50% Of People Would Get Rid Of Disney+ If This Show Got Canceled
There was a time when Netflix had a tight grip on the streaming television landscape. And while Netflix is still top dog, its market share has decreased significantly (via Bloomberg). The decline is partly attributed to a shift in Netflix's catalog, which now leans toward original content, but the rise of competition has been the most significant factor in the streaming giant's diminished dominance. The entries of HBO Max, Disney+, and AppleTV+ into the streaming field caused significant erosion in Netflix's preeminence.
For the most part, Netflix's new rivals launched on the backs of either a major intellectual property or incredibly bankable stars. Just months after HBO Max launched, it announced the streaming premiere of "Wonder Woman 1984." AppleTV+ kicked off its debut with "The Morning Show," starring Jennifer Anniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carrell. When Disney+ launched, it promised viewers access to both "Star Wars" and Marvel Cinematic Universe series and movies. While the success of these new streamers is impressive, there's also a risk that viewers are subscribing solely to view one series or movie — which begs the question: What happens when that series is cancelled?
With our curiosity piqued, Looper recently conducted a poll asking Americans which Disney+ show, if cancelled, would cause them to end their subscription to the streaming service. Since the MCU shows "WandaVision" and "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" are considered limited series, respondents focused their votes on series with multiple seasons.
Muppets, Ducks, High School and Jeff Goldblum
Nearly 10% of survey participants indicated that the theoretical cancellation of "The World According to Jeff Goldblum" would mean ending their subscription. The documentary series, hosted by Goldblum, premiered in 2020 and earned critical praise and second season renewal (via Rotten Tomatoes, Variety). A slightly larger number of respondents, 11.55%, said the loss of "The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers" — a revival of "The Mighty Ducks" films of the 1990s — would be offside. The sports comedy also won critics over (via Rotten Tomatoes) and is expected to be renewed for Season 2.
"Muppets Now," which premiered in 2020, comes in as the third highest-ranked show that viewers do not want to see leave Disney+. The improv comedy received positive views from critics when it debuted, earning a respectable 69% favorability score on Rotten Tomatoes. There's no word yet if Disney intends to renew the series, but we all could use a little more Kermit in our lives.
The show with the second most votes is "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series." A little over 15% of respondents said they'd be done with Disney+ if the musical mockumentary got the axe. Disney believed in the series so strongly that it renewed the show for a second season even before the first season premiered. That bet seems to have paid off given the fan and critical praise the show has earned (via Rotten Tomatoes).
These titles account for just over 50% of respondents, with the balance of the votes going to a single show.
And the Disney+ cancellation most subscribers dread is ...
And the show that received the highest number of votes is "The Mandalorian." A whopping 49.53% of respondents would be so upset by the series' cancellation that they'd send a message to Disney+ by canceling their subscriptions to the streamer. Admittedly, this comes as no surprise. Anticipation for the "Star Wars" show was high, and the first season earned a 93% favorable rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Its second season performed even better, with a 94% positive rating.
As reported in Variety, "The Mandalorian" was the most-streamed Disney+ show in 2020 and the fifth-most streamed original subscription video on demand, or SVOD, series across all platforms. Disney likely doesn't need this Looper poll to highlight the importance of "The Mandalorian" to its continued success. If the streamer hopes to continue eating into Netflix's dominance, it needs to deliver more high-caliber seasons of "The Mandalorian."