word on the show, though, so it looks like this one could be done.

Snowpiercer (TNT/AMC, Ending After 4 Seasons): This post-apocalyptic series performed well in viewership across its first three seasons on TNT, but it was an early victim of the purge of content following the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery.   And even though it had been renewed for a fourth season, it was booted from the schedule as that cable channel moved away from scripted programming. Tomorrow Studios shopped the property around and eventually AMC picked it up and began airing the fourth season in July 2024. The studio also has plans for a potential prequel and sequel series, and if the fourth season performs well for AMC, perhaps those could still go forward at that network.

The Spiderwick Chronicles (Disney+/Roku Channel, Cancelled Before It Began): Like Nautilus above, this adaptation of the beloved children’s books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black got caught up in the content removal plan at Disney+ and was pulled before streaming its first season. Paramount shopped the series around and The Roku Channel picked it up and started streaming it in Spring 2024. The property has plenty more stories to tell, and it has performed well at its new home, but it is unclear if that service has the funds to produce additional seasons of the show.

Star Trek: Discovery (Paramount+, Ending After 5 Seasons): At five seasons and 65 episodes, that is quite a good run for a streaming original these days, especially for a show that was so divisive among fans of the franchise. It was given the chance to wrap up its storylines, and there is still a possibility that the characters could crossover with Strange New Worlds or other Trek shows going forward, or maybe even return for a movie or two.

Keep up with sci fi TV news, updates, trailers and discussions at r/SciFiTV.

Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+, Ending After 5 Seasons): This show will count on the 2024-25 season, but I am including it here because because we know it will be coming to an end. Lower Decks has proven to be a fan-favorite among the new Trek shows, but it has not pulled in notable viewership across its first four seasons. Still, it will get five seasons and 50 episodes along with the chance to wrap up its storylines, which is a good run for a streaming original. And it will also continue with further adventures in a comic book series from IDW.

Star Trek: Prodigy (Paramount+/Netflix, Cancelled After 2 Seasons): This animated Trek entry was cancelled by Paramount+ after its first season due to that streamer going through cost-cutting measures and preparing for an eventual sale. It had already been renewed for a second season, and that was completed and picked up by Netflix, though the streamer did not commit to a third season. Prodigy has failed to chart since it became available for streaming on that service, so it certainly looks like this one will be capped off at two seasons.

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire (Disney+, Mini-Series): This show is a follow-up to Tales of the Jedi and the second installment of Dave Filoni’s “Tales of” season-long anthology.  These will be approached as close-ended mini-series, though there is always the possibility that they could revisit prior stories and characters. Disney+ seems to prefer this stand-alone approach (see Echo above), and we may see more of this from the television entries for its major franchises.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Disney+, Ending After 3 Seasons): This spin-off from Star Wars: The Clone Wars will not enjoy as long of a run as the parent series, but three seasons and 47 episodes is a good tenure for a streaming original. Disney+ is going through some cost-cutting and seems to have lost some faith in the Star Wars franchise, and it may go the mini-series route with the property going forward (see Tales of the Empire above). But The Bad Batch was still well-received and we could see a return of these characters at some point in the future.

Superman & Lois (CW, Cancelled after 4 Seasons): This Arrow-verse-linked show actually counts for the 2024-25 season since it got pushed to a Fall 2024 start, but I am still including it here.  It was done wrong by both The CW and Warner Bros Discovery, and deserved a much better fate. It was consistently one of the top-rated shows on The CW through its first three seasons, but it does not fit in that network’s new direction focusing on low-cost acquisitions. It was renewed for a fourth season, but that will only be ten episodes and its budget has been slashed meaning that many of the regulars will get cut or reduced to minor roles. Warner Bros. Discovery should have just moved it over to Max where it could have run for several more seasons and put together enough episodes for a syndication run (where shows really turn a profit). But they are rebooting their DC properties, so this one did not fit in with their new direction. Now, a once-promising superhero entry will go out with a whimper as will the Arrow-verse. You can see my suggestions on a better way to wrap up that franchise at this link, and fans should continue to stump for more seasons of Superman & Lois.

Sweet Tooth (Netflix, Ending After 3 Seasons): This fantasy entry based on the comic book series by Jeff Lemire performed well for Netflix across its three-season run, placing in the Netflix Top 10 and Nielsen Streaming Rankings. Its third season was announced in advance as its last, allowing it the chance to wrap up its storylines. That gave it what was once considered a fairly standard run for a streaming original before all those services started cancelling their shows all too quickly.

The Umbrella Academy (Netflix, Ending After 4 Seasons): This is another one that counts on the 2024-25 season, but its final year is coming up shortly so I am mentioning it here. It has been a huge hit for Netflix, but they are wrapping it up after four seasons because their model for originals does not sustain shows much beyond that point. It will at least get the chance to wrap up its storylines, and perhaps a spin-off series or two will show up in the next year or so.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (AMC, Mini-Series): This show was planned as a mini-series, but it is the highest-rated of the TWD spin-offs going back to The World Beyond. Showrunner Scott Gimple did tease a possible second season, so there is still a chance it could return and potentially crossover with shows Dead City and Daryl Dixon (both of those were renewed for a second season). But for now I am considering it ended.

Be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site  for breaking news and updates. And for the latest news and discussions on sci fi and fantasy television, follow r/SciFiTV‘

Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and you can see the premieres for all the upcoming genre entries at this link.