Netflix has reportedly pulled the plug on the live-action Cowboy Bebop, less than three weeks since it hit the streaming service. This comes amid mixed reviews, being praised for its performances, but criticized for its often awkward dialogue.
The news was first broken by The Hollywood Reporter, and is apparently a result of the show's failure to capture audiences beyond its debut week. If this is accurate, Cowboy Bebop joins the ranks of shows such as Jupiter's Legacy and Tuca and Bertie as of the many Netflix originals to get canned after just a single season.
Netflix has not officially confirmed the cancellation yet, but it would not be too surprising given the show's critical performance, and the service's high expectations for its line of original programmes. On top of failing to win over fans of the original anime, it also saw a massive viewer drop off. Two weeks from its premiere, its viewing figures had dropped by over half already, suggesting many hadn't bothered to finish the series.
Yet despite its failure to pull in old fans, it does raise some alarming questions concerning Netflix's practices. Cowboy Bebop was heavily promoted by the company prior to launch, so if it can be scrapped just weeks after audiences have had access to it, then it looks like anything can. This also more or less eliminates the chance of it getting a second wind, since many are unlikely to see the value in starting a series they know they won't get a conclusion to.
Making the apparent news even more confusing, Cowboy Bebop actually still sits at number nine on Netflix's global top 10 list, and has been on the charts since its debut. This does admittedly put it behind shows such as Maid and Arcane – which launched before Cowboy Bebop – but it at least shows that it wasn't exactly a flop.
Cowboy Bebop hit Neflix November 19. If you would rather watch the one that actually has an ending, the original is also available on the service.
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