NetflixAfter years of disappointments, it seemed like we were finally free from the dark days of the streaming era. Platforms have been embracing traditional TV models more readily, some releasing shows week-to-week instead of the tried-and-tested binge model. The scope of shows in the pipeline has also felt a little more diverse lately, more in line with the kind of stories coming out of streaming’s Golden Age. Netflix’s The Boroughs felt like an especially promising addition to that new wave. Produced by the Duffer Brothers, the creators of Stranger Things, the original series could have just been a retread of the latter, only set in a retirement community. But The Boroughs ended up being so much more: Inverse’s own Dais Johnston rated it the best sci-fi thriller to grace the small screen this year, and a warm critical reception elsewhere seemed to agree. Even if it followed the misadventures of a group of retirees, characters who assume they’ve only got a few years left in them, The Boroughs had the potential to be the next major sci-fi saga for Netflix. Unfortunately, the streamer doesn’t seem to agree.The Boroughs has reached the end of the cul-de-sac. | NetflixA little over a month has passed since The Boroughs debuted on Netflix, but its time in the sun has already come to an end. Netflix pulled the plug on the series this week, cutting an intriguing story short. Per Deadline, this cancellation comes as a surprise: a writers’ room had already opened to workshop ideas for a second season, and there was even talk of filming a potential Season 2 in tandem with a third. Unfortunately, that was only the plan so long as The Boroughs met Netflix’s lofty expectations. The streamer had high hopes to find “the next Stranger Things” in the series, but that also required The Boroughs to draw a Stranger Things-sized audience. Alas, its opening week didn’t quite prove its potential for growth. Viewership peaked at 9.5 million views in The Boroughs’ first few days on Netflix, but it lost a lot of that audience in Week 2, drawing in 3.7 million. Paired with its A-list cast and heavy special effects, the series joins the ranks of so many promising, yet short-lived shows: the cost of production was not justifying the output for Netflix, placing it on the chopping block. It’s a shame to see such an inventive series get cast aside without a real chance to prove its worth — without shows like The Boroughs, it’s clear that the state of streaming is just as dire as ever.The Boroughs is streaming on Netflix.