Fans Are Still Furious Years Later After Netflix Axes Its Most Unpredictable Mystery Show

Netflix’s teen mystery drama, The Society, continues to haunt fans years after its abrupt cancellation, leaving a devoted audience desperate for answers.

The show, created by Christopher Keyser, premiered on May 10, 2019, and quickly became a standout for its mix of suspense, drama, and thought-provoking exploration of society and growing up.

Starring Kathryn Newton, Gideon Adlon, Sean Berdy, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Jacques Colimon, Olivia DeJonge, Alex Fitzalan, Kristine Froseth, Jose Julian, Alexander MacNicoll, Toby Wallace, and Rachel Keller, the series gained praise for its intriguing story and strong characters.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an 86% approval rating from 36 reviews, with an average score of 7.44/10. The critical consensus reads, “An intriguing tangle of mystery and melodrama, what The Society lacks in levity—and at times clarity—it makes up for with its surprisingly thoughtful exploration of community, culture, and what it means to grow up.”

Despite being renewed for a second season in July 2019, the series faced production delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 21, 2020, Netflix announced that The Society had been canceled, citing increased costs and difficulties in scheduling production during the pandemic.

Fans were shocked and disappointed, and the show quickly became a topic of heated discussion online.

On Reddit, viewers have openly shared their frustration and heartbreak over the cancellation.

One user wrote, “I think about this show more often than I care to admit. I rewatched it last June and then started following this subreddit. At this point, I wish they would just release the script as a book and just let us see how it ended. I know the cast knows how it ended because they had the scripts, so I’m hoping once the NDA is up, at least one of them will spill.”

Another commented, “I think about this show at least once a week. I stg I don’t even care if the cast is 20 years older now. Literally give me an elderly cast and I’d still watch it just for ANSWERS. This show haunts me.”

Fans have also expressed frustration with Netflix’s handling of the series.

One user lamented, “So many good shows canceled because Netflix doesn’t bother to advertise it, make promos, or simply let people have time to watch it so they can fall in love with it.”

Another added, “Honestly I know it’s wishful thinking, but I hope they bring it back or another network picks it up because it was so good! The characters were so strong, and the plot had so much potential. Season 1 was super interesting. It kills me to think we won’t get any more Grizz and Sam content.”

Creator Chris Keyser, who co-created the Fox drama Party of Five and its Freeform reboot, described the cancellation as particularly painful.

Speaking to Deadline, he said, “This was a very tough cancellation. We were, for the second time this year, getting ready to go back into production. Everyone had waited so long for this moment — for the chance to be together again. Saying goodbye so abruptly was the hardest thing I’ve had to do in all my years making shows. We knew we had challenges stemming from the pandemic, but the final decision to cancel us was not something I expected.”

Even years later, The Society remains a fan favorite, with viewers still holding out hope for a return or at least some insight into the story’s planned direction. For many, the series wasn’t just a show, it was a mystery they desperately wanted to see resolved.

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