Velma axed by Max after two seasons

The adult-animated comedy-horror series Velma will not be returning for a third season, as Max has given the show the boot. In other words, Velma has been officially canceled.

Here's an official statement from Max about the show's cancellation via Variety:

"Over the past two seasons, Mindy [Kaling] and Charlie [Grandy] have created an incredibly fun and fresh world within the iconic whodunit franchise. While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we thank them for their compelling coming-of-age storytelling, unrivaled clues, and hilarious hijinks."

Charlie Grandy (The Office, The Mindy Project) developed and created Velma. The show was based on the character Velma Dinkley from the Scooby-Doo franchise, and it told Velma's origin story, focusing on her life before she became part of the Mystery Inc. gang. The other human members that would eventually make up Mystery Inc. were also in the show, such as Fred, Shaggy (Norville), and Daphne. This was the first TV show in the franchise not to include Scooby-Doo.

In the adult-animated series, viewers watched as Velma and Co. solved mysteries in the town of Crystal Cove. Emmy Award-winning actress Mindy Kaling voiced the main character, Velma Dinkley. Joining her in the main voice cast were Glenn Howerton, Sam Richardson, and Constance Wu. The first season was released on Max back in January 2023 and sparked a lot of debate and conversation.

It received mixed reviews from critics and an overall negative response from audiences. Many were critical of the significant departure from the original tone and style. Some were unhappy with how the characters were reimagined, and many didn't like the writing, the adult-oriented humor, and the darker tone. In fact, many people were urging others not to watch the show so that it would get canceled.

However, that plan seemed to backfire because Max went ahead and renewed the adult-animated series for a second season in June 2023. Velma season 2 premiered on Max in April 2024. A Halloween special titled Velma: This Halloween Needs To Be More Special! was released on the streaming service on Oct. 3.

However, it appears that the second season didn't fare too well on Max since the show has been canceled. While Max hasn't given an official reason on why it axed Velma, it looks like low viewership might've been the cause.

What are your thoughts on Velma's cancellation?

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