5 Years Later, Fans Are Still Losing Their Minds Over Netflix Canceling Their Most Unpredictable Mystery Show

Years after its debut, Netflix’s teen mystery series The Society continues to haunt fans, who are still furious over its abrupt cancellation.

The show, created by Christopher Keyser, premiered on Netflix on May 10, 2019, and starred Kathryn Newton, Gideon Adlon, Sean Berdy, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Jacques Colimon, Olivia DeJonge, Alex Fitzalan, Kristine Froseth, Jose Julian, Alexander MacNicoll, Toby Wallace, and Rachel Keller.

The story followed a group of teenagers mysteriously transported to a replica of their town without any adults, forcing them to build a new society while unraveling secrets and facing constant dangers.

The series was initially renewed for a second season in July 2019, but production was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 21, 2020, Netflix officially canceled the show, citing complications from the pandemic, including increased costs and scheduling difficulties.

Despite this, The Society was well-received by critics. Rotten Tomatoes gave the show an 86% approval rating from 36 reviews, noting that “An intriguing tangle of mystery and melodrama, what The Society lacks in levity—and at times clarity—it makes up for with its surprisingly thoughtful exploration of community, culture, and what it means to grow up.”

Fans have continued to express frustration years later.

On Reddit, viewers have been particularly vocal about their disappointment. One user wrote, “I think about this show more often than I care to admit. I rewatched it last June and then started following this subreddit. At this point, I wish they would just release the script as a book and just let us see how it ended.”

Another fan added, “I think about this show at least once a week. I don’t even care if the cast is 20 years older now. I’d still watch it just for ANSWERS. This show haunts me.”

The comments show that viewers are not only upset about the cancellation but also desperate for closure on the storylines.

Many fans also criticized Netflix for how the show was handled. One Redditor said, “So many good shows canceled because Netflix doesn’t bother to advertise them, make promos, or simply give people time to fall in love with them.”

Another expressed hope that another network might pick up the series, “The characters were so strong and the plot had so much potential. Season 1 was super interesting. It kills me to think we won’t get more Grizz and Sam content.”

For creator Christopher Keyser, the cancellation was a deeply personal blow. Speaking to Deadline, he said, “This was a very tough cancellation. We were, for the second time this year, getting ready to go back into production.”

“Everyone had waited so long for this moment — for the chance to be together again. Saying goodbye so abruptly was the hardest thing I’ve had to do in all my years making shows. We knew we had challenges stemming from the pandemic, but the final decision to cancel us was not something I expected.”

Even years later, the passion of The Society’s fanbase shows no sign of fading. While Netflix moved on, fans continue to share theories, express longing for the unresolved story, and hope that somehow the series might return or at least provide closure on the tale of the mysterious town and its teenage inhabitants.

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