Netflix has canceled The Boroughs after one season despite rave reviews — but there's a major reason why it's not coming back

The Boroughs
(Image credit: Netflix)

  • The Boroughs has been canceled after one season at Netflix
  • According to reports, the decision was made due to the high costs of producing sci-fi shows
  • Despite this outcome, The Boroughs was well received by critics and fans

Another day, another Netflix cancellation. The best streaming service has unfortunately gained a reputation for canceling our favorite shows, and a new sci-fi thriller, The Boroughs, is the latest to be axed.

If you're surprised by this decision, you're not alone. The Boroughs has performed well, receiving a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 97% after a month on the streamer.

I had assumed it would come back based on this, but it appears it has not been successful enough to warrant a second outing. That, combined with the great cast, fun premise, and the fact that Stranger Things creators The Duffer Brothers were attached, made it seemingly a no-brainer to come back for round two.

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So let's dive into why this happened.

Why we're saying goodbye to The Boroughs

The Boroughs | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube The Boroughs | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube
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According to The Hollywood Reporter: "Part of the problem here, a source tells THR, is that sci-fi is expensive. Another piece surely is that the Duffers are taking their talents to Paramount. (The Boroughs wouldn’t have followed, but sometimes breakups are hard.)"

Cost is clearly a factor, but so is rival streaming service Paramount+. Still, this feels like a disappointing decision, especially since Netflix recently canceled The Lincoln Lawyer, and they axed three great shows in 2025 as well.

The good news is that The Boroughs is still worth watching. You may be put off trying it out, considering the cancellation news, but the eight episodes of season 1 deserve your love anyway. With a great cast including Bill Pullman and Geena Davis, and an intriguing supernatural threat, it's definitely one of the best Netflix shows in recent months.


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Lucy Buglass
Senior Entertainment Writer

Lucy is a long-time movie and television lover who is an approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes. She has written several reviews in her time, starting with a small self-ran blog called Lucy Goes to Hollywood before moving onto bigger websites such as What's on TV and What to Watch, with TechRadar being her most recent venture. Her interests primarily lie within horror and thriller, loving nothing more than a chilling story that keeps her thinking moments after the credits have rolled. Many of these creepy tales can be found on the streaming services she covers regularly.

When she’s not scaring herself half to death with the various shows and movies she watches, she likes to unwind by playing video games on Easy Mode and has no shame in admitting she’s terrible at them. She also quotes The Simpsons religiously and has a Blinky the Fish tattoo, solidifying her position as a complete nerd. 

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