When Netflix announced that it was making the medical series Pulse, it finally felt like the best streaming service around could rival the success of one of the longest running medical dramas: Grey’s Anatomy. Netflix has doubled down on its success in the muder mystery genre by making the original upbeat whodunnit show The Residence, which rivalled the kitschiness of Hercule Poirot at his best. However, despite both series ranking among the top 10 most-watched shows on Netflix, both have been canceled.
Should we be surprised? Probably not. Netflix has a nasty habit of canceling fan favourites before the going gets good, often reducing promising TV to a single season very quickly. Pulse and The Residence are the latest in a long line of casualties, but there are bigger (and better) alternatives right under our noses.
Obviously, there’s everything new on Netflix in July 2025 to soften the blow, but if you’re looking for amazing replacements with exactly the same vibes, look no further than medical hit The Pitt on Max and the Natasha Lyonne-led murder mystery series Poker Face on Peacock.
Why you should stream The Pitt and Poker Face instead
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably already heard of The Pitt even if you haven’t watched it. A surprise hit in early 2025, the ER drama has a unique structure in that the entire season follows a single 15-hour shift in a Pittsburgh emergency room. Each episode represents one-hour of the shift, which is what instantly sets it apart from other medical dramas. The series is relentlessly tense, the ensemble is beautifully flawed and ever-present in their fast-paced workplace, and it’s incredibly well written. That’s not a shock really, given the series is co-produced and led by Noah Wyle of ER fame.
We’re already expecting The Pitt season 2 to arrive in early 2026, so it’s a safe bet to binge and invest in. After an explosive storyline was revealed in episode 12 (no spoilers here, but strap in), there’s a lot left hanging in the balance in future episodes. Details are few and far between at the time of writing, but we already know it’s set to pick up 10 months after the events of season 1, taking place during the fourth of July weekend.
Meanwhile, Poker Face is a thrilling laugh a minute. Focusing on a different case in each episode, Lyonne’s amateur detective Charlie Cale has her own issues that weave through each entire series. Toeing the perfect line between funny and serious, trying to correctly guess the killer by the end of an episode is only made more enjoyable by the astonishing array of A-list guest stars joining in the fun.
Again, we’ve already got two seasons to get through here. Poker Face season 2 has only just wrapped up, so the latest mystery cases should still be fresh enough to feel brand-new. There’s no official word on a third season yet, but considering how strongly the existing two seasons have performed, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t have high hopes.
If the cancellation of Pulse or The Residence, or Netflix for that matter, have left a sour taste in your mouth, there’s no question that Max’s The Pitt and Peacock’s Poker Face are the shows coming to our rescue.
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