Netflix Western Creator Blasts Streamer For “Destructive” Behind-The-Scenes Changes After Cancellation

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Following the cancellation of “The Abandons,” its creator, Kurt Sutter, criticized Netflix, calling their internal decisions “destructive.”

Kurt Sutter, known for creating the popular show Sons of Anarchy, was also the driving force behind The Abandons, acting as creator, showrunner, and executive producer. However, Deadline reported in October 2024 – just three weeks before filming was set to finish – that Sutter had left the project, reportedly because of disagreements about the show’s direction. Although all episodes of the first season were released on December 4, 2025, Netflix canceled the series on January 21, 2026.

Okay, so I just saw this on Threads, and honestly, it’s pretty damning. Director Kevin Sutter is really going after Netflix, saying they played it safe and let the algorithm dictate things instead of trusting the creative vision. He thinks they totally ruined a show that could have been amazing, and get this – he claims they blew $150 million trying to fix problems that were just bad leadership decisions! He posted a bunch of headlines about the cancellation alongside his rant, and it’s a pretty brutal take on what’s happening in Hollywood and even on Wall Street. You can check out the full post below, it’s a wild read.

Post by @sutterink
View on Threads

Initial reports said Kurt Sutter left the show because Netflix was worried about the length of the first episode – it was originally an hour and 40 minutes long. Even after it was split into two parts, executives weren’t happy. The final version of the first episode now runs for 50 minutes. This departure follows Sutter stepping down from his role on Mayans M.C., the spin-off to Sons of Anarchy, several years ago.

Lena Headey, known from Game of Thrones, and Gillian Anderson, famous for The X-Files, star in The Abandons. Headey plays Fiona Nolan, and Anderson portrays Constance Van Ness, a determined mine owner who wants to take control of Fiona’s farm. The conflict isn’t just between these two women, however; their respective families – Fiona’s chosen family and the powerful Van Ness dynasty – also become embroiled in the fight.

Matthias Clamer /©Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

Despite featuring a talented cast, the series The Abandons was not well-received by critics or audiences. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a critics’ score of 30% and an audience score of 51%. Reviewers generally agreed that while the actors were strong, the show suffered from weak characters, a lack of originality, and an uninspired story, resulting in a disappointing viewing experience.

I was really impressed when this Western first hit Netflix – it landed at number four worldwide with almost 8 million views in its first week! It held strong there for another week, gaining almost 7.6 million more views. Sadly, by the third week, it had fallen out of the Top 10 and didn’t make a return after that, which was a bit disappointing.

Netflix has canceled another show after just one season: The Abandons. This adds to a growing list of one-season wonders, including popular titles like The Society, I Am Not Okay With This, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, 1899, The Residence, and Boots.

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2026-02-01 18:38