The creator of Netflix's popular Greek mythology comedy series Kaos said they were “devastated” that the show was canceled after one season.
Charlie Cowell posted a message on production company Sister's Instagram page for fans who expressed their disappointment and anger over Netflix's cancellation of the series last week.
“Of course I'm brave that I haven't made Kaos yet, but I don't want this news to overshadow what we've done,” Cowell said. “I am incredibly lucky to have worked with such an exceptionally talented cast and crew, and I am extremely proud of our show. Thanks to everyone involved: this has been a difficult team effort and it has been a great privilege to work with you all.
Kaos is a modern day contemporary retelling of Greek and Roman mythology. The eight-episode series, which premiered on Netflix in late August, stars Jeff Goldblum as a tracksuit-wearing, paranoid Zeus who chains his fellow god Prometheus (Stephen Dillon) to a cliff.
Prometheus enlists the help of three mortals, Eurydice (Aurora Perino), Ariadne (Lila Farsad) and Canius (Miesia Butler), to defeat Zeus. The show also features Janet McTeer, Gillian Scott, Billie Piper and David Thewlis.
It debuted at number 3 on Netflix's most-watched English-language shows, and a five-star review in The Guardian called it a “subtle and complex, witty, poignant, highly intelligent, funny and brutal reimagining of Greek mythology”.
Fans on social media said the early cancellation robs viewers of a chance to see the series develop and reach a conclusion. A petition to save A Kaos has attracted thousands of signatures.
“This is disgusting,” one fan wrote. “Kaos has no time to fly. It featured an eclectic cast, incredible diversity and a twist on Greek mythology. Season 2 will kick off. If Netflix doesn't allow its content to grow, leave it to another platform. It's just begun!”
Another said: “Kaos could have gone on for seasons. Rich source material familiar to a global audience. A fresh and engaging interpretation of the material. Great acting, directing, acting, writing, editing, cinematography. I don't understand.”
The news broke with Perrino's now-deleted post on Instagram, in which she said: “It hurts.”
When he was acting, he said, “I couldn't believe that someone saw me. You're telling me that someone thinks I can be the lead of a show, have agency, my own purpose and be likable as a love interest – not just a minority, but a female survivor of SA. Not just for one amazing man, but two? Did I deserve it?”
Cowell, best known for his TV adaptation of The End of the F***ing World, envisioned the show as a three-season arc and previously said the first season finale set up several potential storylines for future installments.
However, despite the show's promising debut (3.4m views in its first week and 5.9m views in its second), viewership dropped 43% to 3.4m in its third week and 2.2m in its fourth week.
Around this time, Netflix changed the show's label from Kaos: Season 1 to just Kaos, indicating that it was now a limited series.
The Forbes drop-off ranks with other recent shows canceled by Netflix, whose renewal results are primarily based on viewership in the first 28 days of a show's launch. The streamer places significant emphasis on maintaining engagement.
Comparing What's On Netflix Evolution week by week Kaos' viewership numbers with others updated by Netflix (Supacell, The Gentlemen, My Life With the Walter Boys) shows that Kaos is lagging behind.
The cancellations aren't exclusively Netflix's problem: Disney+ not only canceled the Willow sequel after one season, but also pulled it from the platform, calling out its writer. “Absolutely brutal”.
Writing at I, journalist Rachael Sigee said streaming should “revolutionize the way we watch television,” but anyone who paces their viewing in Kaos' “old-school fashion” inadvertently dealt the series a killer blow. “Binge, Netflix says otherwise,” he wrote.
Cowell paid tribute to the show's fans for their continued “love and enthusiasm”. They said: “My hope is that people continue to discover and enjoy the show now: I think there are some fans who need more time to discover it, so if you enjoyed it then keep talking about Goss.”
