7 Netflix Shows That Were Cancelled Too Soon

4. Luke Cage

Luke Cage
Netflix

Why It Was Cancelled: Word of the show's cancellation came on 19 October, with a statement directly from Marvel and Netflix:

"Unfortunately, Marvel's Luke Cage will not return for a third season. Everyone at Marvel Television and Netflix is grateful to the dedicated showrunner, writers, cast and crew who brought Harlem's Hero to life for the past two seasons, and to all the fans who have supported the series."

Additionally, sources for THR hinted that the cancellation was caused by creative differences, with the added wrinkle of nobody being able to agree to terms for a third season.

Why It Deserved A Future: Luke Cage season two was just as good as - if not better than - its brilliant first season, aided by another strong villain in Bushmaster and a compelling Mariah Dillard arc.

The fact that the showrunners were able to maintain such a high bar almost guaranteed that season three would be another quality bunch of episodes, so it's odd that such a slam-dunk opportunity isn't being taken.

Season two also ended on something of a cliffhanger. With Luke now in charge of Harlem's Paradise, the stage was set for a much darker third season that might have seen him edge closer to becoming a villain. That sounds compelling, and ending season two this way clearly indicates that the showrunners had a plan; it's just frustrating that they won't get to execute it.

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Danny has been with WhatCulture for almost nine years, and is currently Doctor Who Editor and WhoCulture Channel Manager, overseeing all of WhatCulture's Whoniverse coverage. He has been writing and video editing for 10+ years, and first got a taste for content creation after making his own Doctor Who trailers and uploading them to YouTube (they're admittedly a bit rusty by today's standards). If you need someone to recite every Doctor Who episode in order or to tell you about the making of 1988's Remembrance of the Daleks, Danny is the person to ask.