Elite, Big Mouth, and 6 Netflix shows we’re surprised are still going in 2023

Netflix has earned a bad reputation for canceling shows left and right. In 2022 alone, the streaming service canceled 20+ series, with countless others left hanging in the balance. There are series that Netflix never officially cancels or renews and leaves in limbo forever.

But even though Netflix shows are more often canceled than renewed, a few have somehow beaten the odds and persisted for multiple seasons—for better or worse. Some of the shows below probably should have ended a while ago, but a few are popular, long-running, and still going strong.

Here are the Netflix shows we’re most surprised to see are still producing new seasons in 2023.

Netflix shows we’re surprised are still going in 2023

Big Mouth

Big Mouth is one of Netflix’s most successful animated shows of all time and certainly one of its most popular adult animated sitcoms. Its inclusion on this list isn’t a negative thing, but more so admiration of an impressive feat.

Netflix is known for canceling more and more shows as time passes, and even its most successful series rarely makes it beyond three or four seasons. So the fact this little animated show is still chugging along after six seasons with a seventh on the way and no signs of slowing down is a commendable achievement.

Not only does Big Mouth frequently get renewed before new seasons even air, but it also spawned a successful spinoff with a new season in the works. It’s harder than ever for Netflix shows to flourish on the service—especially animated content, which Netflix has been canceling, and un-renewing quite a bit, so Big Mouth has accomplished something particularly notable in this space.

Virgin River

Like Big Mouth, Virgin River has defied the odds and continued for five seasons. What’s even more surprising about this show is that its episode count increased with its latest season instead of decreasing. Netflix has already given the show a fifth season order, but how many more seasons can we expect?

Given the Hallmark quality and the weirdly slow way time passes on this show (seriously, how long has Charmaine been pregnant at this point?!), it’s a bit surprising how beloved it is. Still, I understand Virgin River has a certain comforting and dependable quality that has kept its fans loyal over the years. The fact it is filmed in Canada and likely cheap to produce probably doesn’t hurt either.

Sex Education

Sex Education is an excellent show that I’m glad Netflix has continued to renew over the years, but headed into its fourth season, I’m a little surprised we haven’t seen a “final season” announcement yet.

While the series continues its deft handling of important and topical subjects like sexuality and consent, many of its stars are moving on to other projects, and the fourth season will see a sizable cast shakeup with many characters not returning.

People like Patricia Allison (Ola) and Simone Ashley (Olivia) will not be coming back to reprise their characters in season 4, while stars like Ncuti Gatwa and Emma Mackey are doing massive projects, with Gatwa becoming the fifteenth doctor in the long-running sci-fi series Doctor Who and Mackey starring opposite Margot Robbie in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming film Barbie.

Not only that, but the characters are moving on from Moordale Secondary to attend a new school, Cavendish Sixth Form College. Sex Education season 4 will see the most significant changes to the show yet, so it’ll be interesting to see how the series handles it.

Elite

Elite is like a Spanish version of Gossip Girl, following a bunch of wealthy, privileged teenagers at an exclusive boarding school, except with way more threesomes and gratuitous sex scenes. It’s surprising that Elite is still going, given how often the cast has changed, with many fan favorites leaving or being killed off. Some have also complained that the seasonal storylines have grown repetitive.

The sixth season premiered in 2022, and a seventh season has been confirmed. That’s practically unheard of nowadays with Netflix Originals, so it’s going to be interesting to see just how long this show can go. There’s even a rumor that the creator has enough ideas to last 20 seasons.

The Circle

This might just be me being a hater, but I don’t understand the appeal of The Circle. I tried watching it and found it very dull. There’s only so much entertainment I can get from watching people send text messages to each other, as face-to-face encounters are far and few between. It’s not spicy or dramatic enough for my tastes, so the entertainment value is low. But the show is still going strong and seems to be one of Netflix’s most popular reality shows.

Too Hot to Handle

There’s nothing inherently wrong with Too Hot to Handle if you’re a fan of silly reality shows, but Too Hot to Handle‘s continued success is a little surprising, given how hard it can be to follow in terms of the rules.

It seems like Lana changes things every season, and it’s hard to understand her logic sometimes. For instance, in the latest season, fans became confused as to why James didn’t win anything despite ending up in a relationship, not breaking any rules, and showing real growth from start to finish.

The two couples who regularly broke the rules and lost the most money were nominated as finalists. It makes it hard to root for people when there’s no set basis for what’s rewarded and what isn’t. That said, Netflix seems intent on continuing the show, as there are even some international spinoffs.

Which Netflix shows are you most surprised still airing new seasons in 2023? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below!