Netflix explains why it canceled 'Everything Sucks' after less than two months

Netflix

• According to a feature about Netflix published on Vulture Monday, Netflix canceled "Everything Sucks" because a lot of people didn't even finish the first episode.
• The first episode of the coming-of-age comedy set in the 90s is only 23 minutes long.
• This gives us an idea of how Netflix determines what shows get cut.

Netflix decided to cancel "Everything Sucks" because while people started watching it, many of them didn't finish the first episode.

In April, Netflix canceled the 90s-set, coming-of-age comedy less than two months after its debut. Many people were disappointed that the show has been cut, including the Beau Willimon, the creator of Netflix's "House of Cards" and comedian Lauren Lapkus, who appeared in the early seasons of "Orange Is the New Black."

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"Everything Sucks" tells the story of Kate Messner, a high school sophomore who's coming to terms with her sexuality (she is a lesbian). Her journey showcases how hard it is to be an LGBTQ+ teen, especially two decades ago.

Although the show's first episode is only 23 minutes long, people turned it off in favor of something else, which was the main reason why Netflix canceled it (and so quickly), according to "The Netflix Binge Factory," a feature published by Vulture on Monday. Others who completed the first episode didn't stick around much longer.

"It sucks that it ['Everything Sucks'] didn't have a broader audience," Netflix original content VP Cindy Holland said. "We couldn't get out of that core appeal."

Ted Sarandos, Netflix's chief content officer, told Vulture that Netflix doesn't determine how successful a show is by how quickly people watch it: It's whether people come back for more, and whether or not the show is getting Netflix new subscribers.

"The completion of a single episode is a more important trigger," Sarandos said. "We wouldn't be looking at, 'Are people plowing through it in the first weekend?,' because the number of people who do that is pretty slim."

According to a "talent agency insider" cited by Vulture, "Everything Sucks" cost $1.5 million per episode, and less than $15 million in total for the first season. The show's low budget was one of the main reasons its fans were surprised it got canceled.

What's not surprising was that Netflix subscribers were a bit turned off by the first episode. It started off on a lazy note, relying on 90s references and "Freaks and Geeks." But by the end of the season, the show became something truly special, making many (including me) excited for a second season, which had the potential to be great.