Netflix’s spy drama “The Recruit” has been canceled just a month after the premiere of Season 2, TheWrap has learned.
The news was first announced by cast member Colton Dunn, who wrote, “‘The Recruit’ has been cancelled y’all. Such a bummer. I’ll share some pics and fun memories on IG but just wanted you to hear it from me. Thanks if you watched. I’m AVAILABLE NOW! Hire me for your TV story,” in a post on Threads.
No reason has been given for the show’s cancellation, but Netflix makes those decisions based on multiple factors, including cost relative to audience size. Whether that’s the case or not, the show faced challenges between seasons that may have hurt it.
The eight-episode first season of “The Recruit” premiered Dec. 16, 2022, and was a hit. But though Netflix renewed it, the streamer felt that the audience wasn’t as big as it could have been. So it mandated that the show minimize what was described as romantic comedy vibes — star Noah Centineo was previously best known for the “To All the Boys…” films — in favor of increased action.
Then production on Season 2 was interrupted by the nearly 6-month-long 2023 Hollywood strikes. Ultimately, the second installment came out more than two years after the first.
The series follows Centineo as Owen Hendricks, a lawyer who begins working for the CIA. Teo Yoo (“Past Lives”), Aarti Mann, Colton Dunn, Fivel Stewart, Kristian Bruun, Kaylah Zander, Maddie Hasson, Angel Parker and Vondie Curtis-Hall also starred.
Additional key cast members for Season 2 included Young-Ah Kim, Felix Solis, James Purefoy, Do Hyun Shin, Sanghee Lee, Omar Maskati, Brooke Smith, Devika Bhise, Alana Hawley Purvis, Daniel Quincy Annoh, Jesse Collin and Nathan Fillion.
“The Recruit” was created by Alexi Hawley.
