Two divine cats—one embodying cosmic good, the other mischief—invade a bewildered suburban family’s life in Netflix’s Exploding Kittens. Across nine episodes of escalating absurdist humor, the animated series captivated viewers with its quirky premise. Yet in November 2025, Netflix canceled it abruptly, halting Season 2 development before it began, despite a 67% Rotten Tomatoes score deemed “Fresh” and the original card game selling over ten million copies worldwide.
Fresh Ratings Fall Short
Critical approval, including a 67% Rotten Tomatoes rating, offered no shield. Netflix prioritizes internal metrics like viewership hours and engagement performance over reviewer consensus. The show drew initial viewers but failed to meet viewership thresholds, revealing a disconnect between critics and platform algorithms.
Card Game Success Ignores Screen Struggles
Matthew Inman’s Exploding Kittens card game dominated Kickstarter with 219,382 backers and $8.7 million raised, leading to over ten million copies sold worldwide. Fans embraced the intellectual property in homes and game cafes. Translation to streaming faltered, as Netflix assessed the audience through its data lens.
Star Power Meets Algorithmic Indifference
Tom Ellis voiced Godcat, Sasheer Zamata brought Devilcat to life, pitting divine opposites against everyday chaos. Emmy winners Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, creators of King of the Hill, oversaw production alongside Inman, Elan Lee, and Shane Small. Pedigrees and proven appeal proved irrelevant; Netflix’s data-driven evaluation overrode creative credentials.
Metrics Beyond Daily Buzz
The series hit Netflix’s daily top ten lists at launch across over 60 countries, signaling early momentum. Daily rankings capture spikes in curiosity, but sustained viewership measures long-term power. Exploding Kittens achieved the former without the latter. The series notably failed to enter Netflix’s weekly global top 10 charts, which are critical for renewal decisions.
Swift Cuts and Industry Patterns
Netflix canceled the series alongside Zack Snyder’s Twilight of the Gods and the Good Times reboot in November 2025. Early Season 2 development work had begun but was stopped following the cancellation decision. This pattern reflects Netflix’s data-driven approach to renewals, where shows typically face evaluation within 12-15 months of premiere. Research indicates that Netflix Original series averaging around 20 months between seasons often experience significant viewership drops, making early performance metrics increasingly critical.
Unresolved Digital Limbo
All nine episodes premiered July 12, 2024, and remain on Netflix indefinitely, accessible yet forever unresolved. The card game continues to thrive independently, its mythology intact. Creators like Inman, Judge, and Daniels have not publicly commented on the cancellation.
Animation producers now navigate a landscape where viewership numbers in the first weeks eclipse acclaim, established properties, and talent. The case underscores stakes for future series: strong initial global performance or swift cancellation, where data-driven decisions determine which stories remain unfinished
Sources:
Netflix Official Cancellation Announcement – Netflix Media Center
Exploding Kittens Kickstarter Campaign – Kickstarter
Rotten Tomatoes Exploding Kittens Score – Rotten Tomatoes
Industry Report: Netflix Cancellation Patterns 2025 – Variety
Streaming Wars Analysis: Netflix vs Competitors – The Hollywood Reporter
Matthew Inman Interview on IP Adaptation – The Verge