‘The Wheel of Time’ cancelled after a promising season 3—Here’s why

Fans of fantasy TV are in for a tough goodbye as The Wheel of Time bids farewell. Prime Video has officially decided to cancel the series after three seasons, leaving fans in shock. This news comes just a little over a month after the Season 3 finale, which aired on April 17.

Why was ‘The Wheel of Time’ cancelled despite its global fanbase and critical acclaim?

According to reports, the main reason behind the cancellation was a decline in viewership. Although The Wheel of Time Season 3 kicked off with a bang, the show fell off Nielsen’s Top 10 Originals list after just three weeks, unlike previous seasons that managed to stay in the rankings for their entire runs. While Nielsen only tracks US numbers, Prime Video took the show’s international performance into account. Sources stated that even though it ranked #1 in several countries during its latest season, the overall performance didn’t justify the hefty production costs.

The platform reportedly looked into various options in collaboration with lead studio Sony Pictures Television but ultimately decided that another season wouldn’t be financially feasible. However, the show is still being supported for an Emmy campaign.

Fans react with disbelief and frustration

Social media exploded with responses. One user exclaimed, “What do you mean Prime cancelled The Wheel of Time after the best season they ever had?” Another said, “I just remembered we’re never going to see Nynaeve’s true power.” Some fans even called for other platforms to step in, “Another streaming service should pick up The Wheel of Time.”

Based on Robert Jordan’s bestselling novels, The Wheel of Time featured Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred. The story followed her journey through enchanting lands alongside five villagers, one of whom is destined to either save or doom the world.

Season 3, which drew inspiration from The Shadow Rising, introduced expansive new locations and achieved a remarkable 97 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, its highest rating yet. The creators had crafted the finale with a sense of closure, anticipating that this might be the end of the road.