Geena Davis on The Boroughs Cancellation: 'We Didn't Expect That'

Geena Davis is processing the unexpected cancellation of Netflix's The Boroughs, which came just weeks after the series premiere.

The streaming platform pulled the plug on the show after one season despite it maintaining a spot in the platform's Top 10 rankings. The series, helmed by Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer, arrived as the duo transitioned to a fresh deal at Paramount.

Davis, who appeared in the show opposite Alfred Molina, has opened up about the shock of the decision. The cast and producers learned of the cancellation before it became public knowledge. "The producers, who became our dear, dear friends, were able to tell us before the news came out, and we're all terribly disappointed," Davis shared. "Honestly, I don't know what happened. I think it's probably rare for a show to not get picked up and to have it announced that it's not being picked up while it's still in the top 10."

What worked in the show's favor, however, was its narrative structure. From the outset, the creators made a deliberate choice to avoid ending on a cliffhanger. "We didn't expect that," Davis explained. "But the creators told us from the beginning that the series was not going to have a cliffhanger ending to the first season, that someone had advised them, 'Make it its own thing. And if you come back to do another year, make that its own thing.'"

The approach resulted in a self-contained story. "There's a tiny hint at the end that maybe everything isn't fixed, but it is a complete story," Davis noted. "And if we had made it as a limited series, then it would've been a big hit and everybody would be happy."