Prime Video Just Made a Huge Mistake by Canceling Its Latest Show — After Already Giving I

June 10, 2025

Étoile is the fourth dramedy hailing from Amy Sherman-Palladino, following Gilmore Girls, Bunheads, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The series follows Jack McMillan (Luke Kirby), who runs the New York Metropolitan Ballet. When the theater is struggling quite a bit, Jack, along with Geneviève Lavigne (Charlotte Gainsbourg) of Le Ballet National in Paris, temporarily swaps some of their best dancers, including choreographer Tobias Bell (Gideon Glick), to see if the change will help both companies. The storyline that plays out focuses on the initial growing pains and ultimate success of these changes.

Étoile had an excellent first season that set up multiple more, andeasily could have gone down a similar road as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel did on Prime Video with its five seasons. There was never any reason to worry about whether Étoile would get that chance, because it was given a two-season order before it ever even premiered. Even as the show didn’t seem to get much promotion or gain a lot of widespread attention, there was always going to be more time for Étoile to attract more viewers. Sadly, though, Étoile was cancelled by Prime Video after one season, despite its initial two-season commitment.

Luke Kirby as Jack facing Lou de Laâge as Cheyenne as they talk on an empty stage in Étoile — Image via Amazon MGM Studios

Etóile was certainly a risk for Prime Video due to its unique premise. That said, the show very likely could have taken off if given more time. Most of Sherman-Palladino’s other shows did incredibly well over multiple seasons, and Étoile was never just limited to its initial premise. Each of the swapped parties was initially against the idea, but they all really came to prefer this new arrangement. Mishi (Taïs Vinolo) learned to stand up for herself against the other dancers back at Le Ballet National in Paris, and ended up enjoying being roommates with Bruna (Marie Berto). Cheyenne (Lou de Laâge) had a moment of doubt after slipping during a performance, but was willing – and even excited – to step up as the artistic director for the New York Metropolitan Ballet in the event of Nicholas’ (David Haig) death.

The show’s entire arc in Paris built up to a performance that Tobias suddenly interrupted when it didn’t fit his vision. This turned out to be a major success, as Geneviève got the idea to live-stream the stage on a screen right outside. Tobias found success as a choreographer in a way that meant more to him than it did in New York, in part because of his new romance with Gabin (Ivan du Pontavice). Even as Geneviève was angry with Jack for offering Cheyenne a permanent position behind her back, she was clearly overcome with joy when she saw Tobias doing something different for Le Ballet National in Paris’ big performance. Season 2 of Étoile had so much potential thanks to the contrast of this newfound success for Le Ballet National with the messier storylines back in New York. The swap was an excellent starting point, but the serieswas already moving beyond it in an organic way by the end of Season 1.

Étoile also had two main romances with a great deal of promise: Jack and Cheyenne, as well as Tobias and Gabin. From Gilmore Girls‘ Luke (Scott Patterson) and Lorelai (Lauren Graham) to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘s Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) and Lenny (Kirby), Sherman-Palladino does multi-season romantic arcs really well. Although the first season ended with Jack and Cheyenne kissing, it was clear that they wouldn’t suddenly become a couple after that, and it would have been exciting to see their story play out. The two had previously spent a night together five years earlier, and their relationship could have been Sherman-Palladino’s next great will-they-won’t-they romance.

“Michel really appreciated people that were good at what they do, and Raphaël is really good at what he does,” says Truesdale.

Prime Video’s Cancellation of ‘Étoile’ Is Disappointing for More Than One Reason

The official reason given for the cancellation of Étoile is that the show didn’t perform well enough to justify the cost of its production. While Étoile wasn’t an overnight success, it developed a steady audience due to the success of Sherman-Palladino’s previous shows. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel certainly earned success after its first season, but its audience still grew substantially over time. If Étoile had been given that same time, it likely could have gone on to be another long-running Prime Video show with a unique premise and memorable characters. What’s especially strange is that Étoile was cancelled barely a month after its airing, even though it was already renewed. It feels so sudden after the show’s release to reverse a renewal that had already been announced before the first season of the show even premiered.

It’s very rare for a show to be cancelled after receiving a renewal, and it sets a concerning precedent for streamers moving forward. Fans will no longer be able to be as excited about renewals, because they could then be taken away. Another Prime Video series, Maxton Hall, has already been renewed before its Season 2 premiere, but Étoile‘s cancellation has proven that these renewals can no longer be taken at face value. Étoile was one of the most creative and exciting series on streaming, and it is so disappointing to think about what the show could have been if it had just been given more time.

Étoile is available to stream on Prime Video.