Netflix is pulling back the curtain on viewership for its thousands of original shows. And that means getting more insight into why programs like Shadow and Bone, the ambitious fantasy series, were canceled.
The top streaming platform released a list detailing viewership for all its programs this week. It breaks down each series by hours viewed since release date, and topping the list for 2023 is the first season of The Night Agent, based on the Matthew Quirk book of the same name that follows an FBI agent chasing a mole at the White House. It racked up 812 million viewing hours.
Such favorites as Ginny & Georgia season two, Wednesday season one and Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story fill out the top five. But further down the list, you can find shows like Shadow, which was axed last month.
How Many People Watched Netflix’s Shadow and Bone?
In fact, Shadow season two ranked among Netflix’s top 30 programs, with 192.9 million hours streamed since its release in March. That was ahead of, for example, Murder Mystery 2, one of Netflix’s most-watched movies of 2023, and Emily in Paris season three, which came out at the tail end of 2022.
Indeed, fans of the fantasy series were griping on social media, wondering how Netflix decided to stop Shadow and not some other shows that ranked above it. After all, the show placed 26th overall out of more than 18,000 Netflix originals—not too shabby, but you also have to consider the investment in a program and how the costs net out.
Shadow, with its epic worldbuilding, extravagant sets and big cast, was not cheap to make, and that surely played into Netflix’s decision. Season one of the show still ranked in Netflix’s top 100 more than two years after its release, with 99.5 million streaming hours.
Top Canceled Shows On Netflix
Of course, Shadow wasn’t the only show canceled by Netflix, though it was the most-watched one. Some series reached a natural conclusion, such as Never Have I Ever, which released its fourth and final season in June. It amassed 168.3 million hours of viewership, ranking in Netflix’s top 40.
Another program, Manifest, which Netflix took on after NBC canceled it, also concluded with season four. The final season drew 262.6 million viewer hours, the 11th most-watched show of the year.
The series Firefly Lane also ended after two seasons, which was the creators’ choice. It ranked 13th overall on Netflix in 2023 with 251.5 million hours viewed.
Viewership For Other Netflix Canceled Shows
In addition to Shadow, Netflix has canceled many other programs this year. Here’s how their viewership stacks up.
Sex/Life Season Two
The second season of the erotic program about a married woman who reconnects with a wild ex drew an impressive 175.5 million viewer hours to rank among Netflix’s top 35. Series star Sarah Shahi had signed on to an ABC program.
Agent Elvis Season One
The animated series’ first season reimagines Elvis Presley as a secret agent. It was co-created by Priscilla Presley and received middling reviews. The show drew 5.5 million viewer hours, ranking just outside Netflix’s top 3,000 shows.
Ridley Jones Season Five
The animated series about an adventurous girl who explores a museum after-hours was axed after season five. The show encountered a bit of controversy over the inclusion of a nonbinary character, believed to be a first for an American preschool program. Season five drew 8.7 million viewer hours, putting it around the top 2,300 Netflix programs.
Glamorous Season One
Kim Cattrall vehicle Glamorous, about a young queer person navigating the fashion industry, won’t be returning for season two. The first season ranked in Netflix’s top 500, with 36.6 million viewer hours.
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