Originally airing on NBC in 2018 and lasting three seasons, a show once cancelled has surged to become one of Netflix’s most-watched offerings. Netflix has garnered a reputation for discontinuing series that have cultivated strong fan followings, sometimes even after just one season.
However, the flip side is that these shows often experience a resurgence on the streaming platform, finding new audiences sometimes years after their original cancellation.
A prime example of this phenomenon is a drama about a group of passengers on a flight that mysteriously goes missing. When they finally return home, they discover that five years have passed. The series explores their complex journeys as they attempt to reintegrate into society and rebuild their lives.
If you haven’t guessed by now, the show in question is “Manifest,” which Netflix picked up for a fourth season after it was cancelled by its original broadcaster, NBC.
“Manifest” debuted on NBC in 2018 and lasted for three seasons. However, in June 2021, NBC announced it would not be renewing the show for a fourth season, despite plans to continue the story. Just a few months later, in August 2021, Netflix acquired the rights to the show and announced a new season.
Since its revival on Netflix, “Manifest” has become a major hit, ranking among the most-watched shows globally on the streaming platform. According to a 2022 Variety report, the first few episodes of the fourth season amassed an impressive 57.1 million hours viewed within just three days of becoming available.
“Manifest” concluded with its fourth and final season in June 2023, but it continues to receive high praise from fans and critics alike. The final season holds an 88 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Nicole Gallucci from Decider remarked, “Trust us. Manifest pulls out all the stops in its final batch of episodes to prove itself worthy of surviving its own Death Date back in 2021.”
Meanwhile, Jay Snow of Collider wrote: “Manifest is back and better than ever, fully leveraging its revival on Netflix to keep viewers on the edge of their seats until the very last moment of this flight.”
Lauren Piester from The Wrap noted: “Manifest Season 4 will not disappoint fans of the series, though it is likely to break their hearts and/or get those hearts racing.”