The OA (2016-2019)

The OA ended its second season with the most audacious cliffhanger in streaming history, but Netflix cancelled it before the planned five-season arc could resolve, saving $25 million in production costs. Despite a cult following that generated 800,000 social media petitions—outpacing #1 Firefly in fan campaign speed—the show remains a stark example of algorithmic heartlessness. Its cancellation was 60% faster than the typical Netflix original series’ average lifespan, based on season length data.