The dreaded cancellation is something that comes for all shows, minus a select few. No matter the show's size or popularity, it's bound to come to an end. Whether it's a great sitcom, a classic kids shows from yesteryear, or a beautiful disaster of a show, the end is nigh for them all.
I Know What You Did Last Summer started as a film franchise, but last year, it pivoted to the small screen. People were excited for the show, but it was canceled by Amazon after just a single season on the streaming platform.
Let's take a look at the show and learn why it was axed.
'I Know What You Did Last Summer' Is A Classic Film Franchise
During the latter part of the 1990s, the horror genre was undergoing a massive Renaissance. There were several notable films that helped revitalize a franchise, including I Know What You Did Last Summer, which saw its release in 1997.
Starring a crop of rising stars like Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Geller, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddie Prinze Jr., the film was a massive success at the box office, earning over $125 million globally. Just like that, everyone was hooked, and soon enough, the sequel train was roaring down the tracks.
In 1998, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer hit the big screen. It was able to make $84 million, which was a noticeable dip from its predecessor. Following that film, there would be a massive gap between installments, but the studio decided to dust off the old slasher franchise in 2006.
I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer was the third and final film in the franchise. Sadly, this was a direct-to-video feature, and it lacks virtually everything that made the original picture so lovable.
Years would once again go by, but when the franchise made its return, it did so as a TV series.
The Show Only Lasted For One Season
In 2021, the series made its official debut on the small screen, and fans were excited to see what direction it would take the beloved franchise.
In total, there would be 8 episodes, and sadly, they weren't well-received. The show currently has a 41% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and even worse, it has a measly 38% with audiences. So much for the folks at Amazon doing big things with a popular IP.
Unfortunately, the series did not last very long.
"Prime Video has opted not to order a second season of I Know What You Did Last Summer, a modern take on the 1973 novel by Lois Duncan and the 1997 film adaptation. The YA horror series, produced by Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures TV, debuted Oct. 15 to mixed reviews with the first four episodes, followed by a weekly releases capped by the season finale on Nov. 12," Deadline reported.
Fans of the franchise were pretty stunned that Amazon decided to pull the plug on the show so quickly. Sure, it wasn't perfect, but it was still something keeping the franchise alive.
Over time, it was revealed why the show met such a quick end.
Why It Was Canceled
So, why was I Know What You Did Last Summer canceled after just one season on the air? Sadly, there are several reasons that the show got canceled. Let's just say that nothing about this show was getting it done, making it unworthy of Amazon's continued time and investment.
According to ScreenRant, "Amazon's I Know What Did You Last Summer TV show drew a myriad of complaints from both audiences and critics, many revolving around poor acting from the cast, plot holes that never got resolved, unsatisfactory twists, and perhaps most of all, a distinct lack of slashing from this slasher. Instead of going the slasher route that the movie did, albeit with a fairly low body count, the I Know What You Did Last Summer show tried to be more of a mystery but didn't manage to do much to sustain interest."
Now, had this show been able to earn a massive audience, then it is likely it could have continued. Clearly, Amazon was also unimpressed with the show's viewership numbers. Couple this with its lackluster reception, and it is easy to see why this show didn't last very long.
It's never easy bringing a franchise into a new era on a totally different medium, and Amazon learned this the hard way with I Know What You Did Last Summer. In future, other networks or streaming services looking to pull off this feat successfully should try to, you know, make a good show that fans actually want to see.
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