After receiving extreme backlash and a divisive response, the Disney Plus show, The Acolyte, has officially been canceled. The Star Wars show reportedly had a budget of $180 million but failed to get the required viewership numbers for a series of that scale.
Despite the majority of the fans celebrating the move, some were quick to defend the show, saying that some shows needed more seasons to develop to their full potential. The fans seemed to compare it with the classic Breaking Bad, which took off in the second season. However, at its peak, Breaking Bad’s budget was only $3 million per episode.
Leslye Headland’s The Acolyte Gets Cancelled After One Season
The Star Wars franchise has been concentrating on its small-screen endeavors more since the end of its Skywalker Saga in Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. Disney Plus shows such as The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and Andor have impressed fans but others have not had such luck.
One of the most divisive shows for the franchise has been Leslye Headland’s The Acolyte. Receiving hate from the teaser release, the fans were accused of review-bombing and sexism due to the amount of hate it received upon release. Earlier this week, Deadline reported that the show would not be getting a second season.
The website reported that the eight-episode first season cost upwards of $180 million, which apparently did not translate into viewership numbers. According to Deadline, Disney Plus had a high viewership threshold, like its competitors Netflix and Prime Video, for series costing more than $100 million per season.
The lack of Star Wars icons like the Skywalkers or any other known characters in the show and its lackluster storytelling has been speculated to be the cause. Deadline reported that the season finale reportedly had 335 million viewing minutes, which was considered to be the lowest viewership for a Star Wars series.
Star Wars Fans Draw A Bizarre Comparison Between Breaking Bad And The Acolyte
While many fans rejoiced at the cancellation of The Acolyte, some were not so happy and criticized the move from Disney. The show was one of the most expensive productions, especially for a completely new story that did not include any legacy characters. However, some fans defended the show, saying that it needed time to develop.
One user mentioned that series like Breaking Bad, which is considered among the greats, needed more than one season to properly develop its style and direction before taking the top spot. However, other fans were quick to attack the opinion, comparing the budgets of both shows.
Even at its peak, Breaking Bad reportedly only cost $3 million per episode while The Acolyte’s per episode cost was reportedly up to $22.5 million (via Variety). Being one of Star Wars least viewed shows, it made sense to cancel it.
The Acolyte is available to stream on Disney Plus while Breaking Bad is currently streaming on Netflix.
