Duffer Brothers' Show Canceled
Netflix Cancels Duffer Brothers' 'The Boroughs' Amid Rapid Viewership Drop, Ending Future Plans
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TVLine reported the cancellation was confirmed “just three weeks” after “The Boroughs” debuted on May 21—underscoring how quickly Netflix moved after launch.
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TVLine placed the show in the Duffers’ wider Netflix pipeline, saying “The Boroughs” was “one of three post-‘Stranger Things’ projects” from the creators—alongside the miniseries “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen” and the renewed animated series “Stranger Things: Tales from ’85.”
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Deadline said there had been concrete renewal talk even after soft ratings, including the possibility of filming “Seasons 2 and 3 back-to-back,” and it listed the lead ensemble as Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Clarke Peters, and Bill Pullman.
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Deadline added that Netflix would treat “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen” as a limited series (and not continue it), and noted the Duffers’ move to a “rich film and TV deal at Paramount,” leaving Netflix with only “one Duffer Brothers series” after that transition.
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Netflix also canceled the series despite clear creative leadership credits: the show had a showrunner team of Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, with directors Augustine Frizzell and Kyle Patrick Alvarez.
Netflix canceled "The Boroughs" on June 11, 2026 — just 21 days after its premiere. The sci-fi thriller from the Duffer Brothers earned a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes but drew only 3.7 million views in its third week, down nearly 60% from its peak of 9.5 million, according to TVLine.
The cancellation ends any plans for a multi-season run. Deadline reported that talks about filming Seasons 2 and 3 back-to-back were already underway at the time of the axe. A writers' room for Season 2 was also active.
A Sharp Ratings Drop Sealed the Show's Fate
"The Boroughs" opened with 5.6 million views its debut weekend after premiering May 21. It climbed to 9.5 million in its first full week, reaching No. 1 on Netflix's Global Top 10, according to TVLine. Then came week three: just 3.7 million views, a nearly 60% fall.
Netflix has shifted to measuring "completers" — viewers who finish a full season within 28 days — rather than just people who start the first episode. Industry analysts say "The Boroughs" likely struggled on that metric, meaning many viewers who started the show simply did not finish it.
Star-Studded Cast and Critical Praise Were Not Enough
The show featured a veteran ensemble: Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O'Hare, Clarke Peters, and Bill Pullman. Showrunners Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews — known for "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance" — led day-to-day creative work. Directors Augustine Frizzell and Kyle Patrick Alvarez also worked on the series, according to Deadline.
Critics loved it. A 97% Rotten Tomatoes score drew comparisons to "Stranger Things." But audience fatigue may have worked against it. "The Boroughs" launched only weeks after the "Stranger Things" series finale, and analysts suggest viewers were less willing to commit to another high-concept Duffer project so soon, per Bloody Disgusting.
Duffer Brothers Now Left With One Netflix Series
"The Boroughs" was one of three post-"Stranger Things" projects the Duffers had at Netflix. The other two are the miniseries "Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen" and the animated spin-off "Stranger Things: Tales from '85," according to TVLine. Netflix will now treat "Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen" as a limited series with no follow-up seasons.
That leaves just the animated series as the sole ongoing Duffer Brothers title at Netflix. Deadline reports the Duffers have finalized a new deal at Paramount, shifting their focus to film and TV projects there. The move signals a clean break from the streaming giant that made them famous.
Netflix's Three-Week Window Stuns the Industry
The speed of the decision shocked observers. TVLine framed the cancellation as a definitive "one-and-done," noting that Netflix moved in just 21 days — a pace rarely seen for a high-profile series. Critics and creative guilds argue the move teaches audiences not to invest in new shows that aren't instant viral hits.
Business analysts push back. They say a 60% viewership drop makes the cost-per-view for a second season hard to justify, especially with an expensive A-list cast. Netflix has not named any executive by name in its response, but the network's message is clear: critical acclaim alone will not save a show with soft numbers, per Gizmodo.
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