5 great horror shows canceled in 2024 we’re still salty about

In the ever-evolving landscape of television, few genres captivate and terrify audiences like horror. 2024 was a year packed with terrifyingly good horror shows that kept us glued to our screens, delivering everything from dark, supernatural thrills to twisted psychological mysteries. But just as we were getting hooked, something truly horrifying happened.

A number of our favorite horror shows were abruptly canceled, leaving us shaken and more than a little bit salty. Whether it was network decisions, poor ratings, or a shift in creative direction, these cancellations left us feeling betrayed and heartbroken. Now, we're left to wonder what could have been.

Although a good amount of time has passed since these show cancellations were announced, the frustration of their untimely demise still lingers. Are you curious about what canceled horror shows we're talking about? If so, keep on reading because we shared five of our favorites below.

Chucky (2021-2024)

It’s still hard to believe that Chucky, the horror series that brought our favorite killer doll back to life, was canceled. After three amazing seasons, the horror-comedy was axed, and its cancellation felt like a punch to the gut. News of its cancellation hit the media in September 2024, and we're still trying to wrap our minds around it.

While an official reason for its cancellation has not been disclosed, many believe that it partly had to do with the show being expensive to make. Whatever the reason for its cancellation, we're not happy about it! Chucky continued the Child's Play franchise and saw the return of the killer doll as he began terrorizing a small suburban town.

Chucky had a loyal fanbase and critical acclaim. Seriously, it had so much potential, and so many twisted storylines left to explore. Series creator Don Mancini even had plans for a fourth season. That's why its sudden cancellation stings a bit more. We were definitely robbed, and it sucks that we won't get to see another season of this incredible series.

Pretty Little Liars (2022-2024)

Another horror show cancellation that we're still not quite over and will probably never be over is the cancellation of the Pretty Little Liars reboot series. After two seasons, Max decided to give the series the boot in September 2024. What made this reboot work so well was that it offered a new set of characters and a darker, more mature contemporary storyline while still maintaining the core mystery-driven premise.

The first season, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, followed a new generation of teens who are tormented by a mysterious person known as "A." The second season, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, continued to follow these same teens who found themselves being terrorized by a new threat.

Season 2 ended on a major cliffhanger, and it saddens us that we won't get to see the story continue in a third season. It's unknown why exactly the show was canceled, but low viewership is believed to have contributed to Max's decision. Don't worry, PLL. We will never forget you. Reboots don't always work, but PLL was one of the good ones.

Dead Boy Detectives (2024)

Dead Boy Detectives premiered on Netflix with its first season in April 2024 and was canceled four months later in August. The supernatural horror series was believed to have been canceled due to lack of viewership, but I have an issue with this. I feel like its lack of viewership stemmed from bad marketing on Netflix's part. Since it was barely marketed, many people didn't even know it had dropped.

Overall, its cancellation just seems unfair, and it sucks that we won't get to see more of this horror series that had serious potential. Set in The Sandman Universe, Dead Boy Detectives centers on two teenage ghosts and a clairvoyant who work together to solve supernatural mysteries. The cast is made up of George Rexstrew, Jayden Revri, Kassius Nelson, Briana Cuoco, Ruth Connell, Yuyu Kitamura, Jenn Lyon, and others.

Evil (2019-2024)

Evil deserved at least one more season, and I'm standing on that. I don't care if we were given a fourth and final season that included four bonus episodes. We needed one more full installment before wrapping things up. This show was just too good to end!

Evil's cancellation was announced back in February 2024, and fans were quick to express their disappointment. One of the show's main cast members, Katja Herbers, expressed her sadness about its cancellation via an X post as well. She even jokily called out Netflix, asking them if they could save the series. As of December 2024, Netflix has not picked up the beloved horror show.

According to Herbers, Evil's cancellation was a network decision. If only Paramount+ would reverse its decision... I know that's wishful thinking, but one can only hope. Evil revolves around a forensic psychologist, a priest-in-training, and a technical expert who work together to investigate paranormal incidents.

Ratched (2020-2024)

If Netflix was going to give Ratched a two-season series order upfront only to back out on a second season years later, they could've kept it. The first season was so good, and fans were really looking forward to seeing more of the series with its second installment. But we were treated horribly as we were left in the dark on if a Ratched season 2 would ever happen. We finally found out the show's fate in February 2024 when Sarah Paulson announced that it wouldn't be returning. That's almost four years since the first season dropped (September 2020).

Ratched serves as a prequel to the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and focuses on the early life of Nurse Mildred Ratched, played by Sarah Paulson. Joining Paulson in the cast are Finn Wittrock, Cynthia Nixon, Jon Jon Briones, Charlie Carver, Judy Davis, Sharon Stone, and many others.

Netflix provided us with the show's official synopsis, and we shared it below.

"Ratched tells the origin story of asylum nurse Mildred Ratched. In 1947, Mildred arrives in Northern California to seek employment at a leading psychiatric hospital where new and unsettling experiments have begun on the human mind. On a clandestine mission, Mildred presents herself as the perfect image of what a dedicated nurse should be, but the wheels are always turning and as she begins to infiltrate the mental health care system and those within it, Mildred’s stylish exterior belies a growing darkness that has long been smoldering within, revealing that true monsters are made, not born."