Amazon Prime Video has decided to cancel both “Countdown” and “Butterfly” following their inaugural seasons.
These two new dramas, starring Jensen Ackles and Daniel Dae Kim respectively, debuted earlier this year and were produced by Amazon MGM Studios.
Both series made it onto Nielsen’s top 10 streaming originals chart, indicating they had some viewer engagement.
“Countdown,” crafted by Derek Haas, centered around an LAPD detective who is pulled into an undercover operation aimed at identifying the killer of a Department of Homeland Security official. The pursuit for the murderer uncovers a sinister conspiracy, leading to a race against time to protect Los Angeles.
After the suspenseful season finale, Ackles discussed with Variety his hope for a second season, stating the series was structured to transition into Season 2, expressing optimism that audience engagement and critical discussions would be sufficient to carry the narrative forward. He lamented, “It would be disappointing if it just ends here!”
Variety’s chief TV critic, Aramide Tinubu, was not impressed with the series, labeling it as “monotonous” and a “snooze fest.”
Tinubu criticized the series for lacking compelling characters, explaining, “No character within the task force stands out. The backstories that should enrich the plot instead burden an already flimsy narrative,” in her review. She concluded that the lack of engaging storylines or characters meant the series left little impact.
“Countdown” received a disappointing 35% “rotten” rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction.
On the other hand, “Butterfly,” developed by Steph Cha and Ken Woodruff, narrates the story of a former U.S. intelligence agent who grapples with the repercussions of choices made in the past, affecting both him and his family.
Tinubu also offered a critical perspective on “Butterfly,” commenting in her negative review that, “While this series holds all the elements of a gripping thriller, it feels more like smoke and mirrors than solid character-driven storytelling.”
Recently, Prime Video has also taken action on other series, renewing “We Were Liars” and “Overcompensating,” while deciding to cancel “Motorheads.” Additionally, they have renewed the crime thriller “Ballard,” a spin-off of “Bosch.”
This news was first reported by Deadline.
