It looks like Butterfly has met its end. Prime Video just made a big decision about the spy series.
Prime Video fans know it can be risky getting invested in a new Amazon show. While the streamer has plenty of hits, they also have a track record that can rival Netflix in terms of canceling promising shows after only one season.
Already in 2025, Prime has canceled first-season shows On Call, The Bondsman, Motorheads and Etoile (the latter of which had been renewed for a second season). While they have handed out renewals to some hits like Ballard, there’s still how some shows can only last one season.
Now that’s happened to two top spy thrillers as Amazon announced they were cancelling both Countdown and Butterfly. The latter is frankly not too shocking, as this series lacked the same heat of the former and not quite the big hit Prime Video had hoped for.
Based on a graphic novel, the series starred Daniel Dae Kim as a former spy living in South Korea who’s hunted by his past. He has to reach out to his daughter Rebecca (Raina Hardesty), a darker young agent who long believed her dad was dead.
The six-episode series dropped as a binge on August 13, but it is coming to an end sooner than expected.
Why was Butterfly canceled?
The most likely reason for Amazon canceling Butterfly is the lack of an audience. The show debuted at #6 on Prime Video’s list of shows in the U.S. but not much higher. As with many binge drop shows, having all six episodes in one short go may have worked against it. While the international numbers sounded a bit better, it wasn't to the levels Amazon wanted.
Also the critical response was low with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 68% and an audience score of 84%. The series did leave off with a divisive cliffhanger that would have been hard to get into for the second season.
Another factor was the series was shot on location in South Korea, which could have increased the budget. Overall, it’s likely another case of a show whose viewing numbers didn’t justify a second year.
There’s also how Amazon now owns the James Bond franchise and likely building up projects based on it. With that set, their need for other spy thrillers isn’t as needed. That's further evidenced by Mr. & Mrs. Smith's second season now in limbo.
Thus, the combination of budget, audience, and Amazon turnover is why Butterfly’s wings got clipped after just one season.
Butterfly streaming on Prime Video.