While 2025 brought some big losses when it came to broadcast networks, the streaming platforms didn’t skip out on the mess. There were many shows canceled or confirmed as ending throughout 2025, and they brought a mixture of emotions.
For some of the cancellations, the feeling of being sad came up. Part of that is because we knew that the shows had to come to an end at some point, but we just weren’t ready for it. At least the shows have been given time to craft a proper ending, and that’s why I’m sad and not salty about them.
Look, there are so many streamers and premium cable networks now. It’s hard to cover everything, so here are the seven I’m most sad about losing in 2025. And while there may be seasons still to come in 2026, those cancellations happened in 2025 — that doesn’t mean they can’t be on a list for the year they end up coming to an end as well!
The Handmaid’s Tale
After six seasons, The Handmaid’s Tale wrapped up in the summer of 2025. It brought tears and tensions, as we waited to see how the story would end for each of our favorite characters.
Yes, there were certainly some shocking moments and twists that we didn’t call, and there was a major sacrifice made that will make us love Joseph Lawrence all the more every time we rewatch! We also saw just how dumb some characters could be in the hope of a “better world,” falling for every trick in the book.
In the end, The Handmaid’s Tale got a chance to end on its own terms. And it was one of those endings that won’t work for everyone. After all, there wasn’t the traditional closure, with June getting both her daughters back and Gilead ending forever. That’s because the story is still to continue in a way. The Testaments will arrive in 2026, bringing us Hannah and Daisy’s story, along with a chance for Aunt Lydia to gain full redemption.
The Handmaid’s Tale is available to stream on Hulu.
Cobra Kai
There were a few shocking and horrible cancellations on Netflix, but there were also some sad ones. One of those was Cobra Kai, which ended its six-season story earlier this year. While it was sad, it worked for the series, and this was one of those shows that desperately needed closure.
In the end, we got to see how Cobra Kai and Miyagi Do styles were combined as the best way to beat better fighters out there. It was a chance to see that the “good” side doesn’t always win out, and sometimes, you have to take on a different persona and channel an “enemy” to succeed.
More importantly, over the course of six seasons, we got to see the friendship between Danny and Johnny blossom, and at the heart of it all, this is what Cobra Kai was about. The show ends with hope for a continuation in the universe, and maybe there could be something that comes up in a subsequent Karate Kid movie, especially after Legends.
Cobra Kai is available to stream on Netflix.
Outer Banks
Another Netflix show that was announced as ending in 2025 was Outer Banks, and just like with the previous two shows on this list, it’s a sad cancellation. Sure, we would love to see this show continue, but all good things have to come to an end, and this is one of those things. At least it gets to end on its own terms, as it was always envisioned as a five-season story.
The great thing about Outer Banks is that it’s not quite over this year. While the show was confirmed as ending, Outer Banks season 5 won’t hit Netflix until 2026. So, we have some time before we have to say goodbye.
That means there’s another adventure for the Pogues, and we’ll see them deal with Sarah’s pregnancy, JJ’s devastating death, and the Pogues looking for Blackbeard’s Blue Crown in Portugal. What we are waiting for is the Pogues looking for revenge as they struggle to deal with JJ’s death, but that should have never happened!
Outer Banks is available to stream on Netflix.
Upload
After four seasons, Upload came to an end on Prime Video, and we’re most definitely sad about it. In a way, there are some salty about it, but the ending was as creator Greg Daniels envisioned.
The fourth season was much shorter than previous seasons, which didn’t help with some of the feelings of saltiness. There was also a bittersweetness to it, as in the end, “good” didn’t quite win out. However, this wasn’t always a story of beating the oods or of love and romance winning. It was a story of sacrifice and of taking risks, which most definitely happened in the final episode.
One of the great things for any show is for people to have some sort of reaction to it. Some people will hate it, while others will love it. At least Upload got a reaction, and it will continue to do so as it got a full — and somewhat hopeful — ending.
Upload is available to stream on Prime Video.
Resident Alien
When it comes to cable channels, Syfy has some of the best shows around. They also head to Peacock, which offers a great place for people to catch up. One of the shows you need to catch up on is Resident Alien, which sadly came to an end after four seasons in 2025.
While there wasn’t originally a plan to end the series with four seasons, creator Chris Sheridan saw the writing on the wall. Rather than pushing for more, he chose to give everyone the ending they deserved, and what an ending it was. This was a show that brought lessons for all, giving them much-needed character growth and closure.
Sure, it’s sad to lose a show that was so well written and brilliantly crafted, but in the end, all good things have to end. I’d rather have a creator who closes out his show well, and at least we have streaming to relive it all.
Resident Alien is available to stream on Peacock.
Outlander
When Outlander was renewed for an eighth season, it later came with some disappointing news. It would be the final season. This is despite there being nine books in the series right now, with a 10th on the way.
Now, while I don’t know how it will end, this is a show I’ll be sad to say goodbye to. I’m not salty about it, because however it ends, the creators had time to wrap up the storylines. They know what it means to get a series over the finish line, and like some of their changes or not, I have faith that they can do it.
The good thing about Outlander is that the universe is still going. Outlander: Blood of My Blood was renewed for a second season, and we still have episodes of the main series to come. After all, Outlander season 8 won’t premiere until Friday, March 6.
Outlander is available to stream on STARZ.
Yellowjackets
Finally, it’s all about the epic SHOWTIME series, Yellowjackets, which will end with its fourth season in 2026. This was confirmed shortly after the third season aired in 2025. While we’ll miss it, it is one of those shows that needs to come to an end and bring closure, considering all the wild rides.
There’s still a lot to uncover, especially in the present day. The relationships haven’t been what we thought, and there have been plenty of questions about the deaths of various members. On top of that, we’re still intrigued about how the teens survived back in the ‘90s and what happened to all those who didn’t end up making it back.
At least we have episodes to look forward to. Yellowjackets season 4 won’t even start filming until 2026, with a plan to bring the episodes later on in the year. As sad as we are, we’re also ready for answers to questions we’ve become invested in.
Yellowjackets is available to stream on Paramount+.