Netflix Cancels Both 'V Wars' And 'October Faction' After One Season
Netflix is slowly shedding its reputation as the oasis for TV shows that can live forever. The streaming giant cancelled two of its freshman dramas, V Wars and October Faction, adding to Netflix's growing list of one-season dramas including Messiah, Spinning Out, Daybreak, and more.
The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Netflix cancelled two of its comic-inspired series, V Wars and October Faction, after one season, just after the streaming platform had renewed Locke & Key for a second season. All three series were produced by comic book publisher IDW Publishing.V Wars, which stars Ian Somehalder, is based on Jonathan Maberry's bestselling 2012 book of the same name, which chronicles the first Vampire War in a collection of prose stories. Somerhalder — who can't seem to get away from vampire shows — starred as Dr. Luther Swann, who enters the supernatural world when a mysterious disease transforms his best friend into a murderous predator, and must race to find the answers behind the disease while his friend rises to become a leader of vampires. While the series is cancelled, THR reports that Somerhalder, who directed an episode of V Wars, is in talks with Netflix on other projects.
Meanwhile, October Faction, which is based on the IDW comics by Steve Niles, followed a pair of monster hunters Fred (J.C. MacKenzie) and Deloris Allen (Tamara Taylor) who return to their hometown in upstate New York with their teenage children, and must hide their identities as they discover the small town "isn't as idyllic as it seems."
Both V Wars and October Faction ran for one season each, after launching in December 2019 and January 2020, respectively. The early cancellations are somewhat surprising for Netflix, which once had a reputation as a company that rescues struggling network and cable TV shows and gives several-season runs to niche shows that would otherwise not have a chance on primetime TV. But Netflix has been quietly canceling more series after one season, such as Messiah, AJ and the Queen, Spinning Out, Soundtrack and Daybreak. Netflix has also gained a habit of canceling even critically acclaimed titles after three seasons, despite frequent online campaigns by fans to bring those shows back. The streamer still does not release viewership and won't divulge how its internal data affects its renewal and cancellation decisions.