Article Overview
Former Netflix executive Cindy Holland explains why The OA was cancelled: it was too costly to continue and unsustainable as an ongoing project.
The cancellation of The OA brought about a significant change in Netflix's approach and highlighted the weaknesses in streaming business models. Following the cancellation, Netflix shifted their focus from prioritizing original content and quantity to emphasizing cost-cutting measures.
Former Netflix executive Cindy Holland has addressed the cancellation of the popular series The OA after two seasons. The show, which follows the story of Prairie Johnson, a young blind woman who resurfaces after seven years with her sight restored and a new identity as the OA, was highly acclaimed by both critics and viewers alike. Despite its success, Netflix decided not to renew the series for a third season in 2019, causing a strong reaction from fans. Even years later, the cancellation of The OA remains one of Netflix's most puzzling decisions.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Holland explained the reasoning behind Netflix's decision to cancel the show, despite the season 2 ending leaving viewers on a cliffhanger. Holland revealed that the cost of production was a major factor, making it impractical to continue. She also expressed that the cancellation of The OA represented a significant shift in Netflix's overall strategy, making it different from other shows axed due to high budgets. Here is her statement on the matter:
The project possessed a level of ambition and scale that placed it above the lowest-budget endeavors. However, it soon became evident that maintaining it in its existing form on Netflix was not feasible in the long run, resulting in a rather disheartening experience for everyone involved, including the audience.
This disruption in the field had attracted a surge of creative and market-driven energy. However, it was now on the verge of transforming into a stagnant and flawed business model, far inferior to its previous state.
How Did Netflix Change After The OA?
Holland's perception of the direction that streaming took after The OA's cancellation is cynical. There's no denying that the cancellation happened during a turbulent time in the industry, being announced just months before the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused significant changes in the film and TV realms. The pandemic brought streaming into the spotlight as viewers sought new shows and movies from the comfort of their homes instead of going to the theater. Consequently, streaming platforms experienced substantial growth, acquiring more films and focusing on larger productions.
Netflix, in particular, placed a strong emphasis on original content and increased its output. It aimed to release 50 new movies per year at one point. However, Netflix's pandemic success was short-lived, as it began to lose the gains it had made and subscribers started to unsubscribe. This compelled the streaming giant to reassess its strategy once again. Netflix intensified its efforts to combat password sharing, implemented ad tiers, shifted its focus from quantity to quality, and made the decision to cancel numerous shows.
Netflix reportedly places significant importance on completion rates when deciding whether to cancel a show. If a large portion of viewers are not finishing the show, there is a higher likelihood of it getting axed.
The cancellation of The OA appeared to hint at Netflix's transition from an innovative platform that emphasized creativity and originality to one that is more focused on reducing costs, even if it means letting go of popular and ambitious projects or features that were well-liked by viewers. The surprising cancellation of The OA might have revealed flaws in the business models of streaming platforms.
Source: THR
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z fan, I have mixed feelings about the cancellation of The OA. On the one hand, I understand that producing a show with such a high level of ambition and scale can be very expensive, and it may not have been sustainable for Netflix to continue producing it. On the other hand, I feel that the show had a lot of potential and that it was unfair to cancel it after just two seasons, leaving fans with an unresolved cliffhanger.
I think that Netflix's shift in focus from prioritizing original content and quantity to emphasizing cost-cutting measures is a worrying trend. It seems like the streaming giant is more interested in making money than in producing quality content that its viewers will enjoy. I hope that Netflix will reconsider its strategy and start taking more risks with its original programming.
