Netflix and The CW just canceled three shows and people are upset

A TV with the netflix logo and show art is on fire
(Image credit: Tom's Guide/Netflix/Shutterstock)

Update: Another Netflix show is coming to an end, with Workin' Moms set to conclude after its seventh season next year

Netflix's budget tightening just canceled another animated series before it could air, but the big red streaming machine is not alone. The CW also just brought down the axe of cancelation, nixing a beloved DC show whose fans are saying they better not blame ratings.

So, which fandoms should feel upset? The story starts with Boons & Curses, not to be confused with Bone — the animated series Netflix canceled last month — which was announced to be shut down on April 29. The Hollywood Reporter broke the story in a post that also included the note that Netflix was canceling Dino Daycare, also a kids-targeted show.

Both, series according to sources, were canceled because of creative impasses. Dino Daycare was supposed to be about a nursery for dinosaurs who were taken care of by a 6-year-old boy, while Boons and Curses was supposed to focus on a young warrior in South Asia who was cursed to be made of butter. Netflix promoted it as part of a series of projects with Asian American creators and leads.

Meanwhile in DC-world, Variety reported that The CW had canceled DC’s Legends of Tomorrow after its seventh season. Showrunner Keto Shimizu actually broke the news, tweeting that "the CW has let us know that there will be no season 8." She continued, stating "We are heartbroken, but also immensely grateful for the amazing work our cast, crew, and writers have contributed to the little show that could." The series lived in the Arrowverse, and used characters from both Arrow and The Flash.

Analysis: What's going on here?

Netflix's decision to cancel Boons and Curses and Dino Daycare may be tied to the service wanting to focus on shows that are tied to more well-known characters. Or at least that's what it looks like, as a Netflix press email sent out just now teased new and returning shows including Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, Boss Baby and Sonic Prime. The list includes some other titles that aren't as well known, such as the interactive special We Lost Our Human (featuring Ben Schwartz & Ayo Edebiri) Daniel Spellbound and My Dad the Bounty Hunter.

That said, the crew and people who were eager to see Boons and Curses are upset. Accounts belonging to crew members have been seen on Twitter voicing their disappointment. Marcy Molly "Bones" Jones, a storyboard artist at Netflix tweeted a whole thread of thoughts, with statements including "Netflix doesn't know what they're doing," as well as Netflix's internal explanation. Jones said "They told us their main reason for cancellation was trouble they were having deciding if it belonged in an "action" slate or a "comedy" slate. I'm sure you can decide on the validity of that yourself." 

Meanwhile, big red is committed to one of its most popular and critically reviled movie series, as Netflix's #1 movie has a 0% Rotten Tomatoes score — and another sequel is expected.

One Netflix subscriber even said they canceled Netflix in response to Boons and Curses' cancelation:

As for Legends of Tomorrow? It's unclear what happened here — Variety's story has no explanation for why the series was canceled. A report at Screen Rant speculates that cost-cutting is happening at The CW as its parent companies WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS prepare for a sale.

Twitter user @failwolf1 pointed to ratings for The CW's current scripted shows to show that LoT was doing better than some of the network's other shows, sitting squarely in the middle of the pack when it comes to the prized 18 to 49 year old demographic — and the only show with a year over year improvement. 

Is Legends of Tomorrow that much more expensive than Riverdale? Is something else going on here? We're keeping our eyes open to see if any logical conclusion shows up.

In other entertainment news, a new Obi-Wan Kenobi trailer teases Darth Vader rematch. And for anyone confused by Moon Knight's ending, we've got a guide to the Moon Knight post-credits scene. Plus, Peacock is also canceling shows as the Saved by the Bell reboot has just been axed

TOPICS
Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.