Summary
Disney’sRenegade Nellhas been canceled after just one season. The series is a fantasy epic about a young woman who gets framed for murder and suddenly is made intoa wanted and notorious outlaw in 18th century England. The series intersperses costume drama with fantasy as the lead, Nell, is visited by a spirit named Billy, who expands Nell’s idea of her destiny. Created by Sally Wainwright,Renegade Nellfeatured a leading castthat includes Louisa Harland, Frank Dillane, Alice Kremelberg, Enyi Okoronokwo, Bo Bragason, and Florence Keen.
As perDeadline,Renegade Nellhas been canceled after season 1. A Disney spokesperson gave the official word thatRenegade Nellwould “not be returningfor a second season.” The same representative expressed that they are “incredibly proud” of the show nevertheless. Check out the full quote from Disney below:
Disney+ Original series,Renegade Nell, will not be returning for a second season on the service. We’re incredibly proud of the world created by Sally Wainwright and lead director Ben Taylor. We’d like to thank them, our production partners at Lookout Point, the entire cast – led by Louisa Harland – and crew for their incredible work on this series, all of whom we hope to work with again in the future.
Why Renegade Nell’s Cancellation Is A Missed Opportunity
RenegadeNelldropped its eight episodes on Disney+on March 29, so this cancellation comes only a few months after the series premiered. The news is somewhat surprising when looking atRenegade Nell’s reviews, which were generally favorable. Season 1 boasted an 87% Tomatometer, and an even higher 88% approval rating among audiences. Even though those who watchedRenegade Nellseemed to like the series, the show likely did not perform well enough in terms of ratings to warrant a second season.
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This result is unfortunate, becauseRenegade Nellhad a lot of potential on Disney+. In a streaming landscape oversaturated withStarWarscontent such asThe AcolyteorMarvel shows likeLokiandShe-Hulk, it was refreshing to see an original show that did not rely on an existing fan-base within a major IP.Renegade Nellalso offered a unique fantasy worldwherein seemingly endless story possibilities could be explored. For this reason, cancelingRenegade Nellrepresents a missed opportunity for Disney+ to explore a new story.
That said, the cancellation ofRenegade Nellmay have come down tothe show being far too expensive to produce long-term. With a lot of Disney+’s budget dedicated to the major IP-based shows for the MCU andStar Wars, the streamer may not have felt it apt to allocate their budget towards a high fantasy show unless they were more confident in the project than they seem to be. While the options could still be open for another network to pick upRenegade Nell, Nell and Billy’s journey has concluded for now.
Renegade Nell
Cast
Renagade Nell is a Disney+ original series created by Sally Wainwright. The series follows a young woman named Nell Jackson who becomes a wanted outlaw after she is framed for murder. During her journey, she encounters a magical spirit named Billy, who reveals her true destiny.
