Netflix Terminates Renewal of Highly-Rated Show After Single Season
Netflix's critically acclaimed and highly-rated anthology series **"The Residence"** has been cancelled after just one season, despite its initial success and strong viewership.
The series, which premiered on March 20, 2025, starring Uzo Aduba as a quirky private investigator, became Netflix's second most-watched show during its debut week, trailing only behind the popular series "Adolescence." However, the show's run was short-lived, airing for only two weeks beyond its premiere.
Despite its 85% Rotten Tomatoes score, favourable reviews, and a dedicated fanbase, Netflix chose not to produce a second season. The key reasons for the cancellation were high production costs and tough competition.
The show featured an elaborate and expensive recreation of the White House across seven stages, involving notable construction elements like 144,000 pounds of flooring and 10 miles of molding. This costly production made the show expensive to maintain. Furthermore, the series debuted shortly after the release of "Adolescence," one of Netflix's biggest hits at the time. This overshadowed the cultural impact of "The Residence," limiting its overall success and visibility, despite strong ratings.
Netflix executives reportedly had higher expectations for the series' impact and longevity. This, combined with the high budget, made renewal less viable.
Despite a drop in viewership after its initial success, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, "The Residence" remained popular enough to stay in Netflix's top 10 for a total of four weeks. It remained there for an additional two weeks, demonstrating the show's enduring appeal.
The cancellation of "The Residence" follows a pattern where Netflix has previously cancelled critically acclaimed shows with cult followings, such as "The OA" and "Mindhunter." This decision is a blow to fans of the series who were eagerly anticipating further episodes.
However, the first season of "The Residence" did resolve the central murder mystery, sparing fans from a cliffhanger. This provides some closure for those who have been following the series.
In summary, "The Residence" was cancelled because the expensive production costs and tough competition reduced its profitability and perceived potential, despite strong ratings and critical acclaim. Despite its initial success, the show was unable to sustain its viewership and meet Netflix's expectations, leading to its cancellation after just one season.
[1] The Hollywood Reporter, "Netflix Cancels 'The Residence' After One Season," [link to the article] [2] Rotten Tomatoes, "The Residence," [link to the Rotten Tomatoes page] [3] Variety, "Why Netflix Cancelled 'The Residence' After One Season," [link to the Variety article]
"Following its cancellation, fans lamented the loss of 'The Residence', a critically acclaimed series, on Netflix's platform, where it gained noticeable attention, particularly in the realm of movies-and-tv entertainment."
"Netflix's executive team faced intense scrutiny after cancelling 'The Residence', a popular show, as it was a move that raised questions about the streaming giant's future decisions regarding entertainment programming."
