A number of streaming platforms are ridding themselves of content. Recently, Hulu announced it will be removing a number of original series from its service much to the disapproval of subscribers. This goes beyond canceling Hulu originals. The streaming service won’t even host some of its own content anymore, sending some series into streaming limbo.
According to sources, Future Man, Dollface, The Hot Zone, and Y: The Last Man will no longer be available on Hulu or anywhere else. Future Man ends with a total of three seasons, while Dollface and The Hot Zone ended with two. Y: The Last Man only completed its premiere season before being canceled, totaling ten episodes but only airing seven. This is not a complete list as Hulu is expected to remove additional titles, both original content and otherwise.
Fans and creators alike took to Twitter to vent their frustrations. Y: The Last Man showrunner Eliza Clark tweeted:
“You work on something for years, pour your heart and soul into it, as do hundreds of other artists. You make it during a global pandemic, far from home. Then it is canceled before it even has a chance to finish airing. Then, it is disappeared…”
Disney+ is also eliminating some of its video library, including Big Shot, Willow, and The World According to Jeff Goldblum. Deadline also is reporting Max is cutting content as well and has already canceled and removed The Gordita Chronicles. Westworld, Raised By Wolves, The Time Traveler’s Wife, and a number of other series are being removed from Max.
Deadline quotes one source as saying, “I understand the nature of the business and how everything is consolidating and changing and so forth, but it’s just really affecting the creative process. That’s the most upsetting and frustrating part of it. It’s not like my clients are doing these streamer shows and making huge money on residuals. It’s about an opportunity to have exposure and do their best work.”
This begs the question, will subscribers be less willing to start new shows if so many new shows are on the chopping block before they even finish airing a complete season? That’s a lot of audience and creatives getting invested in a series that won’t get fleshed out or even have a decisive conclusion.
Check back with Cord Cutters News as more titles are added to the list of disappearing shows.