'The Society' And 'I Am Not Okay With This', Previously Renewed By Netflix, Now Canceled Because Of Pandemic Issues
Netflix giveth and Netflix taketh away. The streaming giant previously renewed both The Society and I Am Not Okay With This for second seasons. But in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus, the streamer has reversed course and canceled both shows instead. Netflix was reportedly happy with both shows, but issues involving scheduling and budget ended up sounding the death knell.
THR says Netflix has canceled both The Society and I Am Not Okay With This. Netflix cancels shows all the time, but what makes these cancelations particularly noteworthy is the fact that the streaming service had already given both shows renewals. But things aren't so simply anymore in a world where coronavirus continues to run rampant. There are now issues involving travel, scheduling, and budget – productions need to take out much heftier insurance policies due to the virus, which gets rolled into the budget.
"We've made the difficult decision not to move forward with second seasons of The Society and I Am Not Okay With This," said Netflix. "We're disappointed to have to make these decisions due to circumstances created by COVID, and we are grateful to these creators, including: Jonathan Entwistle, Christy Hall, Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Dan Cohen and Josh Barry at 21 Laps Entertainment for I Am Not Okay With This; Chris Keyser, Marc Webb and Pavlina Hatoupis for The Society; and all the writers, casts and crews who worked tirelessly to make these shows for our members around the world."
One has to wonder if this will start a trend. Many Netflix shows live or die by those budgets, and if Netflix has to start pumping out more money than they'd like due to coronavirus matters, they're apt to start pulling more plugs. It's a bummer, but it's the world we live in right now.
The Society follows "a group of teenagers who are mysteriously transported to a facsimile of their wealthy New England town, left without any trace of their parents. As they struggle to figure out what has happened to them and how to get home, they must establish order and form alliances if they want to survive." A modern-day take on Lord of the Flies, the show had already begun casting new roles for its second seasonI Am Not Okay With This, based on the Charles Forsman graphic novel, is an "origin story that follows a teenage girl who's navigating the trials and tribulations of high school, all while dealing with the complexities of her family, her budding sexuality, and mysterious superpowers just beginning to awaken deep within her." Netflix actually hadn't announced a renewal for the show officially, but THR says they had previously decided to go ahead with another season.