Hit Netflix comedy is dangerously close to cancellation after ratings plummet

Things are not looking good for the future of FUBAR on Netflix.
In this photo illustration, the Netflix Logo displayed on a...
In this photo illustration, the Netflix Logo displayed on a... | SOPA Images/GettyImages

Arnold Schwarzenegger might be back, but FUBAR might not be, not for season 3 anyway.

According to Netflix's latest weekly ratings report, FUBAR season 2 ratings are not looking so good. Deadline reported FUBAR suffered a huge drop in viewership for season 2's opening weekend. The second season just premiered on Netflix on Thursday, June 12, and only racked up 2.2 million views in its first few days. That's only 20 percent of season 1's opening weekend, which racked up 11.1 million views back in May 2023.

With a drop in viewership that steep, there's almost no way FUBAR season 3 is going to happen on Netflix, not without a huge surge in viewership over the next few weeks. Honestly, looking at how things have played out in the past, Netflix might already be moving on from the action comedy series that also stars Monica Barbaro, Travis Van Winkle, Fortune Feimster, Carrie-Anne Moss, and more.

I'm trying to recall a season that had as big of a drop in ratings between seasons as FUBAR just had this weekend. It's wild to see a Netflix original release these days barely crack the Netflix Top 10. It finished well behind Ginny and Georgia season 3, The Survivors, Sirens, and Dept. Q. Most of those returning shows shoot up to No. 1 or No. 2 on the Netflix Top 10 over opening weekend, even if it's just a day or two. The big ones, like Ginny and Georgia season 3, stick around for a few weeks in those top spots.

Obviously, it's easy to point to the big gap between seasons as a possible explanation for the low viewership numbers. FUBAR premiered on Netflix on May 25, 2023, which was right before Memorial Day weekend. Fans waited more than two years between seasons for the season 2 release, and as you can see, almost no one tuned in (except me!).

Unfortunately, it's not totally surprising to see viewership fall for this show. The holiday weekend bump in 2023 was a big deal, but this was right in the middle of a really good stretch for these kinds of shows on Netflix.

Around this time, we also had The Recruit putting up solid numbers, along with The Night Agent and The Diplomat. Those two shows continue to do well on Netflix, as The Night Agent and The Diplomat have already been renewed for season 3. The Recruit, which had a similar gap between seasons as FUBAR, was canceled after season 2 premiered earlier this year. Just like FUBAR season 2, The Recruit season 2 suffered a ratings hit compared to its first season as well.

While FUBAR wasn't my favorite show, it's always a bummer for fans when their favorite shows aren't received as well as we hope or want them to be. We'll continue to monitor the situation with FUBAR and let you know any news as it breaks.

Stay tuned for more news about FUBAR and other Netflix shows!

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