From First Kill to Warrior Nun and Fate: The Winx Saga, there have been a number of Netflix casualties recently, which unfortunately means a number of threads left hanging.
The Bastard Son and The Devil Himself, based on Sally Green's YA fantasy novel Half Bad, is the latest series to be exiled to the Netflix graveyard, which basically means we will never know peace.
The show debuted on the streaming platform October 28, and despite being a major hit with viewers and critics alike, fans' hearts were – ironically – ripped from their chests when production company Imaginarium tweeted the news nobody wanted to hear on December 9 2022.
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"Half Bad is a show we are incredibly proud of, which gained stellar reviews, along with a fiercely loyal global fanbase. While we are disappointed not to continue the story, we have loved working with such a talented cast and crew on bringing our beloved show to life."
Re-posting the announcement, author Green added: "So sorry that Netflix aren't renewing the show. I'm grateful to all the wonderful people involved who have loved being part of something special. Thanks to them all. #HalfBad #TheBastardSon."
The show's star, Jay Lycurgo, also shared his disappointment, tweeting: "Oh how there was so much more to tell. Me, Emilien and Nadia felt very emotional about the show's end. We weren't emotional about the decision.
"These things happen. But more emotional that we won't be able to tell the story of Nathan, Gabriel and Annalise again. What a brilliant world Joe and Sally created. And these characters had a lot more to tell. But we move.
"Let's be proud of the story they already told. And thank you so much for the support from every single one of you and thank you also for the critical acclaim. It's been an incredible experience. I can't tell you how grateful I am!"
But the cancellation certainly wasn't due to a lack of ideas from its adaptor Joe Barton.
"We’ve planned a second series," he told Variety before the announcement. "There's like, storylines and stuff so we’re good to go if [Netflix] decide they want to do it."
So what gives?
Netflix rarely provides a reason for the cancellation of a show, but it usually means ratings just weren't up to scratch. The timing is also a giveaway since the platform normally waits until a month after a show premieres to decide whether it was watched by enough people in order to warrant a renewal.
Despite the The Bastard Son's rave reviews and landing in the top 10 most-watched Netflix shows in over 70 countries, it didn't managed to cross that month-long mark in any of them.
Netflix exec Peter Friedlander also clarified that the Top 10 is a useful tool for "people to find shows, discover shows, [and] talk about shows" but doesn't always influence the decision for a renewal.
"The Top 10 really serves in that way, and I think that’s something that speaks to the popularity in that moment, and I think that’s what it’s really about in that moment," he recently told Variety.
"And then when we have to make our decisions, it’s about the long term and the longer-term viewing. We always are looking at many variables, too. The Top 10 is just one variable in that."
The abrupt cancellation therefore suggests that viewership just wasn't on par with some of the streaming platform's other inaugural seasons this year, such as the massive number of people who tuned in to watch Heartstopper and Wednesday.
So as much as we adored the series and as much as it did develop a loyal fanbase, those first 28 days are often key and it was likely too little, too late.
The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself is available to watch on Netflix.
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Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
