5 Canceled HBO Shows We Wish Would Return

HBO is renowned for delivering top-notch prestige television, but this reputation can sometimes be a double-edged sword for the shows it decides to cancel. Many HBO original series that have met an untimely end were well-loved—a testament to their quality and the network’s knack for picking captivating stories. Let’s delve into some of the most beloved shows that HBO has canceled and explore the case for their potential return.

HBO series often have shorter seasons, are released less frequently, and usually follow linear storylines. This means even the series that seem to have had a good run can feel abruptly short. Fans are typically biased towards wanting their favorite shows to continue, but sometimes a series genuinely ends before its time. Here are some of the most popular shows HBO has ever canceled.

The 2022 screen adaptation of “The Time Traveler’s Wife” is likely one of the most controversial cancellations HBO has ever gone through. The original novel, released in 2003, was adapted into a film in 2009 that received mixed reviews. So, when HBO announced a new television adaptation, fans were eager to see the story unfold once more. Unfortunately, the show was canceled shortly after its season finale. To make matters worse, it was removed from HBO’s streaming service a few months later. Despite petitions to revive the series, no official plans for its return have been announced.

“Westworld” ran for four seasons and managed to reinvent itself continually, reflecting the evolving intelligence of the sentient androids it portrayed. The series was canceled in 2022 with little fanfare and removed from streaming soon after. Today, fans can only rent or purchase the existing four seasons. Some fans argue that “Westworld” got to end at the right time, while others believe that it had much more to offer.

“The Nevers” was a highly anticipated sci-fi series set in Victorian-era London, focusing on women who developed extraordinary powers. HBO won a fierce bidding war to air the series, only to cancel it after just one season. Created by Joss Whedon, who left the show before it aired due to allegations of creating a toxic workplace, the exact reasons for its cancellation remain unclear.

Another book adaptation, “Lovecraft Country,” was based on a 2016 novel by Matt Ruff. The show gained rave reviews during its first season, featuring a young Black man navigating the segregated United States of the 1950s while uncovering supernatural mysteries linked to the writings of H.P. Lovecraft. Despite teasing a second season, HBO canceled the show after its first run. A 2021 behind-the-scenes book suggested that there were behind-the-scenes challenges that led to its untimely end.

“The Brink” premiered in 2015 but had a disappointingly short run. Starring Jack Black as a low-ranking officer at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, the season focused on a geopolitical crisis in Pakistan. The show’s concept was to have each season revolve around the same characters dealing with different global crises. However, it only got one chance to explore this intriguing premise.

Lastly, many fans argue that “Game of Thrones” ended too soon, despite its eight-season run. The show’s final season was infamous for its rushed storytelling and controversial plot twists. According to author George R.R. Martin, both he and HBO had hoped the series would continue for a few more seasons. However, showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss decided to end it when they did. The “House of the Dragon” spinoff has rekindled some hope among fans, who believe another adaptation could do justice to the rich, complex story of Westeros.

Source: PopCulture.com