Amazon Prime Video has reversed its renewal of sci-fi drama series The Peripheral and will not be moving forward with a previously ordered second season. The cancellation comes as the result of extensive delays in starting production due to ongoing labor strikes.
The Peripheral, starring Chloë Grace Moretz, aired its first season on Prime Video in fall 2022. A second season was ordered in February 2023 but production was unable to begin as planned this year. The WGA strike started on May 2nd, followed by the SAG-AFTRA strike, halting pre-production on season two.
Without a clear end to the strikes, show producers faced an extended delay that would push the release of the second season to 2024, three years after the first season debuted. Industry experts say gaps between seasons of more than a year can negatively impact viewer retention, especially for freshman series.
Sources report that The Peripheral performed well in its first season, though specific viewership data is not released by Amazon. As a sci-fi drama, production costs per episode are high. Holding stages and planning future marketing during the strikes also incurs significant expenses.
This is the first known instance of a renewal being reversed because of strike-related delays. But other shows may face similar issues if strikes affect their production schedules. During the pandemic, renewal reversals occurred due to production shutdowns causing extended hiatuses between seasons.
For viewers excited to see more of The Peripheral, this cancellation comes as disappointing news. The entertainment industry continues to cope with the widespread impacts of the ongoing strikes. More effects on future programming will likely emerge if strikes continue into the fall.
