7 Years Ago, Netflix Cancelled an Epic Series Despite Fan Devotion (And the Story Isn’t Over)

by

Netflix is the clear leader in streaming, with shows like Squid Game achieving record-breaking viewership – 1.65 billion hours in its first 91 days. Stranger Things, which ended in late 2025, became the most popular English-language series on the platform with 1.2 billion total views, and Wednesday and Bridgerton are also major hits. However, Netflix is also known for cancelling shows before they can reach their full potential. 1899 was cancelled after just one season despite positive reviews and plans for three seasons, and Santa Clarita Diet ended on a cliffhanger after three seasons. Sense8 only got a finale after a strong fan campaign. One of the most lamented cancellations is The OA.

The creators of The OA, Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, built anticipation for the show by keeping the plot secret and releasing all episodes at once. The series follows Prairie Johnson (Brit Marling), a woman who mysteriously returns to her hometown after being missing for seven years. She regained her sight during her disappearance and now calls herself “The OA,” which stands for Original Angel. Instead of going to the authorities or her family with an explanation, Prairie gathers a small group of people – students and a teacher – and begins to share the story of what happened while she was held captive. The first season received a 77% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and quickly gained a dedicated fanbase, but the show’s most innovative ideas were still developing.

The OA Was Untimely Cancelled

The second part of the TV series The OA, which came out on March 22, 2019, was a bold shift in direction for television. While the first season focused on a small town in Michigan and built its story through personal experiences, the second season moved the entire plot to San Francisco. It also introduced a new storyline following Karim Washington, a detective searching for a missing teen linked to a strange house. Meanwhile, Prairie ventured into another dimension to find her fellow captives, and the group of friends she’d left behind in Michigan traveled across the country to help her.

Wow, the second season finale of The OA really blew my mind! It completely blurred the lines between what was happening in the show and reality, ending with Prairie seemingly as Brit Marling, an actress playing a character on… The OA! It was a clever, meta twist. Critics clearly felt the show was hitting its stride too – it scored a fantastic 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, a big jump from season one. Knowing that Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij always envisioned this as a five-season arc made the whole experience even more captivating, leaving you desperate to see where they’d take the story next.

Netflix cancelled the thought-provoking series The OA on August 5, 2019, just four months after its second season premiered. While the company didn’t publicly explain the decision, former content chief Cindy Holland indicated the show’s ambitious scope and relatively high production costs made it difficult to continue long-term. Actor Jason Isaacs later clarified that the cancellation wasn’t due to a lack of viewers, but rather Netflix’s business model, which discouraged expensive salary increases for actors and creators on shows that lasted many seasons. Netflix offered the show’s creators, Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, a chance to finish the story with a single movie, but they declined, feeling that three seasons were necessary to fully explore the complex narrative.

Can The OA Ever Return?

When Netflix canceled The OA, the reaction from fans was swift, highly organized, and remarkably passionate – unlike most cancellations in the streaming world. The hashtag #SaveTheOA quickly became a global trend, and a petition on Change.org collected hundreds of thousands of signatures. Fans went even further, raising money for a digital billboard in Times Square and organizing flash mobs to perform the show’s signature dance, “The Movements,” in cities around the world. One dedicated fan even protested outside Netflix’s offices with a hunger strike, prompting stars Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij to personally bring her food and water. The cancellation also upset several influential figures in the entertainment industry, including Shonda Rhimes, Sam Esmail, and Alex Kurtzman, who publicly voiced their disappointment. Despite all the outcry, Netflix hasn’t changed its decision, and the show remains available to stream but without any plans for a continuation.

Despite its cancellation, the team behind The OA hasn’t given up hope for a revival. Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, the show’s creators, recently collaborated on a new FX miniseries, A Murder at the End of the World, proving their continued creative partnership. Actor Brandon Perea shared in 2024 that he believes the story isn’t finished and he’s eager to return if it continues. In June 2025, Jason Isaacs revealed on BBC radio that he, Marling, and Batmanglij had discussed the possibility, stating they “had no chance of letting it go.” He then elaborated at Fan Expo Denver in July 2025, telling a Collider panel that everyone involved, regardless of their current success, is enthusiastic about revisiting the series if given the opportunity.

I’ve been following the story of The OA’s cancellation, and Brit Marling, the show’s creator, seems cautiously optimistic. She’s admitted to processing the disappointment of Netflix’s decision, but hasn’t ruled out a revival if the circumstances are right. There’s even buzz that other streamers are interested in continuing the story, though Netflix still owns the rights. Details are scarce, of course. Honestly, seven years later, The OA feels less cancelled and more… in limbo. It’s a strange situation – the show’s existence mirrors the near-death experiences that were so central to its plot! It’s not officially dead, but a true comeback doesn’t seem likely at the moment.

The OA Seasons 1 and 2 are currently available to stream on Netflix. 

Is a third season of The OA still a possibility, or has it been too long for the story to be finished? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/list/7-perfect-netflix-shows-with-no-bad-episodes/embed/#

Read More

2026-03-22 22:48