Netflix Founder Wants to Cancel More Shows

Reed Hastings on why his streaming service needs to keep taking risks.

By Lucy O'Brien

Netflix founder Reed Hastings believes his streaming service needs to cancel more of its original shows.

Speaking to CNBC (via Vulture) Hastings said that Netflix's "hit ratio is way too high right now.” Netflix needs to be taking more risks, said Hastings, which would naturally result in some unexpected massive hits and some failures. “We’ve canceled very few shows," he continued. "I’m always pushing the content team: We have to take more risk; you have to try more crazy things. Because we should have a higher cancel rate overall.”

By taking big risks, Hastings said, you get unexpectedly successful shows like 13 Reasons Why. “You get some winners that are just unbelievable winners, like 13 Reasons Why. It surprised us. It’s a great show, but we didn’t realize just how it would catch on.”

To date, Netflix has rarely cancelled its originals. Notable outliers are The Get Down, Netflix's first show that wasn't renewed for a second season, and Marco Polo, which was canceled after two seasons without a proper ending (unlike situations like Hemlock Grove and Bloodline where a third and final season was announced/produced).

Lucy O'Brien is an editor at IGN’s Sydney office. Follow her ramblings on Twitter.

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