Netflix subscribers have been left heartbroken over the cancellation of The Residence.
The streaming service has made a habit of prematurely cancelling acclaimed shows over the years, with the most controversial cases including The OA, Mindhunter and Kaos, all of which were canned despite securing a cult fanbase.
It has now been announced that murder mystery series The Residence, starring Orange is the New Black’s Uzo Aduba, will not be returning for a second season.
The Residence followed eccentric detective Cordelia Cupp (Aduba), who is invited to the White House to solve a murder that was committed during a state dinner.
Reviews for the series were positive upon its release in March, with fans and critics expressing hope that Cordelia Cupp would return to solve more mysteries in future seasons in a similar vein to Benoit Blanc, Daniel Craig’s super detective in the Knives Out film series.
While the show earned strong ratings for the streaming giant, it is believed that Netflix bosses had higher expectations for its performance. The show’s overall success may have also been impacted by the fact it followed a week after the release of Adolescence, one of Netflix’s most successful titles.
Another reason for its cancellation could be down to budget. The Residence was praised by fans for its impressive production design, which saw the White House re-created across seven stages. According to Netflix, this reconstruction included 144,000 pounds of flooring and 10 miles of molding.
Fans have been left unimpressed by the news of its cancellation, with one viewer writing on X: “The Residence was actually good wtf.”
Another added: “Too bad – The Residence was excellent.” A third frustrated subscriber wrote: “The Residence, another incredible series that Netflix abandons after just one season.”
The Residence is not alone, however, with Netflix also announcing that Pulse will not be returning for a second season either. The series, starring Willa Fitzgerald, Colin Woodell and Justina Machado, followed a group of ER residents in a Miami hospital.
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Fans of the medical drama were left particularly upset by news of the cancellation due to the fact season one had ended on a cliffhanger.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Andre Braugher had been midway through filming The Residence when he died in 2023 of lung cancer. Although there was speculation the actor might appear posthumously in the show, the team made the decision to recast his role, with Breaking Bad star Giancarlo Esposito playing the part.
Esposito said it “a difficult decision for me to step into the shoes of Andre”.
When the series launched on Netflix in March this year, fans noticed that the show was dedicated to Braugher.
