Critics haven’t been kind to Netflix’s adaptation of Cowboy Bebop, and those complaints certainly have not fell on deaf ears.
According to sources with The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix has decided to cancel the show after just one season. It’s an embarrassing fate for the ambitious live-action adaption of the classic neo-noir anime, which premiered less than three weeks ago (November 19).
From The Hollywood Reporter:
The space Western had a rough reception. The 10-episode series garnered only a 46 percent positive critics rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Fans seemed to agree, giving the show a 56 percent positive audience score on the site. According to Netflix’s Top 10 site, the series has racked up almost 74 million viewing hours worldwide since its debut — so it got plenty of sampling out of the gate — but it plummeted 59 percent for the week of Nov. 29 to Dec. 5.
Some of the chief complaints that Cowboy Bebop fans have had regarding Netflix’s adaptation include the casting of John Cho as Spike, many of whom have argued is way too old for the role. The show has also been criticized for being unoriginal, lifting things such as the title sequence directly from the anime but failing to recapture the original’s magic.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter