Apple TV Plus pulls a Netflix by canceling one of its acclaimed TV shows in record time
Lost to the sands of time
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High Desert, one ofAppleTV Plus' new comedy series, has been canceled after one season.
The Patricia Arquette-starring show only made its debut on one of the world’sbest streaming serviceson May 17. However, just six weeks after it joinedApple TV Plus' back catalog,High Deserthas been left, well, high and dry by the company’s streaming division.
Like many other big-name streamers, Apple TV Plus doesn’t officially announce when it pulls the plug on one of its shows. It was left to Arquette, then, to relay the disappointing news to High Desert’s fans onInstagram(as first reported byDeadline).
Billed as a comedy-drama,High Deserttells the tale of Peggy Newman (Arquette), an addict who, following the death of her mother, makes the life-changing decision to become a private investigator.
The show launched on May 17 with a three-episode premiere, with the last of its eight entries only debuting on Apple TV Plus on June 21. At the time of writing, then,High Desert’s cancelation comes just 12 days after its season 1 finale aired. Given the time between its final episode being released and its axing, I wouldn’t be surprised if this sets a new record for a show’s cancelation so soon after its launch.
High Desertwasn’t a complete flop upon release, either, which makes its cancelation all the more frustrating for fans of the show. According to review aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, the series was received more warmly by audiences than critics. As of July 3,High Desertholds a 79% approval rating among everyday viewers, while its average critical score stands at 70%.
Despite its positive ratings, though,High Desertseems like it’ll be lost to the sands of time, with Apple choosing not to renew it for a second outing. Still, given the largely favorable reviews, you can expect the show to join ourbest Apple TV Plus showslist in the near future.
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A ruthless Netflix-style cancelation
High Desert isn’t the only Apple TV Plus show to be canned after a solitary season. In mid-April,Dear Edwardwas canceled after its initial 10-episode run. The duo join other fan-favorite and/or acclaimed series includingAmazing Stories,Roar,Mr. Corman, andShantaramon the cutting room floor.
There are bound to be reasons behind the cancelation of these shows, including production costs and audience engagement (or, in the case of the latter, lack of engagement). However, while there’s a rationale for ending a series if it’s too expensive and/or doesn’t draw in viewers, Apple’s decision to end these projects after one season is starting to become a bit tooNetflix-like for my, well, liking.
It’s no secret that Netflix has a penchant for canceling shows that don’t meet expectations or cost too much to produce. Just look atLockwood & Co, which was dumped after a single season despite its own positive reviews. Or how aboutWarrior Nun,a hugely popular series that was canned after two seasons before a recent, fervent fan campaign earned it a third and final outing(NB: there’s no word about where its third season will air)?
Apple’s unwillingness to publicly confirm when a show is not being renewed has shades of Netflix about it, too. Indeed, Netflix’s cancelation spree happens so fast that show creators sometimesdon’t even hear about their projects being brought to an end until the axe falls. At least Apple seemingly had the courtesy to let Arquette and company know aboutHigh Desert’s fate, though.
Even so, Apple needs to be careful about straying too far into Netflix-style territory. The latter has been given a bad rep recently for its TV show cancelations, price increases, and password crackdown plan,leading to multiple Netflix users closing their accounts. Apple TV Plus might be a seriously underrated streaming service, but it doesn’t have the userbase the Netflix does. If it starts to follow Netflix’s lead in regularly canning its original series, it may also start to alienate fans – and that won’t be good news for the company’s streaming ambitions.
As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
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