Why Netflix canceled Fate: The Winx Saga

Remember the 2004 Nickelodeon animated series “Winx Club”? Don’t worry if you don’t; The fantasy show revolves around a group of teenage girls known as Winx, who can turn into fairies with different abilities. While this could Sounding like a clichéd genre convention, “Winx Club” is anything but, with its character-focused storytelling working hand-in-hand with its refreshing perspective on traditional gender roles. Each female character in “Winx Club” is powerful, self-sufficient, and a far cry from the “damsel in distress” trope; Together, they work to expose societal double standards and toxic masculinity. Even on a superficial level, the magical universe of “Winx Club” takes us on fun and memorable adventures that require fighting adversaries with the elements as part of their complex magic system (which evokes fun comparisons to “Avatar, the Last Airbender). “, which premiered a year after this show).

Series creator Iginio Straffi had been interested in a live-action adaptation since 2011, which ultimately led to Netflix’s “Fate: The Winx Saga” being produced by Rainbow, a studio co-owned by Straffi and Viacom. The live-action “Winx Saga” (which was directed by Brian Young) centers on Bloom (Abigail Cowen), a fire fairy who is suddenly exposed to a fantastical realm after losing control of her abilities. Finding her way to the magical school Alfea, Bloom soon meets her “Winx” team, who band together to channel their elemental powers as a singular force. While the Netflix show retains some of the story from the original animated series, it’s also based on something much more modern and popular (read: hard) tropes, something that unfortunately prevents it from having the same sincere charm as “Winx Club.”

That said, the first two seasons of “Fate: The Winx Saga” generated quite a bit of interest. Both seasons landed (and stayed) in the Top 10 of Netflix’s daily streaming charts for at least two weeks after their premiere, with the platform ultimately claiming that season 1 garnered 57 million household views within its first 28 release days. So why was “Fate: The Winx Saga” canceled after its second season?

It’s not too difficult to identify because “Fate” was abruptly canceled, especially considering the audience interest/viewing data provided by Netflix. Although season 1 enjoyed record success, interest in the second season dropped considerably in comparison, even though the metrics seem pretty solid when evaluated on their own. As noted above, Season 2 was one of Netflix’s most-streamed titles worldwide for two weeks after its premiere, but it only generated 161 million user hours worldwide. This isn’t bad by most standards, but one can only assume that Netflix didn’t consider these numbers good enough.

We also have to acknowledge that the worrying trend of shows being canceled early in their run has unfortunately become a Netflix staple, leading to several promising series being axed despite rave reviews and metrics. sustainable audiences. Although “Fate” was far from a critical darling (see also: its not-so-good critical scores about rotten tomatoes), a conversation needs to be had about giving programs a chance to breathe and find their footing before deleting them. Of course, not every series can be an artistic triumph or a commercial success, and they don’t have to be. But many shows in the streaming era have been nipped in the bud before they had a chance to flourish or evolve into something more interesting.

Anyway, back on topic: “Fate” season 2 focuses on the turmoil endured by Alfea and her students, and ends with an epic battle and a ton of revelations about the Realm of Darkness. Although not all loose ends are tied up and the season ends on a cliffhanger, interested fans can continue experiencing the story in graphic novel form. In fact, Rainbow and Mad Crave Studios have teamed up to publish a “Fate” graphic novel series in 2023, and the first entry, titled “Dark Destiny,” was released in 2024. And if you want even more “Winx,” then It’s best to watch the original animated series, which remains unparalleled in its exploration of power and brotherhood.