Unfortunately, it's the season for television show cancellations, and we're going to start hearing about a lot of them. The broadcast networks will be pruning their lineups to make way for the new fall schedules, a process that has already begun. But over in the streaming world, that process happens year round, not just in May. So far, there have been a number of cancellations in 2025.
It's not all bad news, though. Plenty of streaming shows have already been renewed for new seasons this year, like Severance, Running Point, The Studio, School Spirits, Paradise, and more. Many streaming favorites are still awaiting word on their fates, but for some unlucky shows, their fates have already been decided... and it's not good news.
While there are many more cancellations worth getting heated over, like Prime Video's Clean Slate and Apple TV+'s Mythic Quest, these four cancellations were some of the most shocking and downright egregious decisions made by streamers so far this year. Let's get this list started with the Peacock comedy that deserved far more love than it ever received.
Based on a True Story
The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco and The Mindy Project alum Chris Messina starred in Peacock's two-hander comedy Based on a True Story as married couple Ava and Nathan, who are expecting their first child. Captivated by true crime stories, Ava becomes wrapped up in the case of the Los Angeles serial killer the Westside Ripper, who the couple befriends and starts a podcast with. The series was a rollercoaster of fun that sadly ended with an unresolved cliffhanger.
Obviously, the plot of the series sounds seriously far-fetched, but let me tell you, it was hilarious and perfectly balanced. Based on a True Story thrust Ava and Nathan on a wild adventure of murder that feeds right into the, dare I say, even more excellent second season. It's such a shame that the series was never able to attain the audience or the promotion it needed to thrive. Cuoco had never been funnier or more confident on screen. Thankfully, we'll see her in a new show very soon.
The Recruit
If there's one thing television fans are going to do, it's get on Netflix's case about canceling shows they love. Well, this year, the streamer added another one to the list and caught the ire of fans. After a thrilling second season, Netflix opted to cancel the Noah Centineo spy comedy The Recruit. We won't be seeing Owen Hendricks back in season 3, and that's simply unacceptable.
Sure, we'll have to accept it eventually but that doesn't make it any easier. The series about a bumbling CIA lawyer found its footing with a tighter, more self-assured season 2 that left lots of potential for the future. Since the show has been axed, that potential will never come to fruition. Netflix definitely shot the show in the foot scheduling so close to The Night Agent, but whatever.
Frasier
Once again, Frasier has left the building... but he shouldn't have! Paramount+ decided to cancel the Frasier revival series after two seasons without giving the nostalgic sitcom the level of promotion it deserves. Did the streamer realize that they had a titan of not only the comedy genre but of television in general on their roster? Any opportunity for Frasier 2.0 to thrive was squandered.
Thankfully, Kelsey Grammer has remained vocal about finding a new home for the canceled revival, though with each passing day, the likelihood of Dr. Crane getting a second chance seems dimmer and dimmer. It's wild to think that these days, even a show like Frasier isn't safe from being canceled out of nowhere. Considering the original ran for 11 seasons and won more Emmys than you would probably think, the revival deserved better than an unceremonious cancellation.
The Sex Lives of College Girls
Finally, the last major streaming cancellation that really struck a chord was Max's The Sex Lives of College Girls. The comedy series came from Mindy Kaling and was a simply hilarious examination at exactly what the title suggests. But more so than sex, the show was about coming of age, experience independence for the first time, the power of female friendship, and so much more.
When the show aired its season 3 finale, which decided to wrap up the storylines without a cliffhanger (apparently not in fear of cancellation but to give the characters a win), that made it a bit easier for Max to cut it from the roster. Warner Bros. attempted to shop the series to other streamers, but Sex Lives was ultimately canceled for good. In another life, the series ran for at least six seasons and saw the college girls through graduation, but alas, the show was egregiously canceled.