As the streaming service Apple TV Plus matures, Apple has been getting quicker at cancelling shows that don't make it big, and the latest of those is the Taika Waititi-created fantasy series Time Bandits.
Starring Friends alum Lisa Kudrow, Time Bandits is about a young boy who gets caught up with a bunch of time-travelling thieves (led by Kudrow). They go on adventures together, which puts them up against a dangerous enemy.
Despite its warm reviews (78% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes), Time Bandits wasn't as big a hit with audiences (48% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes), and it's not considered one of the best Apple TV Plus shows. This may be why, as Deadline has reported, Apple has opted not to renew Time Bandits for a second season.
This news comes only a month after Time Bandits finished airing, and it's a rare flop for Apple TV Plus which usually sees its shows received well.
That's exemplified by another Friends star's show on Apple TV Plus: Jennifer Aniston's The Morning Show, which made a big splash at the Emmy Awards the night prior to news breaking of Time Bandits' cancellation.
Now in its third season, The Morning Show won an award for Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Billy Crudup's performance, and was nominated for best Drama Series, twice for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon), Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Mark Duplass and Jon Hamm), Supporting Actress in a Drama series for Nicole Beharie, Greta Lee, Karen Pittman and Holland Taylor and Directing for a Drama Series. That's ten nominations in all.
At the Emmys, Apple also won Writing for a Drama Series for the Slow Horses episode "Negotiating with Tigers". Slow Horses, Lessons in Chemistry and Palm Royale were the company's three other big shows in terms of nominations, but none surpassed The Morning Show in count.
The Morning Show was one of Apple's first original productions, premiering in 2019, and it's already been renewed for a fourth season which will likely land in 2025. With all these awards it's no wonder that it continues as one of Apple TV Plus' longest-running series.
