The Untold Story Behind the Abrupt Cancellation of *I Am Not Okay with This* and *The Get Down*
Christopher Ramos
Updated on May 17, 2026
By Published May 4, 2026, 11:32 AM EDT Cathal Gunning has been writing about movies, television, culture, and politics online and in print since 2017. He worked as a Senior Editor in Adbusters Media Foundation from 2018-2019 and wrote for WhatCulture in early 2026. He has been a Senior Features Writer for ScreenRant since 2026. Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap
Although has a lot of shows with impressive casts, one of the streaming service’s most promising offerings never got a chance to show off its full potential thanks to the show’s swift cancellation. For every franchise that Netflix promotes to its full potential, there is at least one other show that the streaming service seemingly sends out to die. While and the single most expensive season of TV ever made in its final outing, 2026’s I Am Not Okay with This couldn’t even get a second season.
Not only was I Am Not Okay with This another story of a young girl with telekinetic powers navigating the tribulations of small-town girlhood, but the series was also a blend of character drama and supernatural mystery, just like Stranger Things. I Am Not Okay With This was even produced by Stranger Things producer Shawn Levy, but this still was not enough to salvage the show. Similarly, , despite the offbeat fantasy show’s boundless potential and its considerable critical acclaim.
However, neither of these shows suffered a fate quite as ignominious as that of the period musical . Created by Hollywood legend Baz Luhrmann, The Get Down was an attempt to bring the glitz and glamour of Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge, The Great Gatsby, and Romeo + Juliet to the small screen. Set in the Bronx during that exciting, innovative era when hip-hop and disco were emerging as massive musical movements, The Get Down focused on Justice Smith’s “Books” Figuero, an ambitious teenage musician who grows up to become an iconic rapper and MC.
The Get Down Should Have Never Been Canceled So Early
The show’s older version of Books was played by Hamilton star Daveed Diggs, while his rapping was provided by one of the genre’s greatest heavyweight talents, Nas. However, this was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to The Get Down’s astounding cast list. A pre-Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Shameik Moore starred as Books’ alluring but unpredictable friend Shao, while played the local disco kingpin and fly guy, Clarence "Cadillac" Caldwell.
With Jimmy Smits, Jaden Smith, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Corrigan, Julia Garner, Eric Bogosian, and Mamoudou Athie as the real-life rapper and iconic MC Grandmaster Flash, The Get Down has one of the most impressive casts ever assembled for a small-screen project. What made the show’s shockingly brief 11-episode run all the more disappointing is the fact that, unlike so many of Luhrmann’s overstuffed feature films, the project theoretically had sufficient screen time to truly flesh out these characters and their vibrant, immersive world.
The Get Down Was A Wholly Original TV Show
A quick-witted, warmly nostalgic, but still urgent and original series, The Get Down had the potential to be truly great. With a massive budget of $120 million, the Netflix series felt as flashy as any of its director’s iconic earlier movies, and , its astounding cast wasn’t wasted. Everyone got a chance to shine in the show’s eleven episodes, and the story of Books’ ascent and the perils his friends faced in NYC’s ‘70s music scene were unpredictable and enthralling.
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As a truly original show with a fresh premise and a superb cast, The Get Down had the potential to be a sprawling musical hagiography of ‘70s New York that took advantage of the streaming format to flesh out its heroes in more depth. Sadly, this never came to be. Canceled after only one season, The Get Down was shut down before the show could show its true potential, and its 11 episodes now feel mostly like a colorful, impressive, but unfulfilled promise.
Cast
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Shameik Moore
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