Why Netflix’s Cancellation of Mindhunter Still Stings for Fans

Six years ago, Netflix canceled one of the best detective TV shows of all time, and fans will never forgive them for their betrayal. Since Netflix started producing its own shows, it has released many brilliant series that have garnered passionate fan bases. Unfortunately, it has also gained a reputation for one frustrating trend.

Netflix unceremoniously cancels top-notch TV shows that have the potential to last for a long time. These shows boast unique angles and concepts as well as strong actors. One of the most upsetting cancellations occurred in 2019, and the show in question boasted a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score.

Mindhunter’s Cancellation Is Still Impossible To Accept

Mindhunter was a brilliant TV show, and it’s hard to accept that Netflix canceled it. I’m convinced that if Mindhunter came out today, it would be a certified hit, now that there’s more of a conversation about ethical storytelling in true crime.

The show was smart, well-written, and respectful of the victims. While Mindhunter featured characters based on real serial killers, it never painted the serial killers’ violence in a salacious or gratuitous way. Instead, every rape or murder scene added context and stakes to the show.

On top of that, Mindhunter was examining homophobia, racism, and sexism as factors in detective work before it was popular. Criminal profiling, in real life, has come under scrutiny because it is 100% influenced by external factors. It’s not infallible. However, profiling was always painted this way in the Netflix show.

Though there’s never going to be a completely ethical way to make true crime, this is the closest that I’ve ever seen. That makes its cancellation even more upsetting. Mindhunter only gets two seasons, while shows like the seriously criticized Monster series continue to be released.

Netflix’s Reason To Cancel Mindhunter Makes It All More Frustrating

The cancellation of Mindhunter is even more frustrating because the reasoning seems illogical at first glance. The TV show was too expensive to produce for the number of viewers it attracted. The demand didn’t outweigh the cost. Even though the show does not look high-budget, Mindhunter is actually packed with CGI that maintains narrative consistency and the setting.

To continue, they would either have needed to make Mindhunter more mainstream, which would detract from the unique storytelling approach, or they would’ve needed to cut the budget, which would compromise the authenticity of the true story. Neither option would have been good, but it also seems unfair that Mindhunter is cancelled while other high-budget TV shows continue on Netflix.

The Future Of Mindhunter Explained

While Mindhunter most likely won’t return as a TV show, there’s a strong chance that it will finally return in another format. Star Holt McCallany brought up the possibility that Netflix will produce three two-hour Mindhunter movies. He allegedly met with David Fincher about this possibility, and McCallany suggests writers are already working on the scripts.

Executive Producer Charlize Theron gave a promising update, saying that she and David both still love the world of Mindhunter, affirming that it’s ultimately up to David Fincher whether they do the films. If this is accurate, the movies likely won’t come out any time soon since Fincher and star Jonathan Groff have become two of the most sought-after talents.