5 shows Netflix renewed and then forgot about

With such a significant influx of content coming out every single day, it's hard to keep up with everything and that applies to streamers and networks, too. Sometimes television shows and movies fall through the cracks, regardless of how much we love them. It can be due to financial reasons, production, or sometimes casting drama, there's all sorts of reasons I show might get stuck in limbo despite being well-received or getting renewed.

We also have to keep in mind that in 2023, Hollywood was in a standstill due to the SAG and WGA strikes, which impacted dozens of productions. So, that is something worth considering as you look through our list of shows Netflix seems to have forgotten about despite renewing.

Ratched

• Last episode aired: Sept. 18, 2020

A prequel series to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Netflix initially ordered two seasons of Ratched, but a second season has yet to be produced. Even star Sarah Paulson, who plays titular character Nurse Mildred Ratched, said she wasn't sure if Ratched season 2 was still going to happen. Considering we haven't had an update on the series since it debuted in 2020, the odds are not looking good for Ratched returning.

God's Favorite Idiot

• Last episode aired: Jun. 15, 2022

God's Favorite Idiot is a religious/apocalyptic workplace comedy series starring Melissa McCarthy and her real-life husband Ben Falcone. The series started in June 2022 and featured eight episodes, but Netflix initially ordered 16 installments. There hasn't been any update on the additional episodes and it seems unlikely that they'll ever be produced. McCarthy is an A-list actress who is generally always booked and busy, so it would probably take some scheduling to make filming work. The show was also not critically well-received and underperformed in terms of rating, so Netflix might have decided to just drop it altogether.

The Watcher

• Last episode aired: Oct. 13, 2022

Another Ryan Murphy project, The Watcher was renewed for a second season shortly after it debuted in 2022 alongside Murphy's other series Monster. But while we've had significant updates on Monster season 2, which will focus on the Menendez brothers, we have yet to hear anything about The Watcher season 2. It should be noted that the series was conceived as a miniseries, so it could be that the writers and production are unsure of what direction to take the show just yet.

Mo

• Last episode aired: Aug. 24, 2022

Mo is a critically-acclaimed comedy series starring Mo Amer, who you might recognize from another acclaimed comedy the Hulu series Ramy. Despite receiving acclaim, Mo sat in limbo for a long time before Netflix finally renewed it for a second and final season in January 2023. Since then, it's been crickets. That said, I think Mo was probably held up due to the SAG and WGA strikes and hopefully production on season 2 will get underway this year.

Hellbound

• Last episode aired: Nov. 19, 2021

Hellbound is a dark fantasy Korean drama series that debuted in 2021 and actually outperformed Squid Game, which makes the wait time between seasons all the more surprising. Netflix renewed the show in Sept. 2022. But Hellbound hit a snag when series star Yoo Ah-in was caught up in a drug scandal. The actor has since been replaced by Kim Sung-cheol.

Later, another actor, Yang Dong-geun, exited the series and has since been replaced. Given the casting shuffle, it makes sense why it has taken so long for Hellbound season 2 to get underway. Production did finally get underway in August 2023, so hopefully it won't be too much longer until we get to see new episodes.