7 Netflix Shows That Were Cancelled Too Soon

6. The Get Down

Luke Cage
Netflix

Why It Was Cancelled: With only 11 episodes under its belt, The Get Down was axed by Netflix in May 2017.

The show was plagued with issues. Alongside multiple production delays, it carried a rumoured overall budget of $120 million, which would have made it the most expensive series on television, and these high costs - whether they were actually that high or not - contributed to Netflix's decision to pull the plug.

Why It Deserved A Future: With an addictive soundtrack and creator Baz Luhrmann's (The Great Gatsby, Moulin Rouge!) extravagant stylistic choices, The Get Down feels like nothing else you can watch on Netflix. Its talented young cast were great fun to watch, and they - like the show as a whole - got better with each episode.

The first season is broken up into two halves, with the first taking place in 1977 and the second in 1978. This year-hopping format allowed each half of the show to feel distinct, yet connected, while slowly chronicling the evolution of the music at the time. If The Get Down had been renewed, this structure could have been exploited to great effect going forward.

We could have jumped ahead to the '80s, the '90s or even the '00s. Different styles of music could have been explored, and perhaps the show could have been turned into an anthology, with one series having a disco vibe and another focusing on R&B. Or, we could've simply got more episodes set in 1979.

The Get Down's combination of engaging characters and killer music is an incredibly appealing mix, and there are many directions it could have taken in future seasons.

Contributor
Contributor

WhoCulture Channel Manager/Doctor Who Editor at WhatCulture. Can confirm that bow ties are cool.