Netflix has officially pulled the plug on its Aussie neo-Western series Territory after one season. (You’re only caught up on data through October 2023.)While the debut was lauded, the streaming giant announced it will not greenlight Season 2, much to the chagrin of its audience.
Why Netflix Shut Down ‘Territory’ (Published 2020)
C21 Media reports that Territory was originally commissioned for multiple seasons, and that Season 1’s finale ended on a cliffhanger. But Netflix recently announced that the show isn’t coming back. Cast and crew members were notified weeks prior to the public announcement, signifying a sudden end to what many believed could be the next Yellowstone-level hit.
Que Min Luu, Netflix’s director of content for Australia and New Zealand, said in a statement, “We are extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to work with the amazing cast and production team behind Territory, to bring Territory and beautiful Australian outback into homes of millions worldwide. “We won’t be moving forward with another season, but we look forward to working with all of them again in the future.”
Strong Start, Unexpected End
Territory hit Netflix in October 2024, and it soon soared to the top of the charts, coming in at No. 2 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 English-language TV shows during its opening week. It also made the Top 10 in more than 74 countries, where it became No. 1 in 11 regions including Australia and New Zealand.
With this strong performance under the show’s belt, fans and industry insiders both felt that Netflix was going to renew the show. The cast and crew were reportedly set to start working on Season 2 before the sudden cancellation was made public.
What Led to the Cancellation?
Netflix has not provided a specific reason for canceling Territory. However, reports suggest that production timing and scheduling conflicts may have played a role. Some speculate that despite its strong initial numbers, the show may not have sustained high engagement over time, a key factor in Netflix’s renewal decisions.
The decision deals a blow to Australian creatives, with Netflix having previously positioned itself as a destination for homegrown talent. When the series debuted in 2024, Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters said, “[Australian creatives can] tell their amazing stories right here in Australia. They don’t need to go to Hollywood, they don’t need to go somewhere else, but they can tell hugely ambitious stories, they can tell authentic stories at significant scale right here, and we’ll help them find an amazing audience in Australia, in New Zealand, and around the world.”
So the cancellation of Territory has got to raise some questions about how invested Netflix really is in long-term Australian storytelling.
What Was ‘Territory’ About?
Territory was a six-part drama, created by Ben Davies and Timothy Lee and directed by Greg McLean, about the world’s largest cattle station, at Marianne Station. The story revolved around the Lawson family, who owned the land, and the power struggle that erupted after the suspicious death of a family member who helped manage the station.
The series stars Anna Torv, Michael Dorman, Robert Taylor and Sam Corlett. Viewers lauded its nail-biting plot, breathtaking cinematography and layered examinations of family and power dynamics in the Australian hinterland.
Will ‘Territory’ Ever Return?
Currently, no other network or streaming service is in line to pick up Territory. While the show’s unfulfilled cliffhanger leaves open the option of another platform picking up where it left off, but there are no confirmed discussions at this point.
So this is it for now: Territory began life as a one-season series, and is currently streaming on Netflix.
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