Before the eventual release ofWednesdayin 2022, the Netflix series,The Midnight Club, created by Mike Flanagan, proved itself a worthy horror replacement for the critically acclaimedStranger Things.Flanagan created several acclaimed horror series on Netflix, includingThe Haunting of Hill House(2018) andMidnight Mass(2022). Flanagan’s horror works have been widely praised for their heavy reliance on character development and drama, rather than an over-dependence on jump scares and other clichés from the horror genre.
Since the mid-2010s,Netflix has focused its attention on the horror genreand has seen the release of many acclaimed horror series, includingBlack Mirror(2011) andArchive 81(2022). Arguably, Netflix’s most successful horror drama series isStranger Things,created by The Duffer Brothers in 2016.Stranger Thingshas been critically acclaimed for its cast, plotlines and usage of 1980s nostalgia. While the series is set to end after season 5, there is ananimatedStranger Thingsspinoffcurrently in development. WhileWednesdayis set to overtakeStranger Thingsas Netflix’s best horror series,The Midnight Clubproved itself just as worthy a replacement.
The Midnight Club Was One Of Netflix’s Best Teen Horror Shows After Stranger Things
The Series Was Adapted From The 1994 Novel By Christopher Pike
In 2022, Mike Flanagan produced and released the 10-episode horror series,The Midnight Club, on Netflix,inspired by the 1984 novel of the same name by Christopher Pike. The series is set at the Brightcliffe Hospice, and follows several seriouslysick teenagers who establish the Midnight Club, a secret club where they meet each other at midnight and tell scary stories to help lift their spirits. One night, the group makes a vow that whoever dies first must send a sign from the afterlife; after one member dies, supernatural elements begin to haunt the group, leading to frightening consequences.
Upon release,The Midnight Clubwas positively received by critics, scoring an impressive 85% onRotten Tomatoesand receiving praise for Flanagan’s direction, cast, anddifferent horror stories told by the Midnight Club. Similar toStranger Things, The Midnight Clubused the concept of teenagers being the focus of a horror show and depicted the group battling supernatural forces similar tothe Upside Down inStrangerThings. Each member of thecast ofTheMidnightClubbrought something different to their characters, as also seen with the cast ofStranger Things,and their stories had the potential to be explored in a second season.
Why Netflix Canceled The Midnight Club After Just 1 Season
Mike Flanagan Left Netflix & Moved To Work On Prime Video
While the series received a positive reception from critics and viewers, and despite initial plans from Flanagan for a second installment,Netflix canceledThe Midnight Clubafter season 1. According toWhat’s On Netflix,The Midnight Clubreceived 18.79 million global viewers in its first week, which is significantly lower when compared with other shows released at the same time, includingThe Lincoln Lawyer, which received 45.09 million viewers during its first three days on the service. A60% drop in viewership over the following two weeksalso influenced Netflix’s decision not to renewThe Midnight Clubfor season 2.
Shortly after the announcement ofThe Midnight Club’scancellation, it was announced that Flanagan was departing Netflix and signing a new production contract with Amazon Prime Video.Following the series' cancellation, Flanagan expressed his disappointment thatThe Midnight Clubwould not receive a season 2.Flanagan posted his plan forThe Midnight Clubseason 2,which would have further explored the characters' experiences at Brightcliffe, including their interactions with Death. Given the outline, it’s disappointing that viewers ofThe Midnight Clubmissed out on season 2.
Wednesday Releasing 1 Month After The Midnight Club Overshadowed Its Future Potential
Just one month afterThe Midnight Club’sdebut, the mystery comedy series,Wednesday,was released on Netflix,inspired by the successful Addams Family franchise.Wednesdayquickly became one of the most-viewed horror series on Netflix and was widely praised for its humor, modernized view of the Addams Family, and Jenna Ortega’s captivating performance as the titular Wednesday Addams.Wednesday’sinstant success on Netflix quickly overshadowed other similar series, includingThe Midnight Club,and this arguably also played a role in the eventual cancellation ofThe Midnight Clubafter a single season.
Despite its early cancellation,The Midnight Clubremains Mike Flanagan’s most underrated horror show.
Despite its early cancellation,TheMidnightClubremains Mike Flanagan’s most underrated horror show, and had other exciting elements planned, including the exploration of death and morality. It held a similar appeal toWednesdayin that both shows focused on characters who were outcasts in society and who interact with supernatural forces to uncover the unexpected secrets of their surroundings. Flanagan’s detailed plans for season two ofThe Midnight Clubprove that the horror series had great potential to be a hit for Netflix, had it not been overshadowed by the critical success ofWednesday.
Sources:Rotten Tomatoes,What’s On Netflix
The Midnight Club
Mike Flanagan’s next horror story arrives in The Midnight Club, a streaming series adaptation of the novel of the same name from author Christopher Pike. In the Rotterdam Home hospice, a group of terminally ill friends ends their nights by telling scary stories to one another. One protagonist of Rotterdam discovers a book that compiles the accounts of those who believed they would die but didn’t. One night, they band together and make a pact; whoever dies first must send a sign from the afterlife. When one of the friends passes on, the surviving youths begin to experience supernatural occurrences - revealing that there are worse things to fear than death.
