If there was a list of popular Netflix shows that have been canceled over the last few years, it would be easy to rank Mindhunter near the top of it. The crime serial, directed by David Fincher, ran for two seasons on the streaming platform before suddenly ending ahead of an anticipated third season. Fincher has hinted in the past that the decision to cancel the series was his decision due to committing to other projects, but this may not be the case.
The first season of Mindhunter followed characters played by Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany as they attempted to establish a behavioral unit for the FBI. The second season showed the pair investigating the infamous Atlanta child murders of 1979-81, all the while teasing the appearance of Dennis Rader, aka The BTK Killer. Rader's crimes would have been the main focus of the third season. In a recent interview with French magazine Le Journal du Dimanche, Fincher again spoke on the decision to cancel Mindhunter, confirming that a third season will never happen, as well as insinuating that Netflix made the final decision to end the series.
"I'm very proud of the first two seasons. But it's a very expensive show and, in the eyes of Netflix, we didn't attract enough of an audience to justify such an investment," Fincher said during an interview with Forbes back in February 2023. "I don't blame them, they took risks to get the show off the ground, gave me the means to do Mank the way I wanted to do it and they allowed me to venture down new paths with The Killer. It's a blessing to be able to work with people who are capable of boldness. The day our desires are not the same, we have to be honest about parting ways."
Fincher's lack of resentment isn't surprising, given his longstanding relationship with Netflix. Before Mindhunter, he worked with the streaming giant as an executive producer and director for House of Cards, winning a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for the pilot. Since signing a four-year exclusive deal with the streamer in 2020, Fincher has gone on to direct Mank, a black and white film telling the story of the development of Citizen Kane. His latest project with Netflix is The Killer, based on a French graphic novel and starring Michael Fassbender in the titlular role.
The Killer comes to Netflix on November 10, 2023. Check out the trailer below: