Netflix's cancellation of Terminator Zero is a loss for fans of the animated sci-fi series, but it is also a big blow to the struggling franchise. Terminator Zero was an animated spinoff of the Terminator movies, following the development of another AI system to compete with Skynet and the family who becomes targeted by a deadly Terminator.
The series became one of the many acclaimed shows that Netflix has cancelled too soon. Terminator Zero was well received by fans and critics, but never had a chance to grow past its first season. Its end is just the latest disappointment in the Terminator franchise, but it is especially unfortunate as Terminator Zero highlighted how the franchise could move forward.
Terminator Zero was an evolution of the mythology
The first two Terminator movies, directed by James Cameron, are considered among the greatest sci-fi movies of all time. The Terminator was a gritty time-travel thriller that felt almost like a slasher movie, while Terminator 2: Judgement Day was a high-octane action movie that reimagined the entire concept.
However, since then, the franchise has struggled to find its footing. The most recent attempts to bring the franchise back to the big screen, Terminator Genisys and Terminator: Dark Fate, were flops and poorly received. Attempting to tell a smaller story on television was a wise move for the franchise, but the success of Terminator Zero goes further than that.
The series wisely took the mythology of the franchise, an AI system that takes over the world and sends Terminators back in time to destroy the future human revolutionaries, and told a completely new story. Terminator Zero wasn't about Skynet, Sarah Connor, or Arnold Schwarzenegger's T-800. It was bold enough to do something different, which is something the movies have never been able to do.
The Terminator movies have been stuck in stasis for so long because they have been too focused on redoing what worked before. The forced attempts to cram the catchphrase "I'll be back" into each of the movies highlight a desperate attempt at nostalgia without understanding that part of what drew audiences initially was the originality.
Terminator Zero proved that there were new stories to tell within this universe. Even the new Terminator, voiced by Timothy Olyphant, was a smart reimagining of what these characters could be. Had Terminator Zero been a success, the Terminator franchise would have had a clear path forward, untethered by the past. With its failure, it's unlikely that the lesson will be learned.
Where will the Terminator franchise go from here?
While Terminator Zero was an acclaimed show for those who watched, its cancellation might not have been as callous a decision by Netflix as fans want to believe. Showrunner Mattson Tomlin admitted that "not nearly enough people watched it," which may hint at the sad reality of the Terminator franchise.
The past few Terminator movies have not been popular with fans, so the fact that they didn't perform well at the box office doesn't come as a total surprise. However, with there also being so little interest in Terminator Zero, a show that was hailed as a return to form for the franchise, it suggests audiences have moved on from Terminator.
Before Terminator Zero, the consensus was that there were no more stories to tell. While the animated series may have disproved that, it was too late to win back those who had already moved on. Hollywood has a hard time letting established properties go, but it may be time to admit that the Terminator franchise is not returning to its glory days.
Of course, there have been other franchises that similarly felt they had run out of steam only to make a comeback with something fresh. Recently, Prey and Predator: Badlands brought the Predator franchise back from the dead. All it takes is a filmmaker with a clear vision to step up, rather than a studio that just wants to try and milk more money out of the IP.