It seems like hardly a week goes by that Netflix cancels another new TV show that isn't talked about. In fact, the list of shows Netflix will cancel in 2023 already includes multiple items, even though the new year has not even started a month ago.

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has remained silent on the issue for the past few months, but through an interview with Bloomberg (opens in new tab), Netflix finally He answered. We've never canceled a successful show," Sarandos told the publication."

"Many of these shows had good intentions, but they speak to very small audiences with very large budgets. The key is that you have to be able to talk to small audiences with small budgets and big audiences with big budgets. If you get that right, you can keep doing it forever," Sarandos explained.

In other words, the reason seemingly popular shows like "1899," "Warrior Nun," "Midnight Club," and "First Kill" were so easily cancelled is because they simply could not speak to a large enough audience. Of course, it is unclear exactly how many viewers Netflix needs to attract in order to deem a show "successful." However, the specific number of viewers will likely vary depending on a variety of factors, including the program's production budget and content genre.

There is also significant evidence to suggest that not only the total number of viewers, but also the show's completion rate can affect the likelihood of renewal. Last year, "Sandman" creator Neil Gaiman called on social media for interested Netflix subscribers to binge-watch the series within 30 days of its release if they wanted the show to continue for a second season.

Nevertheless, it is hard to argue against the notion that Netflix's notoriously quick cancellations are reducing the odds of original content achieving greater success. After all, why bother investing in a Netflix show if you can't be sure it will be picked up for the next season? [Indeed, Netflix's ruthless cancellation streak has gotten so bad that it often advises subscribers not to stick with new Netflix shows in case they end up in storage just weeks after their debut. And that scenario has become less uncommon in recent years.

While the Internet may continue to voice its outrage over Netflix's latest cancellations, clearly the streaming company has no regrets about these decisions and believes each cancellation is justified. And given the recently announced significant growth in subscriber numbers (open in new tab) last quarter, it is hard to argue that its status as one of the best streaming services is under serious threat.