So many amazing queer stories have graced our screens in the last couple of years. But despite the growing roster of queer narratives, there have been numerous cancellations of sapphic shows that left us all devasted. No matter how short their life is on streaming, however, these gems deserve to be seen and no less should be celebrated on International Women’s Day.
In this list, we are rounding down 5 WLW series that were gone way too soon.
- ‘First Kill’
A supernatural fantasy heralded as the new generation’s take on ‘True Blood’, ‘Twilight’, and ‘Romeo and Juliet’, ‘First Kill’ follows the dangerous and bloody love story of Calliope (a teenage monster hunter) and Juliette (a teenage vampire).
It was enjoyed by a large audience for the leads’ amazing chemistry and a fresh central lesbian storyline. Fans, however, were not allowed to see the growth of the characters and the show itself as Netflix announced its cancellation after only one season.
- ‘A League of Their Own’
Originally based on the 1992 cult classic film of the same name, ‘A League of Their Own’ progressed beyond a regular sports show to illustrate a unique, sapphic, and compelling story of a group of women who are relentless in the pursuit of their dreams. Apart from its nuanced view on sports, what made the show stand out was its amazing LGBTQ+ production team and cast.
Although renewed for a shortened second and final season earlier in 2023, Prime announced its cancellation due to Hollywood’s ongoing “strikes” in August of the same year. Clamour from the production team and an uproar from fans were seen all over social media for the sudden reversal of the earlier decision.
- ‘Astrid & Lilly Save the World’
Two best friends and outcasts Astrid (Jana Morrison) and Lilly (Samantha Aucoin) accidentally open a portal to a terrifying monster dimension that sets the stage for a quirky and adventurous story of growing up and finding one’s inner hero in the show ‘Astrid & Lilly Save the World’. The show was often described as ‘Booksmart’ meets ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ with its focus on the eccentric realities faced by teenagers mixed with fantasy and adventure.
Fans’ #RenewAstridAndLilly campaign was, sadly, not enough to convince SyFy to continue the series after it announced its cancellation after garnering only 200,000 on its season one finale.
