Why Disenchantment Ended With Season 5 (Was It Cancelled?)
Netflix’s animated fantasy show Disenchantment has taken its final bow with season 5, raising questions about why the series isn’t getting a season 6.
Summary
- Disenchantment season 5 serves as a satisfying conclusion to the story, with major storylines wrapped up and loose ends tied.
- The series was not canceled by Netflix; it was ordered and written as the show's final season, allowing the creators to end it on their own terms.
- Disenchantment ending at the same time as other major Netflix adult animated series may indicate a shift in the streaming platform's content plan, possibly producing fewer shows in this category.
Netflix's animated fantasy series Disenchantment has taken its final bow with season 5, wrapping its major storylines and raising questions about why it's not getting a season 6. Disenchantment premiered back in 2018, introducing the wayward Princess Bean and her eccentric but lovable companions. Animated in the same style as hits like The Simpsons and Futurama — and brought to life by both shows' creator, Matt Groening, and producer, Josh Weinstein — Disenchantment follows Bean on a journey to defeat her own mother and save the kingdom of Dreamland.
The ending of Disenchantment season 5 reveals how Bean fares in her ongoing fight against her mother, Queen Dagmar. It also sheds light on the fates of her friends, Elfo and Luci, and her love interest, Mora. Needless to say, Disenchantment offers closure with its series finale, delivering a satisfying conclusion to the story it set up over the past five seasons. Dreamland's fate isn't left hanging in the balance, even if viewers might have liked to spend more time there. And that begs the question of whether Disenchantment's ending was planned or the result of a cancellation.
Disenchantment Season 5 Was Originally Written As The Series' Conclusion
Although Netflix has a habit of canceling popular series, Disenchantment season 5 was ordered and written as the show's final outing (via Deadline). As such, it seems that Netflix didn't pull the plug on the animated series. Instead, it went out on its own terms, which makes sense given its neat ending. Because the show's creators knew where things were headed, they were able to address some of Disenchantment's biggest questions and tie up any loose ends. All the characters wound up where they were supposed to be, and Dreamland shifted leadership as promised since the beginning.
Groening and Weinstein initially had a six-season plan for Disenchantment, but it seems the duo decided to end things a bit earlier than intended. On Twitter, a fan asked Weinstein if they'd covered everything they wanted to in Disenchantment's final season, especially since prior comments suggested it would go on longer. Weinstein responded, "Yes, we actually got to wrap up everything we wanted cause we knew this was final season long before we started planning it/writing it, then we had long time before strike to finesse/finalize it..." Weinstein's words confirm that the series ended when it was supposed to, though its conclusion does seem to indicate a trend for Netflix.
Disenchantment's Ending Coincides With Other Major Netflix Adult Animation Finales
Disenchantment may not be the victim of a cancellation, but its finale coincides with the ending of several other Netflix animated series. Human Resources concluded with season 2 in June 2023, and Big Mouth will take its final bow in 2024. BoJack Horseman also ended in 2020, which isn't too close to the other series — but it may have started a trend. All these shows ending at once could be coincidental, but it could also mark a shift in Netflix's content plan.
Given that Disenchantment is ending around the same time as hits like Big Mouth and BoJack Horseman, it's possible Netflix isn't putting as much stock into adult animation moving forward. Its adult animated series are all wrapping things up, and there don't seem to be plans to replace them. Additionally, Netflix canceled a number of animated shows after its subscriber count dropped in 2022 (via IGN). As such, the streamer may be planning to produce less animated series in the vein of Disenchantment and Big Mouth.
Disenchantment Is Matt Groening's Shortest Series In 34-Year TV Domination
Groening is known for creating long-running animated series, so it's surprising that Disenchantment is ending where it is. With just five seasons under its belt, the fantasy show is officially Groening's shortest show of his 34-year TV domination. The Simpsons — which is still on air and will continue through at least 2025 — currently sits at a whopping 34 seasons. Meanwhile, Futurama ended its original run after seven seasons, then returned for more. Held up against those projects, Disenchantment seems positively short by comparison.
Of course, five seasons are still more than enough to tell a story, and there's power in knowing when to end a television series. It's possible Groening felt that Disenchantment had run its course and wanted to wrap things on a high note. After all, the excitement for shows can fade if they go on for too long. At just five seasons, Disenchantment never lost the magic that made it so compelling in the first place. It also didn't need to worry about being cut short prematurely, which could have happened if it overstayed its welcome on Netflix.
