Netflix’s The OA is a Sci-Fi Masterpiece That Refuses to Die

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It’s been seven years since the second season of the show first aired on March 22, 2019, and the sci-fi mystery continues to capture attention even after being cancelled. Netflix has a history of ending shows that don’t attract a large enough audience or aren’t performing well – series like Sense8, 1899, The Get Down, and Archive 81 have all faced this fate. However, not every cancelled show stays popular for years afterward.

The cancellation of several shows, often before they could finish their stories, has become a major source of frustration for viewers. This problem has grown with the rise of streaming series, and it’s recently brought renewed attention to unfinished shows like The OA. It’s been seven years since its cancellation.

The OA’s Second Season Released On Netflix 7 Years Ago Today

From the creators of Sound of My Voice and Murder at the End of the World, Zal Batmanglij and Brit Marling, comes The OA. This Netflix series, which debuted in December 2016, stars Marling as Prairie Johnson, a woman who mysteriously regains her sight after being missing for seven years.

The OA delved into big ideas like what happens after death, the meaning of life, traveling between worlds, and the importance of human relationships. It quickly gained a following, and the second season brilliantly expanded the story by introducing another dimension that some of the characters were able to reach.

Even though the show received very positive reviews and a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Netflix cancelled it after its second season in 2019. The show arguably became more straightforward, focusing on a crime mystery, and added Kingsley Ben-Adir as detective Karim Washington, but this wasn’t enough to prevent the cancellation.

The cancellation of The OA feels particularly frustrating because the second season ended on a huge cliffhanger. The final scene revealed that The OA and Hap were transported to another dimension – specifically, a TV soundstage where they were reborn as actors named ‘Brit’ and ‘Jason Isaacs’.

Steve (Patrick Gibson) greeted them and demonstrated the Movements, eventually finding the OA. However, the mystery surrounding this encounter remains unsolved even after seven years.

7 Years Later, The OA Still Refuses to Fade Into Obscurity

From the beginning, fans have wanted more of the show. The creators, Batmanglij and Marling, originally envisioned a five-season arc to fully explore the complex and far-reaching story, but the show was ultimately limited to just two seasons.

Netflix suggested the creators finish The OA with a movie, much like the finale for Sense8, but they declined. This likely keeps the possibility of the show continuing open. As a result, The OA remains an incomplete story with an unresolved ending, avoiding the fate of so many other cancelled streaming series.

With each passing year, The OA feels even more special. It’s a standout example of a cancelled show that bucks the trend of streaming series being quickly replaced and forgotten. Both the people who made it and its devoted fans are determined to keep The OA’s memory alive.

Since the show was cancelled, fans have continued to passionately campaign for its revival. It’s rare to see such a dedicated and vocal fanbase fighting for a cancelled series, and this is largely because the story felt unfinished when it ended.

Viewers are eager to see the complete, complex story unfold, and knowing there’s enough material for at least three more seasons has kept them engaged.

Interest In The OA’s Return Has Been Rising Again Recently

For the past seven years, The OA has become well-known as an example of the potential lost when streaming services cancel promising shows before they can fully develop. This disappointment is felt not only by viewers, but also by the people who made the series.

After The OA was canceled, its devoted fans launched campaigns like #SavetheOA and #TheOAisReal, started a petition on Change.org, and even raised money for a Times Square billboard. They continued to share videos of themselves performing the show’s signature Movements, all in an effort to keep interest alive and potentially bring the series back.

For a while, Batmanglij and Marling have hinted at the possibility of continuing the show. Recently, Jason Isaacs, who played Hap, said on Live with Kelly and Mark that the show isn’t finished and the creators are determined to revive it, leading to renewed hope that The OA might return soon.

When Netflix cancelled The OA seven years ago, it seemed like a major error. Ironically, the backlash to that decision has actually generated a lot of renewed interest in the show. If The OA ever comes back for a third season, it will demonstrate that audiences still want shows to be allowed to finish their stories. While the show’s incomplete ending is frustrating, a return would be wonderful.

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2026-03-22 14:37