Amazon’s sci-fi show “The Peripheral” has been cancelled despite its promising start in 2022, earning an 79% approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes and praise for Chloë Grace Moretz’s performance. Created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, the series blends futuristic robots with country-town shootouts and explores themes of identity, morality, and family relationships.
The show follows Flynne, a young gamer who agrees to beta-test a new VR product that transports her to a life-like simulation. The Peripheral had potential to delve deeper into its characters, but was cancelled during the WGA and SAG strikes in 2023. This cancellation joins a frustrating trend of early cancellations for genre shows like Game of Thrones and Shadow and Bone.
Despite its twists and turns, the show struggled to balance its complex plot and world-building with character development. Moretz’s performance anchored the series, but was often exploratory as Flynne earned her place in the audience’s hearts. Characters like Burton and Wilf Netherton were left without a chance to shine in a second season.
The cancellation of The Peripheral is a shame, as it felt like the show was just warming up in its first season. With more time and budget, the series could have explored its themes and characters more fully, and given fans a chance to become immersed in its intricate sci-fi world.
Source: https://collider.com/the-peripheral-prime-video-cancelled-sci-fi