Contents
We unpack the reasons behind the cancellation of the hit Netflix series Grand Army.
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Introduction
Grand Army was cancelled after one season by Netflix, and though the show had been praised by critics, it didn’t seem to make much of a splash with viewers. So why was Grand Army cancelled?
There are several possible explanations. One is that the show simply didn’t find its audience, and with Netflix’s algorithm pointing viewers towards other shows, it became harder and harder for people to find Grand Army. Additionally, the show was expensive to produce, and with its low viewership, it wasn’t worth continuing for Netflix. Finally, it’s possible that the sensitive subject matter of the show – which dealt with issues like sexual assault – may have turned some viewers away.
Whatever the reason for its cancellation, Grand Army will be remembered as a bold and powerful show that pushed boundaries and started important conversations.
Grand Army’s Cancellation
So Grand Army got cancelled… and fans are not happy. The show was only on for one season, but it made a huge impact. It was one of the most diverse shows on television and it told an important story. So, why was it cancelled?
Low Viewership
It’s official. HBO Max has pulled the plug on Grand Army after just one season. The series, which followed a group of Brooklyn teens as they dealt with the challenges of high school, was created by Lena Waithe and produced by Josie Rourke.
Though it received mixed reviews from critics, Grand Army was praised for its honest and accurate portrayal of teenage life. So why was the show cancelled?
The most likely reason is low viewership. While HBO Max does not release ratings data, it’s safe to assume that Grand Army was not pulling in the same numbers as some of the other shows on the platform. With so many other streaming options available, it can be tough for even the most well-reviewed show to find an audience.
Another possible explanation is that HBO Max simply didn’t think the series warranted a second season. It’s not uncommon for networks to cancel shows after just one season if they don’t feel like they have enough material to work with for another season. This is usually due to a lack of budget or creative differences between the network and the show’s creators.
Whatever the reason, it’s always disappointing when a show is cancelled, especially one that has something important to say about the world we live in today. We can only hope that another platform picks up Grand Army so that we can see more of these characters and their stories.
Lack of Critical Acclaim
Grand Army was one of Netflix’s most-anticipated releases of 2020. The series followed a group of students at a Brooklyn high school as they faced various challenges in their lives. Despite its high-profile cast and interesting premise, the show was met with mixed reviews from critics. Many said that it was too similar to other shows about teenage life, and others criticized its treatment of sensitive topics.
Netflix has not officially announced why Grand Army was cancelled, but it is likely due to the negative reviews and lack of critical acclaim. The series was also very expensive to produce, so it may have been cancelled in an effort to save money. Whatever the reason, Grand Army will not be returning for a second season.
What Could Have Saved Grand Army?
Grand Army was a much-anticipated show that was unfortunately cancelled after only one season. Many fans are wondering what could have been done to save the show. Let’s take a look at some possible reasons why Grand Army was cancelled and what could have been done to prevent it.
More Marketing
It’s always hard to say why shows don’t find an audience, but in the case of Netflix’s Grand Army, it seems that a little more marketing might have made all the difference. The series, which was created by Katie Cappiello and based on her playSlut: The Play, premiered on the streaming service on October 16th, 2020.
The show followed a group of students at Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza high school as they dealt with love, sex, and the various other coming-of-age issues that teenagers face. Though it received mixed reviews from critics (it currently has a 62% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes), those who did enjoy it praised it for its accurate and nuanced portrayal of modern teenage life.
Unfortunately, it seems that Netflix didn’t quite know how to market the series to its potential audience. The trailer for the show was released only a few weeks before its debut, and though it did feature some of the show’s more scandalous moments (including a character saying “I can’t wait to get my first period so I can start having sex”), it didn’t really give viewers a sense of what the show was actually about.
In addition, Netflix didn’t do much to promote the series on social media or in other forms of advertising. This is perhaps not surprising, given that Grand Army was categorized as a “limited series” (i.e., a show that is not expected to be renewed for future seasons), but it still would have been helpful ifNetflix had given viewers a better idea of what they could expect from the show.
As a result of all this, it’s not surprising that Grand Army was one of Netflix’s lowest-viewed originals when it debuted. In fact, according to data from Parrot Analytics, the show averaged only 1.58 million demand expressions in its first week – which placed it at #56 on the streaming service’s list of original programs. (For comparison sake, the highest-rated Netflix original from that week – season 4 of The Crown – averaged 13.49 million demand expressions.)
Netflix has not yet announced whether or not Grand Army will be renewed for a second season, but given its low viewership and lack of buzz, it seems unlikely that we will be seeing more of the series in the future.
A Different Release Strategy
One possibility is that a different release strategy could have saved the show. When a show is released all at once, as Grand Army was, viewers have the option of watching it all in one sitting or drawn out over a period of time. With a traditional release schedule, where new episodes come out weekly, viewers are more likely to watch each episode as it comes out and discuss it with others, creating buzz around the show. This could have helped Grand Army find its audience and built up excitement for future seasons.
Another possibility is that lower expectations could have saved the show. If the creators and cast had been upfront about the fact that Grand Army is a slow-burn drama and not a fast-paced thriller, viewers might have gone into it with different expectations and been more willing to stick with it. As it was, many people who started watching Grand Army seems to have been disappointed that it wasn’t the exciting show they were expecting, and gave up on it before they got to see its true potential.
Conclusion
It’s difficult to say definitively why Grand Army was cancelled. It could be argued that the show simply didn’t find its audience, or that it was too dark and gritty for a young adult audience. Whatever the reason, it’s a shame that we won’t get to see more of these characters’ stories.
