While Netflix has a certain reputation for cancelling shows after one season, the streamer has also made a huge success out of reviving discarded series of the past.
One such example proved to be an incredible hit, so much so that it became one of Netflix’s most-watched hits.
The show we’re talking about is Manifest, which centres on the passengers and crew of a commercial airliner who suddenly reappear after being presumed dead for five and a half years.
Originally airing on NBC in 2018, Manifest lasted for three seasons before it was cancelled in 2021, with series creator Jeff Rake saying he was “devastated” by the decision.
“That we’ve been shut down in the middle is a gut punch, to say the least,” Rake tweeted. “Hoping to find a new home. You the fans deserve an ending to your story. Thanks for the love shown to me, cast, and crew.”
However, the series got a lifeline after it was added to Netflix shortly before its cancellation and within its first 25 days on the streamer, over 25 million accounts in the U.S. and Canada watched the show.
By September 2021, Manifest was the third show in Netflix history to sit in its Top 10 list for one hundred days, persuading the streamer to renew it for a fourth and final season, which premiered in late 2022.
Manifest remained in Netflix’s Top 10 list for 71 days since debuting on the streamer and picked up 78.15 million hours viewed in the week it released its final episodes.
Manifest’s final season ended up being a hit amongst critics, with an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and ultimately proved that Netflix had the right idea to give the show its final send off.
It’s never nice when a beloved series gets axed before it gets to tell its full story and thankfully Manifest got to go out on its own terms.
It also makes it the perfect series to binge all the way through, knowing you’ll at least get a satisfying ending when you eventually run out of episodes.
Have a look at some of the reviews of the last season of Manifest here.
Collider – “Manifest is back and better than ever, fully taking advantage of its new life on Netflix to keep everyone on the edge of their seats until the final moment of this flight.”
The Wrap – “Manifest Season 4 will not disappoint fans of the show, though it is likely to break their hearts and/or get those hearts racing.”
Decider – “Trust us. Manifest pulls out all the stops in its final batch of episodes to prove itself worthy of surviving its own Death Date back in 2021.”
Unfortunately, due to licensing reasons, only seasons one, two and four are available to stream on Netflix in Ireland and the UK.
However, you can catch up on the third season on NOW TV if you have access.
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