Spinning Out: Netflix cancels competitive skating drama after one season

Spinning Out won’t return to the ice for season 2.

It seemed like the writing was on the wall for Spinning Out after Netflix commissioned Zero Chill but it’s still disappointing to learn the series won’t return for season 2. Deadline reports the streaming service has decided not to move forward with another season after a month of reviewing the ratings.

However, the cancellation does bring up whether Netflix actually did enough to help the series succeed. Spinning Out is an expensive show, which required a lot of choreography and stunt work due to the premise of competitive figure skating. The show premiered on January 1, which was a Wednesday and a holiday, and didn’t get much promotion at all. At first glance, the assumption would be Netflix buried a show they knew wouldn’t do well with critics, but the series has actually been pretty warmly received.

Spinning Out revolved around competitive skater, Kat Baker (Skins‘ Kaya Scodelario) who suffers a traumatic injury and is on the verge of quitting her passion. She’s given a second chance at skating by partnering up with surprisingly layered “bad boy” skater, Justin (Evan Roderick). On top of the physical, mental, and emotional toll of skating, she also has a complicated home life to contend with. Her mother (Mad Men‘s January Jones), is a former skater who pushes both Kat, and Kat’s younger sister Serena (Willow Shields) a little too hard at times.

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Created by Samantha Stratton, a former figure skater herself, the show has been applauded for accurately showcasing the pressure put on young athletes. However, Spinning Out‘s greatest success has come in its portrayal of mental illness. Both Kat and her mother live with bipolar disorder and the series shows how this affects every aspect of their lives. It’s not perfect but the care and research that went into the show does shine through in many scenes. Stratton herself spoke to Hollywood Reporter about trying to balance the tones and portrayal of mental illness on the series.

"“Yes, there are moments where it treats it seriously, and there is a gravity to it for sure, but I didn’t want to write a woman-on-the-verge story. I wanted to write a story about someone who could learn to live with her disorder and who could thrive.”"

Spinning Out also touches upon how mental illness also affects the people around you. Serena, specifically, doesn’t understand how to separate her family from some of their episodes and can frustratingly lash out. While Justin is happy to deal with the fallout of Kat’s manic episode, he’s not totally sure if he can handle the emotional toll it could take on him in the future. Stratton spoke in the same interview though how Kat coming to terms with her disorder and opening up to her loved ones was meant to show her strength.

"“Mental disorders can be crippling, and they can be huge mountains to climb, but they also give you a certain perspective on the world that is valuable and shows vulnerability and shows strength. I hope that I’ve been able to depict bipolar disorder in a way that acknowledges how serious it can be and how difficult it can be to live with, but also that you can live with it successfully, and I think that’s really important.”"

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It doesn’t sound like the series will land on a different network but one can hope. There was plenty potential for a season 2 of Spinning Out, that it would be great to see the story continue. It originally had a series order at Pop, which just recently saved One Day at a Time from Netflix, so anything is possible.

Are you disappointed Spinning Out was canceled? Would you watch another season? Be sure to tell us in the comment section below!

Source: Deadline

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