Why is Disney+ cancelling this fun show after just one season?

It’s something fans of streaming shows have gotten used to: A great show that got fine reviews being canceled after one season. Now, a new Disney+ series is the next to follow suit!

Many have noted an issue with streaming shows nowadays is that many of them sadly only last one season. The reasons can vary from the budget to creative issues but often it simply comes down to the viewing metrics. Like regular TV shows, these series can live or die depending on how many viewers watch them. 

With Disney+, viewers have seen this happen with some big shows like Willow axed after one season. Worse, many shows were removed from the streamer in a cost-cutting measure, robbing fans of a chance to see them again.

Sadly, such a fate appears to have struck Renegade Nell. Debuting in March of 2024, the series comes from BAFTA-winning writer Sally Wainwright. It stars Louisa Harland in the title role of Nell, a former British soldier who finds herself caught in a strange conspiracy to overthrow the Queen of England while embarking on a career as a highwaywoman.

The show is notable for its wild humor and the fact that Nell is often possessed by a sprite called Billy Budd, who imbues her with super-strength. Thus, we get wild acton sequences amid the comedy. While Season 1 brought the main storyline to a good conclusion, there were still hopes for a second season. 

Sadly, it won’t be as Disney reported to Deadline that the show is ending after one season. 

"Disney+ Original series, Renegade Nell, will not be returning for a second season on the service. We’re incredibly proud of the world created by Sally Wainwright and lead director Ben Taylor. We’d like to thank them, our production partners at Lookout Point, the entire cast – led by Louisa Harland – and crew for their incredible work on this series, all of whom we hope to work with again in the future."

The cancellation is a disappointment as the show had won wide critical praise with 86% of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes positive. Writer Ben Taylor had also claimed that there were already scripts being written for Season 2, making it seem like it was a done deal.

It may seem Disney didn’t do enough to promote the series, which, like other shows on various services, may have suffered from having all nine episodes dropped at once rather than in weekly installments. At the same time, it does appear the viewing metrics just weren’t what Disney hoped for, and the show did not connect with general audiences. At the end of the day, it always comes down to viewers and a cult audience usually isn’t enough to justify a longer run. 

The chances of selling the series to another streamer might be tricky, given the budget and the special effects work. It did connect better with UK audiences and with work on Season 2 already being done, someone might decide to give it another shot. At least the season didn’t end with a cliffhanger, as it wrapped up the main story of Nell’s quest with the window open for more adventures. Yet it can also work as a series finale, too, even if it shouldn’t be.

It’s a shame as the show was one of the best new series of 2024 with Harland’s wonderful performance, a unique vibe and stood out from the pack. Sadly, like many other Disney+ shows, its run is ending sooner than it should have to make it another casualty of too much on streamers for audiences to enjoy.

Renegade Nell streaming on Disney+.