What Happened to 'The OA'? Netflix's Most Unfair Cancellation, Explained

Netflix is notorious for canceling its own TV series too early, but its main mistake has been The OA.

In 2019, fans of Brit Marling, Zal Batmanglij, and their show received sad news: Netflix, the platform that released two seasons of the show, announced the end of the project. Thus, the story of the mysterious girl from another dimension was cut short.

Why Was 'The OA' Canceled?

The reason for this decision was not announced. The largest streaming service does not publish viewing data for its movies and TV series. However, its representatives have stated that the decision to renew a show depends on its popularity among subscribers and production costs.

Netflix was probably not satisfied with either of these indicators.

Even Six Years Later, 'The OA' Remains a Revolutionary Sci-Fi Project

At the same time, The OA remains one of the most unique sci-fi shows ever released. Many consider its narrative method revolutionary – it is a slow burner, more like a long movie with a non-linear story.

Secondly, The OA is an impressive genre mix, combining religious motifs and sci-fi concepts.

The second season, released in 2019, expanded the universe by adding new dimensions and alternate realities, as well as more mysteries. The Season 2 finale left fans stunned, hinting at an even larger next chapter that never happened.

'The OA' Fans Have Been Fighting for the Show, but They Did Not Succeed

The cancellation of The OA sparked an unprecedented reaction, with fans organizing flash mobs, petitions, and protests. Redditor krissyjump wrote:

“This cancellation really hurt. I liked this show a lot more than I was expecting to and Season 2 in particular was really just fantastic. [...] I just don't get why I should ever become invested in a Netflix series again when this keeps happening.”

Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij have joined in as well. They have publicly thanked the fans and hinted that they would like to finish the story. However, the rights to the series belong to Netflix.

In an interview with ScreenRant Marling said:

“I think we knew that window was going to be a window, not a door. It was going to close. That’s what technology is doing in every industry – it comes in and it disrupts.”

Are There Any Chances 'The OA' Will Be Revived?

The chances are slim, but not zero. While Netflix has occasionally revived projects under pressure from fans, The OA is a more difficult case.

In 2021, there were rumors that Marling and Batmanglij were discussing the possibility of a continuation in a different medium, such as a movie or comic book. However, this was never confirmed.

For now, The OA remains one of the most painful losses in Netflix history – a series that deserved a proper ending.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'The OA'?

• The OA has 84% from critics and 83% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the series has a score of 7.8/10.