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Why was 'Kaos' canceled? Netflix under fire for axing hit show after just one season

Fans of Netflix's new show 'Kaos' are devastated by the streaming platform's decision to cancel any further seasons of the series

LONDON, ENGLAND: 'Kaos', the British mythological drama that received positive reviews and was warmly embraced by fans, has been canceled after its first season. Despite its strong fan base and impressive Top 10 rankings in several countries, it couldn't escape the fate of being yet another good show canceled on Netflix'.

Premiered on August 29, the dark comedy show was praised for its bold attempt, blending Greek mythology with a modern twist. The show also boasted a stellar cast, featuring Jeff Goldblum, McTeer, Cliff Curtis, David Thewlis, and Aurora Perrineau. Despite the star power and positive reviews, 'Kaos' didn't get a second chance, leaving fans extremely frustrated.

Why is 'Kaos' Season 2 canceled?

Regardless of a show's quality, it ultimately comes down to viewership numbers. That's what happened with 'Kaos' which started strong with massive viewership but it gradually declined to a point that Netflix couldn't afford to have another season of it.

Week 1 recorded 22.8 million hours watched, or roughly 3.4 million views, followed by a massive boost in Week 2 with a 72% boost to 39.2 million hours viewed translating to 5.9 million views, as per Forbes. However, from that point on, viewership began to decline. By Week 3, views dropped by 43%, falling to 22.4 million hours, and in the fourth week, there was an even steeper decline to 14.5 million hours, which equated to just 2.2 million views.

Overall, 'Kaos' recorded around 98.9 million hours watched or about 14.9 million views. While these numbers may seem impressive, Netflix decided to cancel the show because they were anticipating consistent growth, which did not happen as viewership continued to decline each week.

'Kaos' star Aurora Perrineau broke the news to fans

The news of the cancellation of 'Kaos' first reached fans through Aurora Perrineau, who plays Eurydice aka Riddy in the show. "Well... this one hurts," she wrote in her heartfelt post.

A part of her long Instagram post reads, "When I started auditioning for this show, I knew it was special, mainly due to the fact that Charlie Covell’s scripts resonated with me in a way most things hadn’t. I knew all of these people, and I loved them all — every flaw, everything."

Signing off as Riddy, she concluded, "Everyone was brilliant and uniquely themselves. Every performance surprised and excited me. I can’t believe I got to do this with all of you. We made something weird, dark, hilarious, deranged, and absolutely tragic — something entirely human. THIS is a feeling I plan to take with me. Thanks for letting me be your Riddy. I had the time of my life."

Fans express displeasure over 'Kaos' cancellation

Fans on the internet are not pleased with Netflix's decision to cancel their new favorite show. On X, one fan said, "Quite frankly, if I don't get a second season of Kaos, my Netflix account is getting cancelled. It is the most original, well written, beautifully clever show that has been produced in a long time. The whole crew deserve to be rewarded."

"Netflix cancelling a show that was slated for three seasons for the complete story is so fucking stupid. Bring back Kaos and stop cancelling your queer shows," added another fan.

One angry fan wrote, "They cancelled Kaos. What is the point of starting anything on Netflix anymore. They clearly only take on shows to get more subscribers and money for themselves and don't actually invest in creatives giving their heart and soul projects to them."

Another fan said, "This is frustrating. KAOS barely had time to fly. It featured an eclectic cast, incredible diversity, and a twist on Greek mythology. Season 2 would've been a banger. If Netflix isn't going to allow its content to grow, give it up to another platform. It just got started!"

One user sarcastically said, "We live in a world where Emily in Paris will go on forever and shows like Kaos and My Lady Jane can't get a season 2. Get me out of this timeline."

Well, Perrineau rightly said that this hurts.

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