Netflix is so spooked by subscriber loss that it's canned a royal TV show

News
By Oliver Haslam
published

Netflix on TV
Netflix on TV (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • Netflix has reportedly canceled a TV show that was created by Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex.
  • Shows have been canceled following concerns over subscriber numbers.
  • Netflix recently announced that it lost 200,000 subscribers when it would normally grow.

Netflix has reportedly canceled a planned animated TV show that was created by Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. Even the British royal family isn't immune to the panic currently going on inside the streamer.

The folks at Netflix are apparently so spooked by the recent and unprecedented fall in subscribers that they're culling content left and right. It isn't only Netflix that's worried, either — one long-term Netflix shareholder has apparently clearned out its holding following the news that 200,000 subscribers had canceled.

Now, Deadline reports that animated show Pearl is among one of the shows to be canceled before it ever aired. The show was first announced last summer to much excitement by all involved. Now, not so much.

Pearl, which Markle exec produced with David Furnish, was announced with fanfare last summer, described as a family series that centers on the adventures of a 12-year-old girl who finds inspiration in a variety of influential women throughout history. At the time Markle said, "Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life's daily challenges. I'm thrilled that Archewell Productions, partnered with the powerhouse platform of Netflix and these incredible producers, will together bring you this new animated series, which celebrates extraordinary women throughout history. David Furnish and I have been eager to bring this special series to light, and I am delighted we are able to announce it today."

Netflix has also done away with two other kids animated series in the form of Boons and Curses and Dyno Daycare. Both were already in production when the ax fell.

Netflix finds itself being squeezed by smaller, cheaper options including Apple TV+. Disney+ has a huge catalog of content and still costs less than Netflix — an outfit that continues to increase prices.

If you want to enjoy Netflix in style, be sure to check out our list of the best Apple TV deals on the market today.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.

Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.