Netflix Confirms I Am Not Okay With This and The Society Were Canceled Because of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of things for the entertainment industry and has delayed the release of several films. But now that this pandemic isn't going anywhere anytime soon,
the TV industry is being rocked in some real and permanent ways, too. Per Deadline, Netflix has reversed the renewal decision for The Society and I Am Not Okay With This because of COVID-19.
"We've made the difficult decision not to move forward with second seasons of The Society and I Am Not Okay With This," Netflix said in a statement to Deadline. "We're disappointed to have to make these decisions due to circumstances created by COVID, and we are grateful to these creators, including: Jonathan Entwistle, Christy Hall, Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Dan Cohen and Josh Barry at 21 Laps Entertainment for I Am Not Okay With This; Chris Keyser, Marc Webb and Pavlina Hatoupis for The Society; and all the writers, casts and crews who worked tirelessly to make these shows for our members around the world."
Although these cancelations are coming as a result of COVID-19, the streaming service has benefitted from the fact that its viewers are home more. In April, the service more than doubled the number of new subscribers it was expecting. With the release of Tiger King, Netflix certainly intrigued its audience.
"In our 20+ year history, we have never seen a future more uncertain or unsettling," Netflix said at the time, per The Guardian. "The coronavirus has reached every corner of the world and, in the absence of a widespread treatment or vaccine, no one knows how or when this terrible crisis will end," the company said in a statement. "At Netflix, we're acutely aware that we are fortunate to have a service that is even more meaningful to people confined at home, and which we can operate remotely with minimal disruption in the short to medium term. Like other home entertainment services, we're seeing temporarily higher viewing and increased membership growth."