There was a time when Netflix could count me among its biggest fans. When the streaming service first debuted in my region, I was among the first subscribers. As more competition entered the market, I remained steadfast in my subscription to Netflix, keeping it as the one constant in my streaming rotation.
But over the years, Netflix has become less of an innovative game-changer and instead one of the pioneers in returning to the status quo that made cord-cutters so eager to escape cable giants. This and other reasons are why 2025 might finally be the year I cancel Netflix.
Netflix keeps canceling great shows
Netflix rarely used to cancel shows. Then, it started canceling a few here and there. Now, it's almost the norm. Shows are no longer given time to attract a following and even if they feature in the top 10 list, there’s no guarantee it will get a second season.
One of the most recent examples of this is "Kaos." While I was skeptical at first, the modern take on Greek mythology and its remixed tales drew me in. I had expected "Kaos" to be a limited series, so I was surprised when it ended on a cliffhanger.
But within a few days of finishing the series and only six weeks after its debut, an announcement revealed that Netflix chose not to renew "Kaos" for a second season.
Over the years, the list of good shows not given proper endings by the streaming service grows: "Glow," "Santa Clarita Diet," "I Am Not Okay With This," "Mindhunter," "Lockwood & Co" and "Shadow and Bone" are all shows that I enjoyed but which were canceled by the streaming service — many within one or two seasons.
This frustration has been echoed by many users online, and it feels like it’s not worth it to get invested in a new series on Netflix as it might be next on the chopping block. While "1899" looked interesting and was on my watchlist, the show’s cancellation after season 1 meant that I never bothered with it. And since the cancellation of "Kaos," this feeling has been amplified.
Netflix keeps pumping out low-quality reality TV
At the same time that Netflix keeps canceling new, original series with interesting ideas, the streaming service has invested heavily in reality TV.
While some of the titles have managed to draw me in with a unique premise, they’ve since been rehashed over and over again with diminishing returns. "Love Is Blind," "Too Hot to Handle" and "The Ultimatum" come to mind as prime examples.
I’ve even joked that Netflix has created its own cinematic universe of reality TV stars, with people appearing across different series and within the newer show "Perfect Match" (a dating show that consists solely of people connected to other Netflix reality shows).
While I wouldn't begrudge the streaming platform for limited forays into reality TV, the heavy investment in the genre comes as it cancels unique series. It’s tough to reconcile the fact that "Perfect Match" has more seasons than some of the best shows that debuted on the service.
Price increases are endless
Netflix's neverending chase for increasing profits doesn’t only result in good shows being canceled; it has also manifested in numerous price increases.
While things always get more expensive in any economy that experiences inflation, it feels more and more like Netflix is wringing out every dollar it can from viewers.
As of Q4 2024, Netflix enjoyed both growing revenue and an expanded operating margin. In 2024, the service’s operating income exceeded $10 billion for the first time.
And yet, the company continues to squeeze consumers for more. Not only do subscribers have to put up with ads and the ban on password sharing, but the price of the service keeps rising anyway. 2025 marked the third time in four years that Netflix increased its price in the U.S.
The Netflix experience has gotten worse
Netflix hasn’t only shown diminishing quality in the types of series it funds, but also the general user experience on the app. This is despite many of us paying more to access it.
Between the ads for mobile games, a series of curated lists, regional top 10s and other countless categories, just watching the next episode of my current series has turned into a navigational nightmare on my smartphone.
Meanwhile, on my smart TV, the app is easier to navigate but more buggy. I keep experiencing an issue where the audio cuts out for a few seconds multiple times while watching a show or movie. The only way to temporarily fix it is to switch my Dolby audio settings back and forth. I’ve experienced this issue for years and Netflix is the only app that does it.
It leads to me questioning why I’m paying more for an experience that is getting tangibly worse.
As much as I’ve loved Netflix over the years, there’s more competition in the streaming space than ever. Netflix has the occasional gem, but on average it feels like it’s just getting worse while asking us to pay more. It may be time for me to finally end my long-running subscription.
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