I loved “Extraordinary”. This edgy British superpowered sitcom airs on Hulu in the U.S and first arrived on the scene in 2023, introducing us to Jen (Máiréad Tyers), a twenty-something struggling along in a version of London where everyone except her developed superpowers at the age of 18.
Despite feeling genuinely fresh in the crowded streaming marketplace, landing positive reviews — both seasons have a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score — and, being downright hysterical, “Extraordinary” has joined the ever-growing pile of canceled TV shows.
The news came from Variety, who revealed that “Extraordinary” had been axed (alongside the historical mystery series, “Shardlake") and wouldn’t be returning for another season.
A Disney representative confirmed: “Disney Plus Original series “Extraordinary” will not be returning for a third season on the service. We’re so proud of the hilarious, award-winning series brought to life by the incredibly talented British and Irish cast and crew, our production partners at Sid Gentle Films, and the exceptional writing talent of creator Emma Moran.”
Extraordinary Season 2 | Official Trailer | Hulu - YouTube
To say I'm devastated that it's gone would be an understatement, and I'd be lying if I said that statement didn't frustrate me at least a little bit. If "Extraordinary" is an acclaimed show that you know boasts smart scripts, packs in plenty of laughs and it's brought to life by a loveable cast... why axe it? Well, I have my theory.
Despite not taking the news that well, I wish I could say I was more surprised by the decision, but "Extraordinary" never quite got as much of a push or as much love as it so clearly deserved. It's forever remained one of those shows I feel like I'm telling other people to watch.
With that in mind, I'm confident it got the axe for the same reason so many other shows get canceled: they don't get given enough of a chance to find their fans. And, frankly, that's one of my biggest problems with how streaming currently works.
One of my big beliefs about the streaming era is that I guarantee almost everyone's got a laundry list of favorites that got canceled long before their time. Mine includes the likes of "My Lady Jane", "Kaos", "Dead Boy Detectives" and "Archive 81"... all of which got cut down after just one season (and sparked fan outrage when they did).
My fellow Tom's Guide writer Alix Blackburn voiced concerns about this exact phenomenon late last year, and we've only seen more cancelations in the months since. Max decided to call time on superhero movie satire, "The Franchise", after one season, Paramount Plus canceled its "Frasier" reboot after two chapters, and Peacock just axed its James Wan-produced dark thriller, "Teacup", after a single season, too.
As subscription fees are only getting more expensive, I really do wonder whether this practice will come back to bite the streamers, eventually. I'm willing to bet I'm not the only one who becoming a lot more selective when it comes to choosing which shows I even bother streaming in the first place.
Let's take Netflix, the most recognizable name in the business, as an example, seeing as we're poised for yet another Netflix price hike, and it also canceled more shows than any other service throughout 2024.
Last year, I argued Netflix had a TV show problem on its hands. The way I see it, the streamer needs to find new tentpole projects, fast, because most of its most recognizable hits are ending (or are likely to end) in the near future.
However, if Netflix keeps canceling shows before they can either be binged and forgotten or canceled before would-be viewers ever find them, how will it find its "Stranger Things" replacement?
if Netflix keeps canceling shows before they can either be binged and forgotten or canceled before would-be viewers ever find them, how will it find its "Stranger Things" replacement?
Viewers are surely less willing to invest in news stories or characters right now because there's a non-zero chance they won't ever see a cliffhanger resolved (which is what's happened in "Extraordinary"), right?
Bottom line: the focus on almost every new release needing to be this of-the-moment, must-watch show is only robbing us of original, new ideas, and is, ultimately, making our TV landscape poorer.
I know that you need to see some success to finance production, but by Disney's own admission, "Extraordinary" was entertaining, well-written, and brought to life by a passionate team of creatives, and won acclaim and awards alike; if that's not TV worth renewing, what is?
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