The fate of The Wheel on Time on Prime Video has been revealed. Unfortunately for fans, it’s not good news at all.

Per Deadline, it’s been revealed that The Wheel of Time has been canceled after three seasons. The show had been on the bubble since its third season finale dropped in April. Deciding to pull the plug on the series reportedly came about after “lengthy deliberations,” but the high budget of The Wheel of Time was the biggest reason that the choice was made. Amazon execs have always been high on the show from a creative standpoint.

In 2021, The Wheel of Time kicked off with an incredible start, setting a record for the most-watched series premiere of the year. It’s also among the Top 5 series launches of all time on Prime Video. While the show has continued to draw respectable viewership, it hasn’t been at the levels that it was at the start. After three weeks into Season 3, the show dropped from Nielsen’s Top 10 Original streaming chart. For the first two seasons, The Wheel of Time had consistently stayed on the list for their entire runs. The Wheel of Time returned to the Nielsen chart after its Season 3 finale, though just barely at No. 10, and the downward trend seemingly convinced Amazon execs that a fourth season wasn’t worth the investment.

For what it’s worth, the team behind The Wheel of Time realized that Season 4 was not guaranteed. The Season 3 finale was designed in such a way that it could serve as a finale for the TV show, though it still left the door open for the story to continue. Even so, it’s unfortunate for many fans to see the series end this way when it seemed to be finding its footing. While viewership was declining, the reception was getting stronger by each season. Season 3 has a score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, up from Season 1 (81%) and Season 2 (86%).

“I think one reason we went with Amazon, because we had options of who was going to buy the series when we first went out with it, is that Amazon felt like a place where they do want to invest in shows for the long term. There’s not a lot of places doing that anymore,” showrunner Rafe Judkins previously told THR about the show’s future ahead of the cancelation news. “For Wheel of Time, it’s really important for us to be somewhere that does want to invest in shows for the long term and not just for the splash and leave… The books get better as they go and the show is getting better as it goes. I think we can continue that arc if we’re allowed to continue… I think it’s important for television. It’s what we do best and so we should be finishing these stories.”

The Wheel of Time is streaming (in its entirety) on Prime Video.

Source: Deadline

The Wheel of Time

Release Date

November 18, 2021

Network

Prime Video

Showrunner

Rafe Judkins

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Where to watch