Streaming Giants Send Shockwaves as Prime Video Axes Hit Shows

Max Sterling, 4/17/2025Streaming platforms are in disarray as Prime Video cancels successful spin-offs of "Citadel" while keeping its lackluster original, and Apple pulls the plug on "Mythic Quest," retrofitting its finale. The industry seems lost, prioritizing algorithms over storytelling, leaving audiences frustrated.

The streaming wars have taken another bizarre turn in early 2025, with industry giants making decisions that seem pulled straight from a corporate Mad Libs generator.

Take Prime Video's head-scratching approach to its Citadel franchise. In what can only be described as peak streaming logic, they've axed two well-received international spin-offs while doubling down on the mediocre original series. The main show — which one particularly annoyed critic dubbed "a $300 million exercise in paint-by-numbers storytelling" — barely scraped together a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, its doomed offspring, Citadel: Diana and Citadel: Honey Bunny, managed respectable scores of 82% and 75%.

Vernon Sanders from Amazon MGM TV tried spinning this peculiar decision with the finesse of a politician explaining away a scandal. The spin-offs' storylines will supposedly be "woven into" season two of the main series — because nothing says "bold, cinematic ambition" quite like cramming multiple shows' worth of plot into a single season. It's the streaming equivalent of stuffing a week's worth of leftovers into one questionable casserole.

Over in Apple's corner of the streaming universe, they're busy writing their own chapter in the "How to Perplex Your Audience" handbook. The tech giant's decision to pull the plug on Mythic Quest — a genuine bright spot in their content lineup — feels about as logical as canceling free coffee in a tech startup. The show's creative team (Rob McElhenney, Megan Ganz, and David Hornsby) handled the news with admirable professionalism, though their "endings are hard" statement carries the weight of four seasons' worth of unspoken frustrations.

The kicker? They're retroactively changing the season finale to serve as a series finale. One can't help but wonder if this is the television equivalent of breaking up with someone via text and then asking to remain friends.

Social media's response has been predictably volcanic. "Having your show cancelled and you have to redo the finale because it's now the SERIES FINALE is beyond f***ed up," wrote one viewer, capturing the collective eye-roll of the show's fanbase. The sentiment echoes a broader frustration with streaming platforms' increasingly algorithmic approach to content curation.

There's a certain irony in Prime Video simultaneously announcing the acquisition of all 87 episodes of Children's Hospital — a cult classic that lovingly skewered medical dramas. At least someone in Seattle still appreciates the art of sustained storytelling.

These developments paint a portrait of an industry that's lost its narrative compass. Success metrics have become as opaque as a smoke-filled room in a noir film, with platforms seemingly making decisions based on algorithms that wouldn't look out of place in a quantum physics equation. Whatever happened to the quaint notion of actually building and nurturing an audience?

As streaming platforms continue their grand experiment in content roulette, one thing becomes clear: the future of television entertainment increasingly resembles a game of three-card Monte — now you see it, now you don't, and good luck figuring out where your favorite show went.

The streaming wars have taken another bizarre turn in early 2025, with industry giants making decisions that seem pulled straight from a corporate Mad Libs generator.Take Prime Video's head-scratching approach to its Citadel franchise. In what can only be described as peak streaming logic, they've axed two well-received international spin-offs while doubling down on the mediocre original series. The main show — which one particularly annoyed critic dubbed "a $300 million exercise in paint-by-numbers storytelling" — barely scraped together a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, its doomed offspring, Citadel: Diana and Citadel: Honey Bunny, managed respectable scores of 82% and 75%.Vernon Sanders from Amazon MGM TV tried spinning this peculiar decision with the finesse of a politician explaining away a scandal. The spin-offs' storylines will supposedly be "woven into" season two of the main series — because nothing says "bold, cinematic ambition" quite like cramming multiple shows' worth of plot into a single season. It's the streaming equivalent of stuffing a week's worth of leftovers into one questionable casserole.Over in Apple's corner of the streaming universe, they're busy writing their own chapter in the "How to Perplex Your Audience" handbook. The tech giant's decision to pull the plug on Mythic Quest — a genuine bright spot in their content lineup — feels about as logical as canceling free coffee in a tech startup. The show's creative team (Rob McElhenney, Megan Ganz, and David Hornsby) handled the news with admirable professionalism, though their "endings are hard" statement carries the weight of four seasons' worth of unspoken frustrations.The kicker? They're retroactively changing the season finale to serve as a series finale. One can't help but wonder if this is the television equivalent of breaking up with someone via text and then asking to remain friends.Social media's response has been predictably volcanic. "Having your show cancelled and you have to redo the finale because it's now the SERIES FINALE is beyond f***ed up," wrote one viewer, capturing the collective eye-roll of the show's fanbase. The sentiment echoes a broader frustration with streaming platforms' increasingly algorithmic approach to content curation.There's a certain irony in Prime Video simultaneously announcing the acquisition of all 87 episodes of Children's Hospital — a cult classic that lovingly skewered medical dramas. At least someone in Seattle still appreciates the art of sustained storytelling.These developments paint a portrait of an industry that's lost its narrative compass. Success metrics have become as opaque as a smoke-filled room in a noir film, with platforms seemingly making decisions based on algorithms that wouldn't look out of place in a quantum physics equation. Whatever happened to the quaint notion of actually building and nurturing an audience?As streaming platforms continue their grand experiment in content roulette, one thing becomes clear: the future of television entertainment increasingly resembles a game of three-card Monte — now you see it, now you don't, and good luck figuring out where your favorite show went.