Netflix Cancels Two Shows, Pauses Third After One Season

Netflix has recently canceled two fan-favorite shows, Pulse and The Residence, and placed the dark anthology No Good Deed on indefinite pause, sparking disappointment among fans. Pulse, a medical drama set in a Miami hospital during a hurricane, suffered from poor critical reception and low viewer retention, losing roughly two-thirds of its audience by the third week. The Residence, a high-budget Shondaland murder mystery set in the White House with an elaborate set costing over $10 million per episode, was canceled primarily due to its steep production costs despite a strong initial viewership. No Good Deed, which premiered in December and featured notable actors, had respectable but unspectacular ratings, leading Netflix to shelve future seasons with a possibility of retooling. These decisions reflect Netflix's increasingly unforgiving renewal criteria, centered on cost-efficiency and audience retention rather than star power or initial popularity. Fans have expressed frustration over the streaming giant's pattern of abruptly canceling promising series after just one season.