Teen drama mixed with dystopian storytelling often make for captivating television, and Netflix’s The Society was no exception. The show introduced viewers to a group of teenagers from West Ham, Connecticut, who return from a school trip only to find themselves in a mysterious alternate version of their hometown. Their parents and other adults are missing, leaving the teens to fend for themselves.
What unfolds next is a mix of chaos, power struggles, and shocking revelations. Despite its amazing premise and fan following, The Society was abruptly cancelled after just one season. This left fans disappointed and curious about what went wrong.
The Reason Behind The Society Season 2 Getting Cancelled
The Society Season 2 was already in development when Netflix announced its cancelation. Fans never got to see the next chapter of the teenagers’ journey, leaving many unresolved questions about the mysterious world they were trapped in. Unfortunately, the pandemic’s challenges brought the story to an unexpected halt.
The creator of The Society, Christopher Keyser, shared his disappointment over the show’s unexpected cancellation, especially since production for season 2 was already in progress. He had exciting plans for the second season, which would have taken the story into a darker and more complex place. Unfortunately, those plans were cut short when Netflix decided to cancel the series. They cited the challenges and costs of filming during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Collider, Keyser said,
We spent the last bunch of months getting ready to go back again, dealing with all the COVID protocols. And then I got a call from Netflix saying, ‘We have made this decision.’ It was obviously pretty upsetting and abrupt… I can’t pretend I’m surprised.
He further said,
I know we had many months of conversations about the challenges of producing in this environment… But to our disadvantage, we have a large cast and scenes often with a fair number of people.
Keyser expressed frustration over the abrupt cancellation, especially since a lot of time and effort had been spent preparing for the next season while navigating the challenges of COVID-19 safety protocols. The large cast which included Kathryn Newton, Toby Wallace, and Alex Fitzalan amongst others, and the need for group scenes added to the difficulties, ultimately making production too costly.
Despite these efforts, Netflix decided to halt the show, leaving fans and creators disappointed. The cancellation brought an end to a story that had much more to offer.
The Society Wasn’t the Only Show to Get Cancelled
Netflix’s The Society season 2 production had already started in the year 2020, but the show was ultimately canceled due to the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision wasn’t only meant for The Society, other shows like I Am Not Okay With This (via Deadline) and GLOW also faced similar fates. The main issue was the increased production costs tied to health and safety protocols, which made filming too expensive.
The first season of The Society ended on a cliffhanger, revealing that the teenagers might be living in an alternate reality. Meanwhile, the parents were shown to still exist in the real West Ham. This revelation left fans eager to see how the story would unfold and what would happen to the teens of New Ham. With its amazing premise and strong characters, the show had gained popularity, earning an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.1 on IMDb.
What storyline would The Society Season 2 have explored?
In season 2, Christopher Keyser intended to explore how the teenagers of New Ham would adapt to their increasingly weird world. One major storyline was the introduction of the “outpost.” This would have been a separate group that would eventually clash with the town over control and resources. These tensions would have shown issues of power, inequality, and societal divisions. It also would have raised questions about how people treat one another when survival is at stake.
Season 2 was also expected to dive deeper into the mysterious disappearance of the teens. Season 1’s finale revealed that the kids were transported to a parallel universe while life in their original world carried on as though they had vanished during a school trip.
Keyser planned on exploring the reasons behind this unnatural occurrence. He wanted to focus on how and why the teens of West Ham became trapped in New Ham. The sci-fi elements of the story would have been expanded, with the characters investigating the cause of their fate and searching for a way back home.
The darker tone of the show was also going to intensify. Season 2 would follow the aftermath of the chaotic coup led by Campbell, which had overthrown Allie’s leadership. Without clear rules or order, the town would spiral further into turmoil.
The Society is available to stream on Netflix.
