Netflix’s original drama series Sex/Life has been canceled. Only five weeks after the second season of the series debuted on the streaming service.
Netflix has canceled Sex/Life after two seasons
A representative for the streaming service told the publication that the second season, which had six episodes instead of the first season’s eight, had brought the show to a natural end.
They went on to say that the streamer was ‘proud’ of the show and all the hard work that its cast and crew had put into it.
The cancellation came at an odd time, as Sex/Life star Sarah Shahi recently chastised Netflix and the show for a ‘gimmicky’ approach to the second season.
According to the publication, the show, which was inspired by B.B. Easton’s novel 44 Chapters About 4 Men, has been rumored to be on the chopping block for some time.
Last month, it was announced that she would star in a pilot for the potential ABC series Judgement [sic], which raised concerns about how she would balance both shows if the new one was picked up for a full season.
According to Deadline, Judgement was able to secure a primary role for Shahi, which means that Sex/Life would have to work out a schedule for her to film a third season if one were to be made.
She played a married woman who appeared to be content with her partner until an old flame reappeared and reignited her passion.
The actress, who opened up about falling in love with costar and boyfriend Adam Demos in February, discussed the season on Tuesday’s episode of Amanda Hirsch’s Not Skinny Not Fat podcast.
While Shahi seemed to enjoy the first season of the show, she was clearly dissatisfied with the direction it took in Season 2.
‘I’m not going to put it down, but I definitely did not have the support that I did the first season from the people involved in the show. It became a much different thing for me, and I’m not afraid to say that,’ Shahi admitted.
It’s unclear whether she knew the season would be canceled when she made her comments.
She also stated that Demos, whom she began dating in 2020 after meeting on the set of Sex/Life, isn’t involved in the show this season.
‘I struggled with the material. I just felt the thing that it had the first season — I mean, I’m never gonna work for Netflix again now after saying all this, but I can’t lie. And it was definitely a challenge,’ she added.
The six-episode second season of Sex/Life premiered on March 2, but the streaming service has yet to announce a renewal or cancellation.
Even if the show is renewed for a third season, Shahi would be eager to return.
‘They always say is that it’s about the viewership. If it does astronomically high and is hugely successful, then it’s in their interest to bring it back. If it doesn’t, then it’s not in their interest to bring it,’ she said.
The series debuted at #2 on Netflix’s Top 10 charts in its first week of availability, with 43.9 million hours viewed.
‘In Season 2, I felt like there were more moments that felt very gimmicky. Those kinds of things for me are always really hard to read… But I didn’t have to do them. The boys did,’ Shahi added.
‘There were other things that I just felt I couldn’t get behind, and it was just challenging,’ she admitted.
‘But that’s part of what I do! I’m not always gonna get along or agree with a filmmaker. I’m not always gonna like what I have to do or say. But that’s my job, to make it believable,’ Shahi continued.
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The actress went on to say that ‘things just felt very different,’ both on set and with the scripts, and that she barely worked with her boyfriend Demos.
‘I was bummed that I wasn’t able to work with him as much because I really liked our stories and I like working with him. He was a brilliant scene partner,” she said.
‘Also, what ended up happening is I was working so much and he was working so little. He’s like, in 60 seconds of the entire thing. I never saw him,’ she added.
However, while promoting the second season in late February, Shahi stated that there would be even more sex scenes this season.
‘It is a lot and I feel like we might even have more sex scenes in the second season,’ Shahi said in an interview with The Times.
‘It’s scary, you’re vulnerable. I just prayed a lot and asked for some really nice lighting,’ she added.
She also opened up on falling for Demos, stating, ‘I think it was February and I was wearing an old, ratty Christmas sweater. I felt like, oh, this is the person I’ve been searching for my whole life.’
Shahi and her ex-husband Steve Howey have three children: William Wolf, 13, and twins Violet Moon and Knox Blue, 7.
