While sharing the news that "Heels" was coming to Netflix next month recently, I talked about how almost everyone's got that one show they loved that was canceled too soon. Clearly, I was tempting fate, as Prime Video just dropped the axe on one of my favorite shows of 2024 so far: "My Lady Jane".
Even if you acknowledge that it was a little bit of an odd choice to dial up the steaminess — given "My Lady Jane" originated as a YA novel — I really do think that the series could have become a solid addition to the Prime Video library, serving as a more action-packed, swashbuckling alternative to "Bridgerton" over on Netflix.
Alas, Gemma Burgess' irreverent, alt-historical fantasy series has been cut down after just one season. News of the show's cancelation was first confirmed by Deadline and it comes just seven weeks after the series first premiered on June 27.
According to the publication, "My Lady Jane" just "didn't find a broad enough audience." Now, I definitely remember it claiming a spot in the Prime Video top 10 shows at some point around release time, but it clearly didn't have the staying power of shows like "Fallout" to justify funding a second chapter. And, quite frankly, that just sucks.
'My Lady Jane' deserved better
I've already penned one article at Tom's Guide explaining why you should stream "My Lady Jane", but, even at the risk of repeating myself just a little, I want to highlight that the show was a blast.
It was a genuinely funny blend of farce, fantasy, period drama and romance, one which wryly reimagined the life of the titular English monarch. Instead of being remembered for her short reign, "My Lady Jane" has Emily Bader take the ruler on a spirited romp, one with scheming royals trying to lay claim to the throne, a brewing civil conflict between humans and human-animal shapeshifters, danger, and deception.
Plus, it boasted leads with sizzling chemistry and had a great, snarky sense of humor. Worse, the first season ended with the promise of more adventures to come, yet now we won't get to see what further trouble Lady Jane and her partner Guildford Dudley (Edward Bluemel) were about to get wrapped up in.
It's not just me who loved "My Lady Jane," either. The series currently has a 94% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, which makes it one of the site's most well-received shows of 2024. Like myself, most critics praised the series' playful tone and great leads, and (judging by their comments), I'm sure at least some of them are also bummed we won't be seeing Jane back on our screens.
With any luck, the fan campaign (#SaveLadyJane / #SaveMyLadyJane) and/or the Change.org fan petition calling for the show's renewal and/or another of the best streaming services to step in and save the show will convince someone to take a chance on it. But if we've got no other choice than to find a new show to fill the void, check out our lists of the best Prime Video shows and the best fantasy shows to stream on Prime Video right now for more streaming recommendations.
