The Marvel world mourned last week as it was announced, somewhat unexpectedly (but also kind of expectedly) thatDaredevilhad been canceled after just three seasons. What was widely considered not only just the best Marvel Netflix series, but one of the better things in all of the wider-ranging Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, has been axed after a very successful season 3 launch. But what’s more surprising is that, according to the numbers,Daredevilwas actually one of Netflix’s biggest hits overall.
Netflix, very famously, doesn’t release any actual ratings numbers of any kind. And they claim that no third party service can accurately report on their numbers. With that said, a new report states thatDaredevilis the fourth highest in-demand series on thestreaming service. It places behind the drug cartel dramaNarcos,Chilling Adventures of SabrinaandStranger Things. The service who came up with the rankings looks at a range of factors and ultimately,Daredevilcame out far ahead of any other Marvel series on Netflix.
This becomes an issue of insult to injury.Netflix and Marvelhad already canceled bothLuke CageandIron Fist, but neither of those shows was as popular asDaredevil. And in the case ofIron Fist, critics largely weren’t having it, even after a much-improved sophomore season. But why would Netflix give the ax to such a popular show? The answer is probably that the ball was, to some degree, out of their court.
There is some solace for fans, as it was promised in the cancellation announcement that Matt Murdock (though not necessarily portrayed byCharlie Coxdepending on how things shake out) would return at some point. The streaming service also hasThe Punisherseason 2 andJessica Jonesseason 3 on the way, but those will likely face swift cancelation as well once their new seasons arrive. The Netflix era of Marvel, so it would seem, is dying a slow, painful death. Luckily, Disney+ is working on Marvel shows for characters like Loki, Scarlet Witch and more, which could help ease the sting a bit. Be sure to check out the full list of the top ten most in-demand digital shows from Parot Analytics below.
