Sometimes all you need after a long, stressful week is just to chill out, forget about the world and binge watch an entire show in one sitting, right? One-season shows are the way to go in these situations; they will only keep you glued to your couch for a few hours. So, let’s just forget about the world together and enjoy a few one-season wonders that may or may not have been cancelled way too soon.
- The Society
The first show on our list is, in my humble opinion, the one that is most deserving of a second season. The Society is a Netflix Original series that premiered in 2019. It follows the teenagers of a small town after all the adults mysteriously disappear. The show is filled with intriguing mysteries and very interesting conversations about how these teenagers will organize their new society. It delves into conversations about communism, the justice system, how to police a community, ableism, abusive relationships and many other topics that show how this series could very well be used in a sociology class.
After its premiere, The Society was quickly renewed for a second season, however, because of the pandemic, the show was ultimately cancelled after one. And the worst part: the show ended in a mind-blowing cliffhanger!
- Stumptown
Stumptown was another show that also lost its second season to the pandemic. Still, the first 18 episodes are definitely worth a watch! It stars How I Met Your Mother’s Cobie Smoulders (Robin Scherbatski) and New Girl’s Jake Johnson (Nick Miller) as the lead characters. Smoulder’s character Dex is a military veteran who finally finds her life’s passion as a private investigator. She takes care of her younger brother with the help of her best friend and ex-con, Grey (Jake Jonhson).
Dex runs into trouble as she tries to solve weekly cases, while suffering from some unresolved issues from her time as a Marine in Afghanistan. Stumptown follows her complex character in all the areas of her life and shows just how much of a rebel she can be. Stumptown is a quick, fun and smart show that should absolutely be part of your watchlist. You can stream it now on Disney+!
- Daybreak
Another show that was cancelled too soon; Daybreak wasn’t renewed for a second season after its first season premiered on Netflix in 2019. This show is set in a post-apocalyptic world where teenagers have to fight zombie-like adults to survive. Daybreak follows main character Josh Wheeler (Colin Ford) while he searches for his girlfriend who’s missing after the apocalypse. Along the way, Josh is joined by a couple of misfit friends, and after traveling together, they end up finding some more meaning to their journey. This show is filled with seriously bloody fights, cool samurai moves, lots of fire (courtesy of 10-year-old pyromaniac Angela) and cute relationships (great for anyone looking for a Mad Max-like adventure).
- Four Weddings and a Funeral
These last two shows on the list were actually meant to be one-season – they don’t leave us hanging like the previous shows mentioned. Four Weddings and a Funeral is a Hulo miniseries based on the 1994 British film of the same name. Also, it was co-created by The Office writer, actor and comedian Mindy Kaling (so we know it’s good!). The miniseries follows four American friends who reunite in London for a wedding, and like any good rom-com, it has lots of drama and even some twists and turns as the group goes through a year of heartbreak and romance. By the end, we do know what happens in this period of time: four weddings and, of course, a funeral, but the stories in between are what makes this show a sweet, funny and great watch! You can stream it now on Crave!
- Looking for Alaska
Looking for Alaska is a miniseries based on John Green’s bestselling book of the same title. It follows an American teenager Miles Halter (Charlie Plummer) who moves to a new boarding school. There, he meets some interesting characters who form his new friend group. The show––like the book––shows the friends before and after sharing a life-altering experience. At first, we see Miles falling for the mysterious Alaska (Kristine Froseth) and later, we follow Miles and his group as they try to investigate the contradictions in Alaska’s death.
Unlike many other book adaptations, this one certainly does justice to the unique characters of the novel. The show was praised by both fans and critics for its performance and adherence to the book. In Canada, you can watch Looking for Alaska on CBC’s streaming service, CBC Gem.
Whether you like actions, dramas or rom-coms, now you have the perfect list of shows to binge-watch this Fall!