‘Dead Boy Detectives’ Canceled After One Season at Netflix — Outraged Fans React

Kelli Boyle
9 Comments
George Rexstrew as Edwin Payne, Jayden Revri as Charles Rowland and Kassius Nelson as Crystal Palace in 'Dead Boy Detectives'
Ed Araquel / Netflix

A strong fan campaign on social media wasn’t enough to make Netflix renew Dead Boy Detectives for Season 2. The streamer has reportedly canceled the supernatural series after one season, adding another show to its far-too-long list of titles axed after just one go.

Dead Boy Detectives had a bumpy road to its series premiere in April 2024. The series was originally set to be a Max original and tied to the DC universe, as it’s based on a DC comic. It received a pilot order in 2021, and then a series order in 2022, but Max opted not to carry on with the series and it was sold to Netflix in 2023. Since it has narrative ties to The Sandman (it’s based on the Neil Gaiman comic of the same name, and the main characters were first introduced in a Sandman comic), Dead Boy Detectives was billed as part of that Netflix show’s universe. The first season debuted in full on Netflix in April, with eight episodes total.

Dead Boy Detectives centers Edwin Payne (George Rexstrew) and Charles Rowland (Jayden Revri), “the brains” and “the brawn” behind the Dead Boy Detectives agency. Teenagers born decades apart who find each other only in death, Edwin and Charles are best friends and ghosts who solve mysteries. They will do anything to stick together — including escaping evil witches, Hell and Death herself. With the help of a clairvoyant named Crystal (Kassius Nelson) and her friend Niko (Yuyu Kitamura), they are able to crack some of the mortal realm’s most mystifying paranormal cases. It also stars Jenn Lyon, Briana Cuoco, Lukas Gage, David Iacono, and Ruth Connell.

Variety was the first to report the show’s cancellation. Fans on X (formerly known as Twitter) are displeased that Netflix canceled another series with queer characters at the center after one season like Everything Now and First Kill, though that’s not the only reason they’re upset. Another YA Netflix series from 2023 that built a noteworthy fanbase, Lockwood & Co, was also canceled after one season.

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“Part of me feels like there needs to be a streaming service dedicated to LGBT content and included as a potential add-on to the big streaming services,” one X user wrote. “Stop canceling, the gays want their content!”

Fans of the series are understandably saddened by the cancellation, especially after many spent months advocating for its renewal under the #RenewDeadBoyDetectives and #SaveDeadBoyDetectives hashtags. A Change.org petition pushing for the series to be saved has already been created in the hour since news of Netflix’s decision broke. See fan reactions to the cancellation below.

Do you think Dead Boy Detectives deserves a second chance? Let us know in the comments section.

Dead Boy Detectives key art
George Rexstrew

George Rexstrew

Jayden Revri

Jayden Revri

Kassius Nelson

Kassius Nelson

Yuyu Kitamura

Yuyu Kitamura

Jenn Lyon

Jenn Lyon

Briana Cuoco

Briana Cuoco

Ruth Connell

Ruth Connell

Lukas Gage

Lukas Gage

David Iacono

David Iacono

⨁Full Cast & Crew

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2024

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Fantasy

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Dead Boy Detectives



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  1. O

    OrangeWeights

    This truly is such a disappointing move made by Netflix. Especially when they’ve cancelled a lot of their shows that fall under YA Fantasy. With the horror elements and detective work it was a perfect show for me and my siblings, who are huge Stranger Things fans. The story was crazy compelling and the characters were insanely easy to love- to say this show turned out to be The One for me isn’t an exaggeration.

    It’s also really discouraging as someone who went to college for entertainment production and would love to work on a show like this. Graduating into the strikes, every few weeks a new massive layoff, the job market shrinking as more people lose their jobs. And here Netflix is, with a show with so much potential, dragging out the cancellation and leaving the whole Dead Boys team who fought tooth and nail to get it on screen… Netflix at the company is unreliable and that’s the bottom line.

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    GreenQuill

    Whole heartedly I believe it deserves a renewal! It’s such a special show that has something for everyone no matter your preferences. It is a beautiful genre blend that tackles some really serious issues but in a very sensitive and not overwhelming ways. It shows a landscape without judgement, without labels and with inclusion, which is a beautiful reality to immerse yourself in. It needs a season 2; more than anything else, the cast and crew deserve a season 2 as they put so much love and care into making season 1 and it doesn’t feel right that they have their labour of love ripped away from them after working on it for over 3 years.

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  3. R

    RedCloud

    Honestly crushed by this. Netflix really hasn't been giving their queer shows a fair shot, and this show truly got great reviews and has a strong fanbase.

    6

  4. O

    OliveChefHat

    I'm so devastated and angry about this. How could they cancel something so wonderful!?

    5

  5. O

    OrangeCandy

    many friends of mine don't even watch shows on their first season anymore because it's very likely to get cancelled. which doesn't help with poor audience and shows getting axed that much more but honestly i feel kind of the same. why should i invest myself into a show if it's going to be left with lose ends and unfinished after only 1 season. so disappointing.

    5

  6. G

    GreenFlask

    Honestly this cancellation was the last straw for me - I just cancelled my Netflix account. I’ve been a Netflix subscriber for over a decade and I’m so tired of every unapologetically queer show getting cancelled. This show really struck a chord with me and i can’t understand why Netflix would cancel it. It has phenomenal reviews, a 92/90 rotten tomato score, and a built-in fan base. What more do they want????

    4

  7. G

    GoldFlame

    us fans aren't letting this show die if we can help it. get us trending and keep watching it, contact Netflix and let them know what it means to you. don't give up on it

    #savedeadboydetectives

    #renewdeadboydetectives

    4

  8. G

    GoldRing

    super disappointing. queer and poc lead stories at netflix are always treated unfairly. this show was such a blast to watch, feels like the superwholock love child. hope somewhere else picks it up! 🙁

    3

  9. C

    CyanBottle

    This was such a disappointing move by Netflix! Dead Boy Detectives had all the hallmarks of a real YA horror hit in a market that’s been missing one since the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina ended. It’s spooky, funny, full of heart and unapologetically queer. Really hoping Netflix reconsiders.

    1