Netflix just canceled 'Kaos' after one season — and viewers aren’t happy

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Jeff Goldblum's fantasy show has unfortunately gotten the axe

Zeus (Jeff Goldblum) leans on a table in Netflix's "Kaos"
(Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix has pulled the plug on “Kaos” after just one season, and fans are far from happy. Despite receiving solid reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and being labeled a favorite fantasy comedy by one of our own writers, the show has met an untimely end, according to Variety. 

It seems as though the streaming service has decided not to move forward with a second season of “Kaos," just over a month after its August debut. The series, which reimagined Greek mythology with a modern twist, starred Jeff Goldblum, Janet McTeer, David Thewlis and Billie Piper. 

The news of this cancellation first circulated when Aurora Perrineau, who played Eurydice in the show, posted it on her Instagram (it has since been deleted). She said: “Well… this one hurts. When I started auditioning for this show, I knew it was special, mainly due to the fact that Charlie Covell’s scripts resonated with me in a way most things hadn’t. I knew all of these people, and I loved them all — every flaw, everything. For one of the first times in my life, I have found myself really proud. I’m, of course, proud of everyone’s work and the care they gave to this project, because, let me tell you, they left everything on the floor” (h/t What’s on Netflix). 

While the post didn’t explicitly state that “Kaos” was canceled, the actress did confirm the sad news when a fan asked, "Are you saying Kaos got canceled?" Perrineau replied, "Sadly, yes."

Why did Netflix cancel ‘Kaos’?

L-R: Janet McTeer as Hera and Jeff Goldblum as Zeus in Netflix's "Kaos".

(Image credit: Justin Downing/Netflix)

Despite spending four weeks in Netflix's top 10 charts after its release, “Kaos” struggled to build a significant audience. The show peaked at No. 3 on the English-language TV chart in its second week, but its viewership never surpassed 5.9 million. While these numbers aren’t insignificant, they probably fell short of Netflix's expectations for a high-budget fantasy series, leading to its unfortunate demise.

Still, I’m surprised that an interesting show like “Kaos” got axed, considering the premise sounds like total fun. “Kaos” centers around the decline of Zeus (Goldblum), the King of the Gods, who has long relished his supreme power and lavish lifestyle. However, when he notices a single wrinkle on his forehead, he becomes consumed with fear that his reign is nearing its end. As chaos erupts among the gods on Mount Olympus, Zeus descends further into paranoia. Meanwhile, three mortals are fated to play a crucial role in altering the course of humanity’s future.

“Kaos” was supposed to air two more seasons, and since season 1's ending was left open. Creator Charlie Covell told Cosmopolitan last month, “There’s definitely more. I also didn’t want to do an ending that was a total cliffhanger. I hope that it feels satisfying as a season one in its own right, and there’s always hope for more. Because I really would love to do more.” 

Fans aren’t happy about this news either since they’ve expressed disappointment on X. One post said: “Quite frankly, if I don't get a second season of Kaos, my Netflix account is getting canceled. It is the most original, well written, beautifully clever show that has been produced in a long time. The whole crew deserves to be rewarded.”

Sadly, “Kaos” won’t be making a return on the streaming service. You can still binge the first season on Netflix and watch other shows like “Kaos” to fill the void. 

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Alix Blackburn
Alix Blackburn
Staff Writer, Streaming

Alix is a Streaming Writer at Tom’s Guide, which basically means watching the best movies and TV shows and then writing about them. Previously, she worked as a freelance writer for Screen Rant and Bough Digital, both of which sparked her interest in the entertainment industry. When she’s not writing about the latest movies and TV shows, she’s either playing horror video games on her PC or working on her first novel.

1 Comment Comment from the forums
  • TraceyB
    This series is exceptional. The cast is stellar, the interpretations of the characters perfection, the sets remarkable and the writing a perfect storm of humor, sarcasm and tragedy that is thick with allegory. It is also a refreshingly new and unique storyline depicting a world where Greek Gods exist and rule in modern times. It is, sadly, a sometimes humorous and just as often frightening metaphor to the world we live in today. I am shocked that there are both viewers and reviewers who missed the entire point of this thought-provoking show (though, reassuringly, not many). I was very much looking forward to seeing the metaphorical tyrants uprooted, but it seems we will never have that satisfaction. I must admit, I'm beginning to tire of the Netflix roller coaster where the highest-quality shows are cancelled just as I become invested in them. The value Netflix invariably places on profits and ratings above quality is an ironic example of exactly the sort of world that Kaos depicts.
    Reply