Netflix's Kaos Cancellation: Data, Decisions, and a Lost Opportunity
Netflix Cancels KAOS After Just 40 Days: What Happened?
The cancellation of Netflix's KAOS, only 40 days after its premiere, shocked many. This darkly comedic take on Greek mythology (starring the awesome Jeff Goldblum as Zeus and Janet McTeer as Hera) had a 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and even spent four weeks in Netflix's Top 10 (peaking at 5.9 million views)! So, why the axe? Michael Greshko, a freelance journalist and data analyst, offers some insight based on Netflix viewership data.
Greshko's X thread breaks down the ruthless data-driven logic Netflix might use. Analyzing 148 Netflix Top 10 shows, his research showed that a hit show gets most of its six-month viewership in that initial 40-day window. Greshko says this "implies Netflix seems to greenlight and cancel shows based on those short-term viewership numbers alone— completely disregarding how a show might grow and even gain greater popularity long term.
The 40-Day Rule: Binge or Be Gone
Greshko highlights that viewers might now have to binge new shows to even increase the possibility of seeing another season! "To get a beloved show renewed, viewers now must binge immediately!" KAOS wasn't alone! Plenty of beloved series–Sense8, The Midnight Gospel, Glow– faced similar speedy cancellations; demonstrating that those similar data-based conclusions are repeatedly used, leaving much of those valuable and successful narratives unceremoniously cut short; showcasing an extremely troubling problem that impacts viewers.
This strategy ignores something important: the way viewers engage with content! Netflix effectively is killing shows because people didn’t rush to binge everything at the premiere— regardless of those things like good reviews, those amazing casts, and incredible storylines, those qualities are not really used when they could be!
KAOS: A Show That Deserved More Time
KAOS, despite its rapid cancelation, shows another really tragic yet frequent pattern within the industry and shows the limits imposed by pure, simple reliance on easily observable yet unrefined numerical data rather than critical insights. The creator (Charlie Covell) had a phenomenal track record and a strong actor in Jeff Goldblum yet it got a fast and completely unexpected end— preventing it from gaining traction. It leaves a lot of unfulfilled potential! The sheer weight of potential—all cut short due to flawed evaluation strategy.
The Problem with Purely Data-Driven Decisions
Many hits start slow: The Office, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Seinfeld—all had underwhelming first seasons that had far less impact. This clearly shows this data-driven strategy is extremely limited, showcasing just how little value is placed in long term engagement and overall audience opinions and is why Netflix's current practice really deserves heavy criticism.
Predicting how a show works with data can fail terribly. It also showcases just how many limitations this kind of short term viewpoint has in decision making and those processes.
Conclusion: Netflix Needs a Better Strategy, and Viewers Deserve Better!
KAOS's cancelation perfectly highlights Netflix's data-centric decision-making problems. The ruthless strategy misses those crucial aspects of human engagement that could impact viewer behaviour– leaving behind incredibly successful narratives undone. There’s also the potential audience and the ability to actually reach them. A very limited timeframe for evaluating a show is ultimately a risky tactic that shouldn’t really be employed! Netflix really must take a more thoughtful, flexible, and critically thoughtful strategy towards its content development! We can only hope these lessons are learned, leading toward some major overhauls that impact this particular process; preventing that same loss again from potentially promising new material.
