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Netflix once again pulled the plug on a show that many had already called its best horror offering. Archive 81, a gripping blend of found footage, and slow-burn mystery, seemed to have everything going for it, except a second season.
Despite racking up more than 128 million views in just over two weeks and momentarily becoming the platform’s most-watched show, it wasn’t enough to dodge what fans now call the ‘Mindhunter curse’.
Archive 81: A Story Buried in Tapes and Obsession
The story revolved around Dan Turner, played by Mamoudou Athie, an archivist tasked with restoring a strange collection of videotapes recorded in 1994. The tapes, captured by Melody Pendra, brought to life by Dina Shihabi, followed her investigation into the dark and secretive Visser Building.
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As Dan watched Melody’s footage, the lines between past and present blurred, unraveling a web of secrets that looped back into his own life. The story was based on a 2016 podcast, already known for its unsettling tone.
Success That Didn’t Translate Into Survival
Fans and critics alike praised the show’s tight pacing, and smart storytelling and everything seemed aligned for a return. The scripts were being developed, pre-production was near but then it was over, just like that.
According to The Mirror, a source close to the production said the decision boiled down to budget vs. viewership.
They claimed, “There were a lot of issues, mostly numbers based. It was so close to getting renewed. “We were days away from going into pre-production. Scripts had been written and were being worked on. In the end, it all came down to numbers, both money and views on Netflix.”
The source continued, “S2’s budget was a sticking point, and people at Netflix felt the show didn’t bring in enough new viewers. The show did well and considering it was made on a tight budget, it did really well. But, Netflix has what we like to call ‘cut off points’ as far as views are concerned. We just didn’t make it into the ‘renewed’ bracket.”
The ‘Mindhunter Curse’ Strikes Again
Mindhunter met the same fate. Despite being directed by David Fincher and hailed by viewers and even Stephen King, its run ended after two seasons.
Discussing it being ditched, the show’s executive producer Fincher, said, “We went as far as we could until someone finally said to us, ‘It makes no sense to produce this series like this, unless you can reduce the budget or make it more pop, so that more people will watch it. We did not want to change our approach, so, respectfully, they told us that they were drawing a line under it.'”
This pattern has created a ripple of distrust among fans. Viewers hesitate to get attached, fearing their favorite new obsession will be gone before it can even hit its stride. The cancellation of Kaos in 2024, despite cracking the top 10 and featuring big names like Jeff Goldblum, only added to the frustration. Its creator, Charlie Covell, expressed disappointment at the decision, but the pattern was familiar by then.
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