(Credit: Netflix)

Netflix’s remorseless scythe has claimed yet another victim. The streaming service has been noted, particularly in recent months, for cancelling vast swathes of its programming if it fails to live up to the intense successes of other Netflix projects, like Stranger Things or Squid Game, for instance. Kaos is the latest victim of this harsh policy, having failed to secure a second series from Netflix despite seemingly high viewing figures.

Premiering on Netflix back in August, Kaos immediately found a cult following owing to its darkly comic nature and original plot. In essence, the show attempts to retell stories of Greek and Roman mythology within the present day as three humans strive to find a prophecy which unites them all. Starring Jeff Goldblum and created by Charlie Covell, who previously adapted the incredibly successful End of the F***ing World for Channel 4, Kaos seemingly had it all.

On top of its fantastic cast of actors and writers, Kaos found early success in terms of viewership. For weeks after its initial release, the series featured in the top 10 charts of the streaming service, amassing 3.4million views in its first week alone, rising to 5.9million the following week. However, it has now been announced that Netflix has cancelled the series, leaving many disappointed fans to ponder why.

Ultimately, the cancellation of Kaos came down to its failure to keep a consistently high viewership. Although the first few weeks provided a certain degree of promise, the show’s viewership steadily declined after week three of its appearance on Netflix. Of course, this steady decline is to be expected as new shows debut on the platform, and relevance shifts onto them. However, Kaos was bringing in similar viewer numbers to various other shows which have been cancelled recently, such as Dead Boy Detectives. 

The cancellation of these seemingly popular shows reaffirms Netflix’s remorseless pursuit of big hitters. Given the heavily profit-driven aims of the platform, these cancelled shows should come as no surprise. However, the continued cancelling of cult shows, in favour of more profitable offerings, is doing nothing to improve the perception of Netflix by many consumers and filmmakers alike.

The news of Kaos’ cancellation first came from cast member Aurora Perrineau, who portrayed Eurydice in the show. On social media, Perrineau shared a heartfelt tribute to the series, thanking its creators and crew members for their dedication to creating something unique. In the comments of that post, the actor confirmed that Kaos would not receive a second series from Netflix.

This news is particularly disappointing for fans, given that the show’s creator, Charlie Covell, repeatedly affirmed that she had envisioned the show as having a three-series-long story arc, with the finale of series one setting up major plot points for future instalments.