It looks like we won’t be finding out what happened after the crew finally landed on Mars. A month and a half after it premiered, Netflix has canceled “Away,” the science fiction drama led by Hilary Swank.
“Away” had very good ratings upon launch, according to Nielsen, debuting at No. 6 after a Sept. 4 premiere, and subsequently spent several weeks in the top 10 of streaming shows. But Netflix weighs viewing versus cost when making decisions about renewals or cancellations, according to individuals with knowledge of the situation, and focuses on full-season orders to any show it greenlights.
Another factor may be the potential cost of shooting a second season under pandemic protocols, something that has led to cancellations and reversed renewals for other series this year.
Executive produced by Jason Katims, “Away” was created by Andrew Hinderaker, who executive produces the series along with showrunner Jessica Goldberg, as well as Katims, Matt Reeves, Andrew Hinderaker, Edward Zwick, Swank, Adam Kassan and Jeni Mulein.
Alongside Swank, it starred Josh Charles, Talitha Bateman, Mark Ivanir, Ato Essandoh, Ray Panthaki, Vivian Wu and Monique Curnen.
Per its official logline, the show followed American astronaut Emma Green (Swank) as she “prepares to lead an international crew on the first mission to Mars, she must reconcile her decision to leave behind her husband (Charles) and teenage daughter (Bateman) when they need her the most.
As the crew’s journey into space intensifies, their personal dynamics and the effects of being away from their loved ones back on Earth become increasingly complex. Away shows that sometimes to reach for the stars, we must leave home behind.