Netflix recently cancelled Meghan Markle’s new show

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Netflix abandons Pearl – Meghan Markle’s animated series — before production completes

Meghan Markle was thrilled about Netflix series ‘Pearl’

Netflix is having a terrible time of it at the moment. Subscriber numbers fell for the first time in almost a decade, and now it seems like the corporation may have to answer for its penchant for making so many high-priced, original series.

A total of nine shows have already been cancelled in 2022, and now it looks that the cuts extend to high-profile programmes that hasn’t even aired yet.

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Netflix has reportedly cancelled the cartoon series Pearl, which Meghan Markle was an executive producer on, before it had even finished production.

Pearl, a 12-year-old girl, would have been the focus of the programme as she looked for examples of “amazing women” throughout history.

“Like many girls her age, our protagonist Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she struggles to conquer life’s everyday hardships,” Markle said while announcing the idea last summer. Archewell Productions, the company established up by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to produce original content for Netflix, has a number of projects in the works.

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According to Deadline, sources report that the Archewell transaction is still “bullish,” and this does not indicate that the partnership has broken down or that a firm has suddenly dropped everything. Though Netflix has been pushing creators to move films abroad “long before recent events,” the site reports.

Is Netflix now prioritising quality over quantity, as some have speculated?

Deadline says Netflix’s “movie per week” model is not sustainable, even if the company’s growth is strong. Attempts to protect the company’s licenced material from other startup streaming services have resulted in a large number of early cancellations. From Raising Dion to On The Verge to Archive 81 to Another Life to Gentefied to Cooking with Paris are just few of the films that will be released in 2022.

According to Deadline, this latest preemptive cancellation shows that the firm is taking control of its library. As the site points out, expecting its executives to oversee so many initiatives and have a sufficient number of them come out to be noteworthy is “simply ridiculous.”

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That wouldn’t bother me in the slightest. Scattergun strategy and subsequent cancellations have the issue that shows don’t have a chance to settle in as the firm relentlessly chases immediate results.

Even though history is filled with iconic series that didn’t find their groove for years (Seinfeld and The Office to mention just two), viewers can’t trust the platform to stop a show that they’re enjoying without a good finish.

I wouldn’t risk becoming hooked on a new Netflix series right now – would you? To my perspective, fewer, better-funded programmes with longer lead-in timeframes to ensure that they’re ready for showtime is a superior approach.

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As a single subscriber, I can only speak for myself. As long as Netflix’s primary consumers aren’t on the same page, it might be the difference between success and failure for the company in the years to come.

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