Final seasons, cancellations, and bittersweet endings could be on the way for some fan-favorite Netflix shows.

When the dawn of a new year approaches and you take stock of the shows yet to be renewed or canceled, you never want to jinx these shows by predicting their fate. As an outspoken Emily in Paris fan, I don’t want to put it out into the universe that the show — gulp — ends with season 5 or gets abruptly canceled, but sometimes… you have to call it like you see it.

It’s a reality that as shows age, they are more likely to either get the plug pulled or end naturally with a final season. For avid television watchers, that’s the circle of life on the small screen, save for a small population of outliers. Other shows that aren’t so lucky to reach veteran status could find themselves teetering on the edge of no return, while some are sadly sitting ducks no matter how beloved.

In spite of Netflix’s reputation for canceling its original series (we’re still salty about a few of them), the streaming service renewed over 40 of its shows in 2024. Looking ahead to 2025, there are a handful of Netflix shows that could either be final seasoned or outright canceled. (Remember, these are merely educated predictions based on Netflix history and series trajectory!)

Emily in Paris

Do I want Emily in Paris to be hit with a final season announcement next year? No! But do I feel one coming sooner rather than later? Unfortunately, yes. Let’s be realistic here. The show will be going into its fifth season in 2025, and in Netflix years, that might as well be its eleventh season. Streaming series, not just those on Netflix, tend to have a smaller lifespan, and Emily is getting up there.

While I don’t think Emily in Paris season 5 will be ultimately announced as the final season (though that’s still a definite possibility as the writers begin crafting the story arc), there’s a greater chance that if the romantic comedy series were to be renewed for a sixth season next year, that season would wind up being the final run. And that would actually be perfect.

Darren Star’s previous rom-com series Younger ever so slightly overstayed its welcome with seven seasons and an ending that didn’t quite stick the landing. I don’t want that to happen with Emily in Paris. I want to see Emily get her happily ever after while I and the show’s fellow loyal viewers still care. I think Netflix knows this too, which is why the series could be final seasoned in 2025.

FUBAR

It’s safe to say that even though FUBAR had the star power of Arnold Schwarzenegger behind it, the action series premiered at the right time on Netflix. The series came on the heels of The Recruit, The Night Agent, and The Diplomat, three series that each had elements of action and political conspiracy. This one’s a case of right place, right time.

While FUBAR season 2 was ordered not long after season 1 premiered in May 2023, the entertainment industry soon came to a standstill due to dual labor strikes. Still, the season entered production in April 2024, with Carrie-Anne Moss joining the cast, and filming wrapped by late summer. But is anyone out there really counting day the days for the show’s return?

FUBAR will likely post impressive numbers again when it finally makes its comeback in 2025, but Netflix will have to weigh the pros and cons of its cost versus its performance and overall cultural impact. Sadly, I don’t foresee the action series lasting much longer beyond its second season or a possible third and final season, if it’s even able to make it there.

Sweet Magnolias

Come 2025, the Sweet Magnolias could be pouring it out one last time. It’s not that the series isn’t beloved. It’s not that it’s not popular. It’s just that it’s genuinely incomprehensible as to why it takes as long as it does to produce and release a season of this show. By the time season 4 releases in 2025, the series will have been in production since 2019 with only four seasons to show for it.

Sweet Magnolias has a talented cast led by its titular trio, a dynamic ensemble of characters, and beloved source material written by Sherryl Woods. But there’s a disconnect between the series and its general pop culture impact. Whereas Virgin River will drop its sixth season in December 2024 and has already been renewed for season 7, it’s been silence on the Sweet Magnolias front.

Now, I don’t believe Sweet Magnolias season 4 will be the final season, as it’s not intended to be according to the showrunner. JoAnna Garcia Swisher even called season 4 her favorite season. If season 4 isn’t the end, perhaps we’ll have one final stop in Serenity for season 5. (Again, I will push my agenda to make the show a series of movies instead a la the Hallmark Channel.)

The Watcher

Y’all, I don’t know… It’s not looking promising for The Watcher. The Ryan Murphy-produced show wasn’t even supposed to return for another season, as it was originally marketed as a limited series. But after the series posted impressively high numbers upon its premiere in October 2022, Netflix opted to double down and renew The Watcher season 2. Well…

Since the renewal, it’s been absolute crickets. No updates. Seriously! Nothing! Most recently, Murphy fielded a question about the show’s status and he delivered three words that didn’t sound very reassuring at all: “I don’t know.” Murphy appears to be much more focused on his series under the Disney umbrella as well as Netflix’s next iteration of the Monster anthology series.

If you were looking forward to The Watcher season 2, I’d say to manage your expectations. The series could be going the way of Ratched, another Murphy-produced Netflix series renewed for a second season that never materialized before being quietly canceled. There will either be signs of life in 2025 or the other shoe will finally drop.

Girls5eva

Unless this ages poorly and Netflix drops the axe sometime after publication, Girls5eva somehow made it into 2025 without getting officially canceled. THANKFULLY! That means there’s still a chance that by the grace of God, the show could still be renewed. And trust me when I say, we need another season of Girls5eva now more than ever. NOW MORE THAN EVER!

It’s no secret that after Netflix saved the cult comedy series from Peacock and debuted its first two seasons and new, Netflix-exclusive third season, nary an impact was made. The show didn’t land on the top 10 most popular TV shows ranking in the United States, which seems like the nail in the coffin for any series hoping for a renewal. But this isn’t any average series.

Girls5eva, like its titular girl group, is a survivor and a fighter. Because its time of death hasn’t been called, there’s still a glimmer of a hope that a fourth and final season could happen. Come on, Netflix! Make good on your investment and don’t let your best comedy series (tied with Nobody Wants This, naturally) go down like this. Still, the threat of cancellation is very, very real.