Netflix cancels the figure skating drama Spinning Out after one season. The series was created by a former competitive figure skater, Samantha Stratton, and it premiered on the streaming service in January 2020. Following athletes on the way to fulfilling their Olympic dreams, the cast of Spinning Out included Kaya Scodelario, Willow Shields, Evan Roderick, January Jones, and Johnny Weir in a recurring role.
The drama centered around Kat Baker (Scodelario), an ambitious figure skater who is facing the possibility of retirement after a devastating fall. Landing on an opportunity to continue her career as a pairs skater with the talented Justin Davis (Roderick), Kat also worries about the exposure of a secret which could unravel her entire life. In the ten episodes of season 1, Kat faced responsibilities which extended beyond her time at the ice rink. The series had a similarly widened scope. In addition to tackling the intense pressures which the characters faced as athletes, Spinning Out focused a spotlight on topics such as bipolar disorder, racial profiling, and sexual assault.
The first season ended on a cliffhanger, leaving fans to wonder and speculate as to whether Kat and Justin moved on to compete in nationals. With Deadline reporting that Spinning Out has been cancelled by Netflix, it looks likely that viewers won’t find out. News of the cancellation arrives a little over a month after season 1 of the sports drama premiered on the streaming service. This is generally in line with Netflix’s practice of evaluating a month’s worth of viewership data before deciding on renewals, although certain popular shows, like the romance thriller YOU, may receive good news quicker. Other shows, which are considered to be on the bubble, naturally have longer to wait before their fate is learned.
Critically, the response to Spinning Out was mixed. Many who reviewed the drama offered praise for Scodelario’s performance, though they found fault with the show’s inconsistent tone and occasionally scattered focus. For new dramas, this is hardly an uncommon criticism. Many all-time greats, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, started off with a similarly uneven reception. We’ll never know whether or not Spinning Out would have evolved into an example of exceptional television.
The exact numbers which led to the cancellation of Spinning Out will remain unknown as well, since Netflix does not regularly release viewership information regarding its content. The figure skating drama joins Daybreak and Soundtrack, two other shows discarded after one season, in what may prove to be a regular occurrence.
More: 10 Shows To Watch If You Loved Spinning Out
Source: Deadline
