Picture: Netflix
Earlier this year, Netflix debuted its brand-new British-produced animated series Bad Dinosaurs. In an episode of the Kids Media Club Podcast, Executive Producer Paul Schleicher discussed numerous topics and confirmed that there are no current plans for a second season of Bad Dinosaurs.
The series has been “unrenewed,” which Schleicher called “the new canceled.” Despite its success on Netflix, where it performed well and achieved high engagement, the streaming platform has decided not to move forward with another season. While Schleicher expressed disappointment, he also spoke about the evolving priorities of streamers, emphasizing the difficulty of sustaining original creations without proven, large-scale audiences. He hinted at potential ongoing conversations about giving the show a new home, though no concrete plans have been made.
“Unfortunately, we don’t get to make a second series of Bad Dinosaurs, which is a real shame. We had a lot of fun making it and saw so much potential for more. But the world of streaming has shifted. Originals without a proven audience or those needing incubation time aren’t the priority. It’s frustrating, but we’re proud of what we created.”
Schleicher also spoke about transitioning the show from YouTube shorts (titled Dinosaurs: Terrible Lizards on the channel Rather Good back in 2013) to Netflix, with development starting around 2017-2018. Schleicher said about the transition, “We took something grassroots and made it into a show with high production value. From pitching to development, it was about staying true to the heart of Bad Dinosaurs while elevating the humor and storytelling to a global audience.”
After dropping in March, it immediately burst into the Global Top 10 for five weeks in a row. Making the ranking is quite a feat for any kids’ series; staying there for numerous consecutive weeks is impressive. Around the same time, Hot Wheels Let’s Race, another boy-focused, younger-skewed animated series, also dropped, but based on a well-known brand. By Netflix’s preferred metric, “Views,” the two series netted out neck and neck after four weeks.
Schleicher said about the performance, “We were absolutely over the moon when we popped up in the Netflix Top 10. Landing number one on the kids’ platform was incredible, and even breaking into the general Top 10 alongside titles like Three-Body Problem and Ripley felt like being in great company.”
When considering Hours Viewed, Hot Wheels was definitely out in front, which is more what you’d expect to see from a heritage derivative show backed by a major toy corporation. That being said, what Bad Dinosaurs has achieved in terms of engagement is remarkable for an indie animated show.
Schleicher credited the show’s impactful thumbnail design as one reason it drew an audience on Netflix. Notes about episode duration and the series’ overarching story structure also contributed. He emphasized how gratifying it was to see Bad Dinosaurs perform well despite being an original IP with no pre-existing fanbase or merchandise to bolster its reach. However, he acknowledged that streaming platforms prioritize instant, massive successes, making it challenging for original series to secure renewals, even when they perform admirably.
Are you disappointed that Bad Dinosaurs won’t be returning for additional episodes on Netflix? Let us know in the comments.