Netflix Cancels ‘Lockwood & Co’ After One Season

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Another week goes by and another disappointing Netflix cancellation. This time it’s the turn of the adaptation of Jonathan Stroud’s ‘Lockwood & Co’, written and directed by Joe Cornish which the streaming service has canned after one season.

Based on the beloved young adult supernatural novels of the same name, the series was set in London, where the most gifted teenage ghost-hunters ventured nightly into perilous combat with deadly spirits. Amidst the many corporate, adult-run agencies, one stood alone: independent of any commercial imperative or adult supervision – a tiny startup, run by two teenage boys and a newly arrived, supremely psychically gifted girl, a renegade trio destined to unravel a mystery that would change the course of history: Lockwood & Co.

News of the cancellation came from Complete Fiction, the production company co-owned by writer/director/producer Joe Cornish (Attack the Block, The Kid Who Would Be King, Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn) who made the drama. The company released the following statement:

“With heavy hearts, we announce that ‘Lockwood & Co.’ will not be returning for a second series. Making this show was one of the most rewarding experiences of our careers and we will forever treasure it. Being trusted by the supremely talented Jonathan Stroud to adapt his outstanding series of books was an honour and a privilege. Working with him as closely as we did across the development, production and release of Lockwood & Co has made him a friend, and part of the Complete Fiction family, for life.

We are particularly proud of the gifted young actors who brought Jonathan’s beloved fictional characters to the screen with such warmth, charm and vulnerability. Ruby, Cameron and Ali were our perfect Lucy, Lockwood and George. We couldn’t have asked for a more dedicated or talented trio. All three are superstars and we can’t wait to see them shine in the dazzling bright future that undoubtedly awaits them. We want to thank our breathtakingly talented cast and crew for the dedication and top-level craft they brought to this production. The love and the care they took is in every frame. We also want to thank our brilliant team at Netflix U.K., who shared and supported our passion and vision for the show from start to finish. We are all very proud of it.

To the fans – to Lock Nation – you really have been the greatest. We cannot thank you enough for how much you have embraced, celebrated and loved the show. You are the kindest, most creative group of people online and it has been so gratifying to see how your passion for these characters and this world has brought you all together. This might be the end of the line for the TV show, but the books live on, as do the friendships made. We encourage you to embrace both.

So many people have watched and enjoyed the show globally, and that, at the end of the day, is why we do what we do. So keep watching great TV. Keep going to the movies. Keep taking chances on new things. Stay ‘just reckless enough.’”

The series starred Ruby Stokes (‘Bridgerton’) as Lucy Carlyle, Cameron Chapman as Anthony Lockwood, and Ali Hadji-Heshmati (‘Holby City’) as George Karim. Joining them are Ivanno Jeremiah (‘A Discovery of Witches’, ‘Humans’), Jack Bandeira (‘Silent Witness’), Luke Treadaway (‘Fortitude’), Morven Christie (‘The Bay’, ‘Grantchester’), Hayley Konadu (‘Moon Knight’), Rhianna Dorris (‘Secret Life of Boys’), and Paddy Holland (‘Invasion’).

The series was extremely well received by fans and was even liked internally by Netflix. However, the viewing numbers did not reach the “threshold” for a second-season renewal… It’s basically a frustrating case of “computer (or algorithm in the case of Netflix) says no”…

‘Lockwood & Co’ can be found on Netflix in the UK and worldwide.