Messiah, a thriller about a CIA officer’s investigation into a mystery guy who is thought by his followers to be the Second Coming of Christ, was one of the most recent shows to be canceled.
The first season of Messiah premiered on Netflix on January 7th, 2020. The show has a total of ten episodes that run between 38 and 55 minutes each. This series follows Netflix’s approach of premiering all episodes at the same time. The show has an IMDb rating of 7.6 out of 10, indicating that it is an excellent show overall. From the perspective of the shoe lover, there is a lot of anticipation for season 2. However, the designers make a tragic revelation on March 26, 2020. The producers have formally terminated the show’s renewal.
On his Instagram page, actor Wil Traval, who plays Will Mathers in the drama, announced the news: “Today is a very sad day. Netflix just informed me that there would be no second season of #messiah. I wanted to express my gratitude to all of the fans for their continued support and affection. I wish things had turned out differently.”
But its demise was not due to a lack of creativity on the part of its author, Michael Petroni.
“I’ve got a solid idea,” he told Collider regarding the show’s future prior to Netflix pulling the plug. There are a number of seasons in which I know exactly where the show is going.
“It’s strange because doing this season was such a tremendous project, and yet when we finished editing it and sat down to watch it, it seemed like we were only getting started.” It was true.
“It felt like the beginning of the story to me,” says the author.
So, why isn’t there a second season?
Netflix seldom gives reasons for canceling series, but when it does, it usually cites low ratings as a reason, implying that the platform isn’t getting enough bang for its dollars.
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At a conference in 2019, Netflix’s president of original content Cindy Holland said, “When we’re investing, we pick how much to invest based on the audience that will show up” (via Deadline).
“If the crowd doesn’t show up, we consider why we should keep investing in something that isn’t performing as well as we had hoped.”
“Of course, critical praise is vital, but our main goal is to stretch our investment dollars as far as possible and repay our investors’ money – after all, it’s their money, not ours.”
However, there are rumors that Messiah’s cancellation was not due to low ratings.
“Given the current situation of the world,” according to The Hollywood Reporter, “the business didn’t feel sure about producing another season of the show, which boasts an international cast and was filmed in multiple locations.”
The episode was shot in a variety of places, including New Mexico and Amman, Jordan’s capital.
It’s worth noting that this is not a Netflix statement, but rather one from a Hollywood Reporter source.
The show itself sparked debate about the use of the term Al-Masih.
In the cast list, Mehdi Dehbi is named as Al-Masih ad-Dajjal, which translates to “The Antichrist or False Messiah,” or “One Who Lies and Deceives.” However, the show’s concept raises the question of whether Al-Masih is the actual Son of God.
Some people were particularly upset that the filming took place on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, a sacred location.
Because “the content of the series could be significantly regarded or interpreted as intruding on the sanctity of religion,” Jordan’s Royal Film Commission requested that Netflix “refrain from streaming it” in the country.
Despite the fact that the plot and its characters are “purely imaginary,” the committee nevertheless wants them banned.
According to a Change.org petition, the show is “evil and anti-Islamic propaganda” and a “middle finger to religion.”
However, with a little over 5,700 signatures, this is unlikely to have influenced Netflix’s decision.
“Messiah is a work of fiction,” the streaming behemoth said in response to the criticisms, according to Deadline. It isn’t based on a single person, figure, or religion.
“All Netflix shows include ratings and information to assist users in making informed decisions about what is best for them and their families.”
But, critiques aside, there has been no official statement on the cancellation, so we can only surmise as to why the show will not be renewed for a second season.
Both of those factors could have played a part, but our Spidey instincts tell us that the show’s demise was due to a lack of enthusiasm from subscribers.