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Fall of the Gods: How Kaos’ Cancelation Makes the Case for the Intentional Limited Series

It’s a running gag that powerhouse streamer Netflix loves to cancel its original series.

Very few TV Fanatics have escaped Netflix’s penchant for ax-swinging when it comes to some of our favorite series.

And now, the gods were not smiling down on the modern-day Greek mythology series, Kaos.

Zeus is the all-powerful god and everyone is after him.
(Justin Downing/Netflix)

Kaos Offered a Truly Unique, Refreshing Take on the Genre Series

There is nothing quite like Kaos currently on the air, and unfortunately, now there isn’t anything at all.

Kaos was a genuinely fun series, in many ways taking a similar approach as The Boys when tackling a specific genre that is either overfraught or not approached in unique ways.

Greek Mythology has its appeal, and of all the various forms of mythology, it’s likely the most popular.

But Kaos, with its modern take on the gods, titans, and various mythological characters, could appeal to diehard mythology fans and those who barely dabble in the genre.

Hera has her loyal followers everywhere in Kaos.
(Daniel Escale/Netflix)

Kaos was also one of the most beautifully shot series that I’ve seen in quite some time.

The cinematography was a work of art all on its own — truly stunning visuals in every facet of this series transport you to the sweeping landscape of Greece with sprawling shots of aging historical sites and more.

Tuning into Kaos, the series instantly pulled you in, and everything else around you disappeared.

Kaos Used its Star Power to Elevate the Full Cast

The series then gives recognizable faces (Jeff Goldblum as ZEUS, for goodness sake) to names and figures that you may have only read about in an elementary history course.

The cast breathed life into these names and figures, making them compelling characters who felt familiar, as the writing allowed the series to explore these figures from different perspectives and views.

Riddy and Orpheus share an intimate moment.
(Courtesy of Netflix)

As we know, it’s debatable that star power is why most projects can sell or receive a greenlight, but Kaos was smart enough to market Jeff Goldblum only to have him stay mostly on the peripherals of the story.

We’ve often discussed how series have a frustrating habit these days of procuring big stars rather than creating them.

Kaos managed to do both, as Jeff Goldblum and Janet McTeer lured individuals in, while viewers could subsequently fall in love with Prodigal Son‘s Aurora Perrineau, Misia Butler, Nabhaan Rizwan, Killian Scott, and Leila Farzad.

Perrineau’s Eurydice, or Riddy, was particularly intoxicating, but anyone familiar with her previous works would know that anyway.

Riddy grounded the series with this deep exploration of identity, purpose, grief, pain, and love.

Riddy is stuck and unable to get to the afterlife she desires without her coin.
(Courtesy of Netflix)

Kaos Succeeded in Using Dark Comedy to Address Social Themes

And Kaos cleverly, perhaps too subtly for most to appreciate, somehow managed to tackle politics, oppression, genocide, gender politics, prejudice, class, sexuality, and so much more in darkly comedic ways that resonated.

However, Kaos was not a perfect show, and it was likely an acquired taste for most.

Sadly, the reviews are generally mixed. The series was most likely costly beyond measure to create but didn’t generate the viewership that made it worthwhile.

The series never reached the top spot on Netflix’s top ten and spent only a short time on the list.

It barely generated buzz.

Dionysus likes to party in Kaos.
(Justin Downing/Netflix)

Kaos Was Not a Perfect Show, But It Never Stood a Chance

But therein lies some of the issues with the series’s launch.

It was a victim of Netflix’s total lack of promotion, so most people didn’t even know it existed.

It certainly didn’t get the Emily in Paris or Bridgerton treatment.

As we know by now, only a few coveted shows receive the type of promotion they deserve.

The Kaos cancellation sucks, and even asserting that it’s a totally understandable result.

Hera and Posideon have a love affair in Kaos.
(Daniel Escale/Netflix)

The show never stood a chance in many ways, so one could have guessed that the writing was on the wall when we barely saw anything about the series except among small circles.

