Netflix Announces Surprise Cancellation of 2 New Series

Less than two months after cancelling four of its original series, Netflix is letting the hammer drop again—this time on two shows that were only given a single season to show what they can do.

On Wednesday, Netflix announced that it would not be renewing either The Residence or Pulse for a second season. As Deadline reports, both shows premiered in the spring and seemed off to promising starts, with both series spending some time among Netflix’s Top 10 most streamed shows.

Of the two series, The Residence might be the more surprising cancellation. Created by Paul William Davies, the kooky murder-mystery-rom-com was part of Shonda Rhimes’ “Shondaland” lineup for the streamer, which has had record-breaking success with series like Bridgerton.

The Residence stars Orange Is the New Black’s Uzo Aduba as Cordelia Cupp, a quirky detective who is dispatched to The White House in order to solve a murder that occurred during a State Dinner. The stellar ensemble cast includes Giancarlo Esposito as the White House Chief Usher, Molly Griggs as the president's social secretary, Ken Marino as the president's chief adviser, Randall Park as an FBI Special Agent, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Aduba’s boss.

The Residence holds an impressive 85 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, and garnered great reviews from top critics like NPR’s Eric Deggans, who called it “A superior, genre-blending TV experience.”

Pulse is a different case altogether. Though it didn’t have the star power of The Residence or as much critical acclaim, it did have its own unique sell: the series, about a group of ER residents working in a busy Miami hospital, was Netflix’s first real go at a proper medical drama. Unfortunately for the series, its demise could have been a matter of poor timing.

Pulse premiered just as Max’s universally acclaimed The Pitt was ending its outstanding first season, which reunited ER’s John Wells and Noah Wyle to nearly unanimous accolades. That series boasts a near-perfect 95 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes.

While not officially canceled, The Hollywood Reporter says that yet another Netflix newcomer, Liz Feldman’s No Good Deed starring Denis Leary, Ray Romano, and Lisa Kudrow, is on an “indefinite hiatus.”