The Winter King and 4 other disappointing sci-fi/fantasy shows from 2023
By Dan Selcke
Shadow and Bone season 2
Okay, naming Shadow and Bone as one of the most disappointment shows of 2023 is a little below the belt, since the series just got cancelled. At the same time, there’s a reason that Netflix isn’t bringing this one back.
Actually, there are a few reasons. One is that the cast and crew lost too much time during the writers and actors strikes. Another is that the second season just wasn’t very good. Instead of taking its time with the story of Alina Starkov, Sun Summoner of Ravka, the show blasted through the second and third novels in Leigh Bardugo’s book series, resulting in a rushed, disjointed season that never reached the heights of the first.
The irony is that, so far as we can tell, part of the reason Netflix hit the gas on season 2 was because it wanted to get the characters into a position where they could play out the events of Six of Crows, another of Bardugo’s book series. At one point, Netflix envisioned this show as a sprawling franchise complete with spinoffs. Now, because they rushed season 2 of the original show, all of that is in jeopardy.