One can accept that the numbers aren’t aligned, and Kaos is headed down the river Styx to meet its fate.

A Limited Series Approach Would’ve Satisfied Viewers

But what’s frustrating is that this wonderfully bizarre yet earnest series ended on a cliffhanger, and now we’ll never know what the future holds for this universe.

Kaos is a slow-burn series.

Caeneus is hard at work in Kaos.
(Justin Downing/Netflix)

I can believe that a well-purposed story or series of stories would unfold over time, but it would take some time.

The problem is that time is never on a show’s side when it comes to Netflix.

Kaos had many obstacles, from the series’ astronomical costs to its entire premise, which may not have caught a steady and reliable audience.

Despite a talented cast, compelling characters, and the potential it held in every installment, Kaos was a big swing destined to miss.

But it didn’t have to be this way.

Ariadne poses outside her home.
(Courtesy of Netflix)

Limited Series with the Option for More is the Best Way to Earn Trust

When you consider the risk involved in a series like this, it begs the question of why Netflix doesn’t option most of its new series as limited series in the first place.

It would allow them to continue churning out all types of projects that cover the full gamut of genres and creativity while still taking precautions.

While it would have been lovely if Kaos could have gone on for multiple seasons, it’s a premise that practically begs to be a limited series with tighter storytelling and an ending that wraps things up.

Zeus sits atop of his throne.
(Justin Downing/Netflix)

It’s hard to ask viewers to continue tuning into the streamer and all of its original offerings if they’re afraid to invest in a show that won’t make it past a season and, yes, ends on a cliffhanger.

However, intentional limited series leave a wide range of options for viewers. If we could already know going in, we would have a beginning, middle, and end to something we’re tuning into.

The great thing about limited series, as we learned from the acclaimed Shōgun, is that there’s always an option of the series continuing beyond that if it does find success.

An Intentional Limited Series Approach Curtails Netflix’s Cancelation-Happy Trigger Finger

It’s a win-win situation for all, especially if a series wants to continue landing some of the biggest and most recognizable stars who often don’t want to commit to projects for a long time.

Lachesis gives a performance
(Justin Downing/Netflix)

The pipeline from limited series to anthology series can and does work if it comes to that as well.

Netflix is already chock-full of limited and anthological series, and at this point, it has to be more cost-effective to continue producing them.

There’s a way for viewers, the streamer, and those creating and producing content to find a happy medium and some satisfaction here.

A commitment to limited series upfront would earn back the trust of viewers and talent alike, as they’d know what they’re getting into from the beginning.

The Furies are on a mission.
(Justin Downing/Netflix)

Countless Netflix series that has landed in the graveyard due to the change of devoted and passionate fanbases could’ve easily fallen into a limited-series formatting with some tweaking and closure.

In the end, most viewers are committed to the characters and story and would prefer to have complete storytelling in some fashion.

Netflix Needs More Complete Stories and Closure

Given that many series have already resorted to treating full seasons like a ten-hour-long movie as it is, wouldn’t it be best if their commitment to that included closure and no cliffhangers?

By now, it’s evident that cliffhangers don’t work as a method of tricking networks into greenlighting a series for renewal.

Riddy is shocked at what's in store for her on Kaos.
(Courtesy of Netflix)

If the numbers, figures, crystal ball, or whatever else that determines a series’ future (at this point, none of us really know anymore) don’t align, then so be it; Netflix can move on to its next project.

But in the meantime, we’re not deprived of unique series like Kaos or cut off from storytelling before it’s complete.

In fact, shifting to a more focus on limited series (with the option for more) would mean we’d get a full breadth of creative series. It would allow Netflix to take bigger and more interesting risks, and it could lead to better payoffs.

Zeus knows people are coming after him in Kaos.
(Courtesy of Netflix)

Because we can’t keep going on like this, and wonderfully captivating works like Kaos are cut short or left incomplete, continue to pay the price, along with the audience.

Over to you, TV Fanatics.

Watch Kaos Online

Should Netflix option original shows as limited series out of the gate?

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