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It's been a long but exciting year of new Netflix content that has included countless shows we couldn't stop binge-watching. The streaming service provided fans with new seasons of original series we love, like The Night Agent, Sweet Magnolias, Ginny & Georgia, Squid Game, Wednesday, and Stranger Things, among many others.
In addition to all of the beloved Netflix originals that made their comebacks, the streamer also debuted a number of new shows. Unfortunately, not all of our favorites — new and returning — made the cut to be renewed for another season. While Netflix didn't cancel as many series as it has in the past, a fair amount of promising titles were still canceled in 2025.
From a spy series that didn't get the ending it deserved to new shows that won't live up to their potential, these are the five Netflix shows that were canceled in 2025 we're still having trouble getting over. Check out our picks and see if you agree!
The Recruit
Noah Centineo's spy comedy-drama series The Recruit was canceled after two seasons in March 2025, and it still doesn't make any sense. When the series first premiered in December 2022, it was a modest hit that quickly earned a season 2 renewal. But due to unforeseen delays caused by the strikes, The Recruit didn't return until January 2025... one week after The Night Agent.
Netflix definitely did The Recruit season 2 a disservice by setting the release date only one week removed from possibly the biggest spy drama on its roster. You would think rising tides lift all boats, but that wasn't the case here. The Recruit got lost in the shuffle, even though season 2 was even better than season 1. We're still salty that we had to say goodbye to Owen Hendricks.
The Waterfront
Some might disagree about the cancellation of The Waterfront, but the family crime drama from Kevin Williamson showed a lot of promise and we're bummed it was canceled. In the thrilling series, the Buckley family fish business becomes involved with a local drug cartel. Before long, they are in too deep as other family secrets look to destroy not only their bond by their dynasty.
The Waterfront boasted an excellent cast that was led by Holt McCallany, Maria Bello, Jake Weary, and Melissa Benoist and delivered its twists successfully across eight episodes. The drama enjoyed a decent-sized viewership following its summer drop and ended with a huge cliffhanger that teased the next chapter for the story, but that wasn't enough for Netflix to renew season 2.
Too Much
Lena Dunham returned to television with her first original series since Girls catapulted her into stardom in the 2010s with the Netflix romantic comedy series Too Much. The series premiered in July 2025 to much hype but little fanfare. For some reason, the series struggled to make an impact on the top 10 in spite of positive reception from fans and critics alike.
After a month's-long silence on the show's fate, Netflix finally revealed that Too Much had been canceled after only one season in November 2025. Overall, it's not a total loss, since the series wrapped up with a satisfying ending that leaves no big questions behind. But it's frustrating that Dunham won't get to continue to build this world's voice with Meg Stalter and Will Sharpe.
Pulse
Like The Recruit, Netflix's first crack at a medical drama series is living proof that premiering in the shadow of another hit series of the same genre can be the kiss of death. Netflix debuted Pulse, its first English-language sexy medical drama procedural in April 2025, just as HBO Max's The Pitt was gaining popularity. The curse of comparison immediately struck Pulse.
It also doesn't help that Pulse was also being compared to Grey's Anatomy, which the series not so subtly nodded to in one of its episodes. Critics and viewers both largely wrote this one off, but Pulse had a lot of potential to be something great. A second season could have helped the show find its footing after a clunky first crack, but now we will never know what could have been.
The Residence
Another Netflix original series that premiered this spring, The Residence connected with audiences and showed a lot of promise to continue on for additional season, but Netflix axed the murder mystery series after only one season. You'd think a show from Shonda Rhimes and starring Emmy Award-winner Uzo Aduba would have a better chance for renewal, but go figure!
Largely, The Residence acts as a self-contained series centered around a murder that takes place in the White House. Aduba's quirky detective character Cordelia Cupp conducts the complicated investigation. The Residence could have continued as an anthology series, even if the title confined the setting to specific locations, but we'll sadly never reunited with Cordelia Cupp now.