It’s easy for shows to get lost in today’s crowded streaming landscape. When Netflix doesn’t quickly build on a hit, its chances of repeating that success fade fast. This is happening with , a popular series from 2022 created by the minds behind American Horror Story and Glee. The seven-episode show quickly became the most-watched series on Netflix, staying at number one for weeks and even surpassing the popularity of Ryan Murphy’s previous hit, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.
The Netflix series The Watcher is inspired by the real-life story of a couple in Westfield, New Jersey, who were harassed by a mysterious stalker calling himself “The Watcher.” Featuring Naomi Watts, Bobby Cannavale, and Mia Farrow (known from Rosemary’s Baby), the show didn’t receive positive reviews – critics gave it a 54% rating, and viewers only gave it 36% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, despite the poor reviews, The Watcher was a hit with audiences, racking up over 2.35 billion minutes of watch time in its first week and quickly earning a renewal for a second season.
There Hasn’t Been an Update on The Watcher in 4 Years, Even for the Actors
Four years have passed since the show became a huge hit in 2022. Originally intended as a limited series, its popularity led Netflix to consider continuing it. However, it’s currently unknown if the next season will follow up on the first season’s story about the Brannock family, or if it will tell a completely new true crime story.
There haven’t been any updates about a second season since the first one ended. Back in 2024, Naomi Watts was asked if she’d be involved in another season, and she explained that the cast and crew had moved on, so she didn’t know if the show would continue. While she didn’t officially say The Watcher was cancelled, she didn’t seem hopeful about returning.
A continuation of The Watcher after four years isn’t impossible, especially since Netflix viewers are accustomed to waiting a long time for new seasons of popular shows like Stranger Things. However, delaying the show further could make it more costly to produce, cause viewers to lose interest, and lead Netflix to prioritize different projects.
Netflix has a history of canceling shows, even popular ones like The Watcher. A show’s ratings don’t always guarantee it will be renewed; the streaming service has previously canceled fan favorites such as The OA, Sense8, and Santa Clarita Diet, even after three seasons.
Netflix Has a Bad Reputation for Cancelling Successful Shows, Even After Being Renewed
Viewers have started jokingly noticing that Netflix’s decisions about renewing or canceling shows often seem random. While factors like cost and popularity definitely play a role, it’s especially frustrating when a good series gets canceled after viewers have spent a lot of time and become emotionally invested in it.
Shows like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Glow, and Bloodline were successful enough to run for multiple seasons and receive positive reviews. However, series such as 1899, Archive 81, and The Get Down were cancelled by the streaming service after only a short time.
Netflix often prioritizes adding a large volume of content to attract and keep subscribers, but this creates challenges when deciding which shows to continue and which new ones to fund. Viewers have become increasingly frustrated over the years with the frequent cancellations, and this dissatisfaction is still growing.
Netflix could learn from Apple TV+ by prioritizing fewer, high-quality shows and movies built for long-term success. Apple TV+ has a small number of original programs, but they consistently receive strong reviews and attract large audiences. Their films are regularly nominated for Oscars, and their shows remain popular even after finishing their runs. A good example is how Apple TV+ brought back Ted Lasso after it concluded in 2023, demonstrating a strategy Netflix could benefit from.
While The Watcher is still in renewal limbo, all of Season 1’s episodes can be streamed on Netflix.
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2026-03-29 02:36