With the future of the Freeform channel in question following the recent decision to drop the channel from the Spectrum Cable bundle, it looks like another show from its lineup is gone as the Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Disney’s Freeform has cancelled “Cruel Summer” after two seasons.

The psychological thriller follows two young women: Kate Wallis, the popular girl with a charmed life who one day goes missing, and Jeanette Turner, the nerdy wannabe who is accused of being connected to Kate’s disappearance. All signs point to Jeanette’s guilt, but is Kate really who she seems to be? Set over three summers and told through shifting points of view, the series challenges perception and follows how one girl can go from being a sweet outlier to the most despised person in America. 

The second season shifted formats, to anthology style, so introduced a new cast and new storyline.  It was set in an idyllic waterfront town in the Pacific Northwest. The second chapter of “Cruel Summer” followed the rise and fall of an intense teenage friendship. Approaching the story from three different timelines surrounding Y2K, the season twists and turns as it tracks the early friendship between Megan, Isabella and Megan’s best friend Luke, the love triangle that blossomed, and the mystery that would impact all of their lives going forward.

Cruel Summer” was created by Bert V. Royal. Tia Napolitano serves as the showrunner. Executive producers include Napolitano, Royal and Iron Ocean Productions’ Jessica Biel and Michelle Purple.

The first season was Freeform’s most-watched series debut ever, and it was a big hit on Hulu. However, the second season wasn’t able to continue the success, with ratings dropping and the internet buzz around the show drifted away.

According to THR, Freeform executives wanted to bring back the show, however, the ratings for the second season didn’t justify the costs of doing so.  And following the actor’s and writer’s strikes, it’s been expected more shows would be cancelled.

With Disney looking to cut how many general entertainment shows it’s making to save money, it has been trimming back, and since eOne created this series, Disney hasn’t been able to use the show globally and ultimately is a property it doesn’t own.

And it’s expected that Freeform is going to be dropped from other cable packages in the future, as cable providers look to reduce how many channels they offer, in exchange for access to Disney+ with ads. 

You can watch both seasons of “Cruel Summer” now on Hulu and also now on Hulu on Disney+. 

What do you think of “Cruel Summer” being cancelled?  Let us know on social media!

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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