Death & Other Details Season 2 Canned by Hulu
In disappointing news for fans of the murder mystery genre on streaming, Hulu has announced the cancelation of “Death & Other Details” after just one season. The show, starring acclaimed actor Mandy Patinkin, failed to gain enough traction with viewers despite an intriguing premise.
What Was Death & Other Details About?
“Death & Other Details” follows the story of Imogene Scott (Violett Beane), an ordinary woman who finds herself embroiled in a murder case aboard a luxury cruise liner. To clear her name, she’s forced to team up with the cantankerous Detective Rufus Cotesworth (Mandy Patinkin), a man she can’t stand.
Throughout the 10-episode first season, Imogene and Rufus worked to unravel the mystery, encountering red herrings and unlikable characters along the way. The season finale revealed the true identity of the killer, Viktor Sams, but left things on a cliffhanger with the tease of a new mystery for a potential season 2.
Why Death & Other Details Was Canceled by Hulu
Unfortunately, the show failed to generate the strong viewership or critical acclaim needed to justify a second-season renewal at Hulu. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, it holds middling scores of 55% from critics and 66% from audiences.
Several factors contributed to the cancellation of “Death & Other Details” season 2:
- Pacing issues that caused the mystery to drag and become predictable midway through season 1
- Too many ineffective red herrings that felt like stalling rather than purposeful misdirection
- Generally, unlikable characters that made it hard to invest in their plights
- Never cracking Nielsen’s Top 10 streaming rankings during its run
While the Patinkin/Beane rapport showed promise, and the season finale set up an intriguing new case, the overall lackluster execution of season 1 made “Death & Other Details” an easy cut from Hulu’s lineup.
The Streaming Landscape Ahead
With “Death & Other Details” canceled at Hulu, fans of murder mysteries and whodunnits will have to look elsewhere for their next fix. Luckily, the streaming landscape is filled with plenty of options across various platforms to solve fictional crimes from the comfort of your couch.
While its loss is lamentable for those who enjoyed the show, the cancelation makes room for Hulu to double down on proven hits and develop new unique programming that (hopefully) resonates more strongly with critics and audiences alike.
