The June 2026 TV casualty list: every show and special canceled so far
June turned into TV’s chopping block as BBC, Netflix, and NBC cleared the decks—canceling sci-fi specials, shelving animated sitcoms, and tagging crime dramas for final runs while they lock in 2026–27 lineups.
If you thought your favourite TV series was safe for the rest of 2026, think again. It’s been a particularly brutal June, with broadcasters and streamers swinging the axe on everything from long-running sci-fi to murder mysteries and even some cult animation. I’ve trawled through all the odd little press releases and Instagram farewells, so here’s what’s really going on behind those ‘final season’ headlines.
Doctor Who’s Christmas Special? Cancelled. Yes, Properly.
The BBC has scrapped the next Doctor Who Christmas special (the one they’d already announced, just to twist the knife a bit more). This decision wasn’t just a BBC call – Russell T Davies and production company Bad Wolf were all in on it. The official excuse: they want to ‘focus investment on the long-term future of the show.’ Translation: whatever comes next will be bigger than a flashy holiday one-off. The particularly corporate bit is that Doctor Who is now heading ‘out to competitive tender’ – basically, anyone with a chequebook can try and nab it.
Davies, never shy of a dramatic exit, took to Instagram to confirm he’s off as showrunner. In his words:
'You’ll have to wait a bit longer for new Doctor Who… but you’ll be waiting for MORE Doctor Who than a one-off. So it’s worth it!'
That’s about as close to closure as fans will get for now.
The Hunting Party – Vanished After Two Series
NBC took a red pen to The Hunting Party too, dropping the Melissa Roxburgh-fronted crime procedural after its second series. It hasn’t found a space in NBC’s 2026-27 schedule, which, reading between the lines, probably means they needed the slot for something trendier.
NBC’s programming boss Jeff Bader tried to sound diplomatic in public, saying:
'Nothing negative about Hunting Party, but for our linear schedule, we absolutely need to try and do a little bit better there.'
Don’t call it dead just yet, though. Universal Television is apparently shopping The Hunting Party around, with Netflix rumoured as the most likely new home. Wouldn’t be the weirdest streaming revival of the decade.
Last Call: Final Seasons Announced
- Devil May Cry (Netflix): The animated take on the classic game has been renewed for a third and final outing. Showrunner Adi Shankar calls the trilogy ‘a movie trilogy disguised as a television series.’
- A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (Netflix): Getting a third and last season as well. Emma Myers stars, filming is done, and the final chapter (adapting As Good as Dead) will land in 2027 with just four episodes.
Don’t Forget Last Month’s Culls
If you’re still catching up, May was no kinder. Going Dutch, Brilliant Minds, Stumble, On Brand with Jimmy Fallon, and Spartacus: House of Ashur all got binned around the same time. Summer isn’t what it used to be for TV lineups, is it?