Shadow and Bonewas one of Netflix’s greatest original fantasy series, making its cancellation after season 2 incredibly disappointing. But believe it or not, there’s a silver lining toShadow and Bonebeing canceled, even if many of us would have preferred to see it continue. Based onLeigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse books, the 2021 fantasy series is one of Netflix’s most ambitious offerings to debut in recent years. Not only did it combine Bardugo’sShadow and BoneandSix of Crowsbooks, but it did so with a stunning backdrop and incredibly talented cast.
Unfortunately, Netflix has a bad track record with fantasy series — and in general, the genre faces many cancellations, even when shows are seemingly popular. Many ofNetflix’s fantasy cancellationshave led to disappointment, with titles likeWarrior Nun, Fate: The Winx Saga,andLockwood & Co.all sparking outrage upon being axed. However,Shadow and Boneremains one of the streamer’s most disappointing cancellations. There is one positive thing to come out of its early end, though, which fans of the books might appreciate.
Shadow And Bone’s Cancellation Will Go Down As One Of Netflix’s Most Disappointing
The Series' Dedicated Fan Base & Potential Spinoff Make Its Fate Worse
Although Netflix has been criticized for many of its fantasy and sci-fi cancellations over the years,Shadow and Bonewill forever go down as one of its most disappointing. There are a few reasons for this, starting with the series' well-established fan base. Thanks toBardugo’s books,Shadow and Bonehad a large and dedicated following even before its debut. And while there have been disagreements over how well the source material was adapted, thefan campaign to saveShadow and Bonesuggests a large chunk of that audience still wanted more of it.
Additionally, withoutShadow and Bone’s cancellation,Netflix could have made an even better fantasy series: one based onSix of CrowsandCrooked Kingdom. These books are arguably Bardugo’s most popular, andthe Netflix adaptation laid the groundwork to tell the Crows' story in a spinoff. In fact, showrunner Eric Heisserer even toldEntertainment Weeklythat he planned to do so if given the opportunity. With the near-flawless cast and promising original show, the fact that this won’t happen is even more disappointing.
There’s A Small Silver Lining To Shadow And Bone’s Early End
The Netflix Series Will Never Go Too Far Beyond Leigh Bardugo’s Books
It’s often difficult to find silver linings when it comes to TV cancellations, but there is one worth noting with regard toShadow and Bone.The series ending with season 2 means that the writers won’t go beyond Bardugo’s source material, a risky endeavor that could have soured many viewers on the adaptation and anything that came after. And givenShadow and Boneseason 2’s ending, it’s safe to say that diverging from the books was inevitable in season 3.
We’ve seen what can happen to even the best fantasy shows when they run out of source material.
The latter half of the second season makes noteworthy changes to the author’s trilogy, altering the direction of Alina Starkov’s character arc entirely. While making Alina queen and giving her strange new abilities could have proved interesting, it could also have hurt the series in season 3. After all, cutting the Darkling’s story short and changing Alina’s narrative means the writers would no longer be working off the books. We’ve seen what can happen to even the best fantasy shows when they run out of source material, so perhaps it’s for the bestShadow and Boneisn’t taking that path.
By Ending Early, Shadow And Bone Avoided The Fates Of Series Like Game Of Thrones
The HBO Show Is A Prime Example Of How Risky Moving Away From The Books Can Be
Shadow and Bone’s early end might be sad, but by canceling the series,Netflix ensured it will never follow in the footsteps of a series like Game of Thrones. The HBO phenomenon will still go down as one of the best fantasy shows of all time, but its later seasons drive home how detrimental moving away from the source material can be. Once the writers stopped following George R.R. Martin’s script, the storytelling became much weaker. This is a risk creators and networks take when they choose to go beyond what’s on the page.
WithShadow and Bonesomehow wrapping upSiege and StormandRuin and Risingin its second season, this is a risk the Netflix series probably would have had to take. It’s possible it would’ve worked out for the best, but it’s just as likely viewers — particularly those familiar with the books — would have had negative reactions. This could have hurt the Netflix series' legacy more than its cancellation. While no show wants to face such a fate, the story at least wrapped in a somewhat satisfying place. That might not be the case if it had continued.
