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Prime Video cancels Countdown and Butterfly after one season each. Here’s why
Prime Video cancels shows: While Countdown was branded a “snooze fest” by critics, Butterfly scored 68% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Amazon’s Prime Video has decided not to opt for second seasons of Countdown and Butterfly, after both series received mixed reviews, according to Variety. Both Countdown and Butterfly were produced by Amazon MGM Studios and qualified for Nielsen’s top 10 streaming originals chart earlier this year.
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Prime Video cancels second seasons of Countdown and Butterfly
Prime Video canceled Countdown and Butterfly after one season each because the shows failed to strike a chord with viewers and critics. Created and written by Derek Haas, the crime drama series Countdown was released on June 25, 2025. Countdown narrated the story of an LAPD detective, Mark Meachum (played by Jensen Ackles), who investigates the murder of a Department of Homeland Security officer.
The series failed to collect praise from critics. While Variety branded it as a “snooze fest”, Countdown received an upsetting score of 35% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
On the other hand, Butterfly, which was based on a graphic novel by Boom! Studios, aired on Prime Video on August 13, 2025. It starred Daniel Dae Kim in the lead role. Created by Steph Cha and Ken Woodruff, Butterfly follows the journey of David Jung, a former US intelligence operative, whose life takes an interesting turn after he realizes his daughter works as an assassin for the same spy organization he co-founded before faking his death.
Unlike Countdown, Butterfly scored 68% on Rotten Tomatoes.
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Other decisions by Prime Video
Apart from Countdown and Butterfly, Prime Video made decisions on a few other series. While it renewed We Were Liars and Overcompensating, the streamer canceled Motorheads. Amazon Prime Video also renewed the crime thriller Ballard, which is a spinoff of Bosch, as per Variety.
FAQs:
When did Countdown premiere on Prime Video?
Countdown premiered on Prime Video on June 25 this year.
When will Countdown Season 2 come out?
Prime Video has decided not to proceed with a second season for Countdown.
When did Butterfly premiere on Prime Video?
Butterfly premiered on Prime Video on August 13 this year.
Who created Prime Video’s Butterfly?
Steph Cha and Ken Woodruff created Prime Video’s Butterfly.
