Ben Barnes' Narnia Successor Is The Netflix Fantasy Franchise That Ended Too Soon
Ben Barnes starred in The Chronicles of Narnia movie adaptations, one of the biggest fantasy franchises out there, and he also starred in its best replacement over at Netflix, which, unfortunately, ended too soon. Through its original TV shows, Netflix has explored a variety of genres, but it has mostly succeeded at fantasy shows. Some notable Netflix original fantasy shows are Stranger Things, Wednesday, Arcane, and The Witcher, some of them now ranking among the best TV shows of all time.
While many have been original stories, like The Dragon Prince and Alchemy of Souls, some of the best Netflix original fantasy TV shows have been adaptations of pre-existing material, as is the case for The Sandman and One Piece, with the platform succeeding at bringing complex fictional worlds to life. One of its best fantasy adaptations to date is Shadow and Bone, based on Leigh Bardugo’s novels Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows.
Thanks to the popularity of Bardugo’s books and its unique universe, Shadow and Bone was one of the most anticipated Netflix projects, and it was finally released in 2021. Unfortunately, despite its source material, its popularity, and how well-received the show was by critics and general audiences, Shadow and Bone ended way too soon, joining the infamous (and very large) group of Netflix shows that were unfairly canceled too early.
Shadow and Bone Could Have Been Netflix’s Biggest Fantasy Franchise
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Shadow and Bone takes the audience into the Grishaverse, a world formed by the nations of Ravka, Fjerda, Shu Han, Kerch, Novyi Zem, and the Wandering Isle, each one inspired by real-life countries and their culture. Magic exists in this world, and those who practice it are known as “Grisha”, and they are able to manipulate matter at the molecular level. Ravka is one of the few places where Grisha can live without fear of persecution, and among its residents is Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), an orphan and cartographer in the First Army.
Alina is the prophesied Sun Summoner, a Grisha who can summon light and the only person able to destroy the Fold, a vast area of impenetrable darkness inhabited by horrifying creatures. Shadow and Bone follows Alina as she comes to terms with her abilities and role as the Sun Summoner, which makes her the target of different factions, while she also does her best to fulfill her mission as the Sun Summoner. Ben Barnes plays General Aleksander Kirigan, the Shadow Summoner and creator of the Fold.
While Shadow and Bone isn’t Netflix’s first or only high-fantasy show, it’s definitely one of its best-made ones. The Grishaverse is quite extensive and rich, giving material for many more seasons and a couple of spinoffs, and, along with its complex characters, emotional depth, and different conflicts, could have turned Shadow and Bone into the big fantasy franchise that Netflix needs. Unfortunately, Shadow and Bone was canceled after just two seasons.
Why Shadow and Bone Ended After Just Two Seasons
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Shadow and Bone had a strong start, with season 1 holding an 89% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and being praised for its world-building, performances, and production value, though some critics found it confusing, especially for those unfamiliar with the source material. Season 2 was also well-received, with an 83% critics’ score, though it was criticized for feeling overstuffed and having a much faster pace that didn’t give enough time to develop important plot points and characters.
Despite its positive reception and being one of Netflix’s most-watched shows of 2023, Shadow and Bone was canceled in 2023 following the 2023 Hollywood strikes, which greatly influenced Netflix’s decision. The delays caused by the strikes messed with the plans for the show and left big gaps between seasons, so Netflix opted to cancel Shadow and Bone and other TV shows. Another contributing factor was season 2 not matching the success of the first season, which brought a budget vs. performance problem for the streamer.
The cancelation of Shadow and Bone (and with it that of its spinoff Six of Crows) was heavily criticized by fans and the media, and even though there was a fan campaign to save the show, that didn’t change Netflix’s decision. Shadow and Bone could have been one of Netflix’s biggest fantasy franchises and successes, but it wasn’t given the time it deserved.
Shadow and Bone
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