Latest Fantasy News: Netflix’s fantasy problem rears its head in the wake of ‘Lockwood & Co.’ cancellation 

Netflix

Netflix is on a swift decline in the eyes of fantasy fans. 

The streamer’s been in hot water for months, following several years of ceaseless cancellations, but it’s latest might be enough to turn subscribers off for good. Netflix’s decision to cancel the popular Lockwood & Co. one season in isn’t sitting well with fantasy fans, who’ve started to realize that maybe the platform simply isn’t equipped to handle our fantasy favorites with the care and respect they deserve.

The Warrior Nun fandom has been clued into the issue for awhile now, but the latest Netflix misstep is only lending fuel to their fire, as they work to gain the favor — and a renewal — of an alternate (and increasingly superior) streaming service. 

Some harsh conversations are popping off among fans of the genre, whose weariness with Netflix’s love for cancellations is hitting a high point. Its causing widespread strife, as fan-favorite shows are pitted against each other and faith in Netflix plummets to unprecedented lows. A mass exodus is all but guaranteed to follow, if Netflix doesn’t get itself sorted out — and soon.

Netflix cancels Lockwood & Co., and signs its own death warrant

Lockwood & Co. isn’t necessarily the end-all be-all of Netflix offerings, but its cancelation might just be enough to ruin the streamer’s reputation — at least among fantasy fans. The platform’s apparent addiction to greenlighting hugely popular adaptations, only to ax them within their first few seasons, has become part of its brand, and it’s not a good look. Lockwood & Co. is just the latest in a years-long string of fantasy cancellations, and fans of the genre are getting sick of putting their faith in doomed properties. They reacted to news of the show’s cancellation with outrage, and blasted Netflix for shattering any remaining faith subscribers had in its future. 

Too many cancellations put anxious Netflix users at odds

The aftermath of Lockwood & Co.‘s cancellation has seen fury on a steep rise, though not everyone is directing it Netflix’s way. While the streamer is inarguably to blame for the devastating array of lost favorites, fans of the latest axed series are turning their ire on the streamer’s un-cancelled shows. Its not fair to compare a series like Lockwood & Co. to Heartstopper, given the two show’s distinctly different stories, tones, and general themes, but its hard not to notice the discrepancies between them. The numbers don’t lie, and Lockwood was distinctly more popular than Heartstopper, so why is the latter returning for a second season while Lockwood fans lose out?

But those axed fantasy shows are the least of its problems

At the end of the day, Netflix’s problems started long before it set its sights on our favorite genre. Its never had a great grasp of the fantasy genre as a whole, and its continued lack of faith in the materials its choosing to adapt burns subscribers time and again. I, for one, am entirely sick of putting my faith in a new series, only to find myself let down — first, by the shoddy decisions made by Netflix and its creatives, then again when the plain product I learned to love gets shown the door. What’s the point of this subscription, again?

Particularly as subscribers catch wise, and lose faith

Look, I’m shamelessly plugging my own work at this point, but I have a feeling you might agree. I’m frustrated, to no end, by how Netflix has been treating our favorite shows, even when we fight tooth and nail to see them return. I know the Warrior Nun fandom knows what I’m talking about. Despite months of effort, the streamer continues to ignore broad fan demands, even as it renews shows with much smaller viewer bases. Make it make sense!

Warrior Nun’s Halo Bearers ditch Netflix for greener pastures

The mass exodus of fantasy fans is starting with Warrior Nun, as the campaign to save the show — cancelled by Netflix after two hugely popular seasons — turns its back on the series’ former home. After nearly six months of silence from Netflix, the Halo Bearers are instead setting their sights on HBO Max, where they hope the show can return and give viewers some long-overdue closure.

About the author

Nahila Bonfiglio

Nahila carefully obsesses over all things geekdom and gaming, bringing her embarrassingly expansive expertise to the team at We Got This Covered. She is a Staff Writer and occasional Editor with a focus on comics, video games, and most importantly ‘Lord of the Rings,’ putting her Bachelors from the University of Texas at Austin to good use. Her work has been featured alongside the greats at NPR, the Daily Dot, and Nautilus Magazine.