Netflix is pulling the plug on the action comedy series The Brothers Sun, declining to pick up the series for a second season. The series centered on Bruce Sun (Sam Song Li) a struggling comedian who is shocked to discover he’s a member of one of Taipei’s most notorious crime families.
Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh plays Eileen ‘Mama’ Sun, Bruce’s mother and a gangster in her own right. When older brother Charles (Justin Chien) travels to Los Angeles to keep an eye on Eileen and Bruce, he must give his younger brother a crash course in the family business.
It’s unclear why Netflix canceled the series, but it’s a loss for Asian representation on television. The series had a strong debut and saw its viewership jump in the second week. The Brothers Sun spent five weeks in Netflix’s Top 10 for English-language series, even reaching the number 2 spot. The series had an 85% fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes and an audience score of 91%.
The cancellation of The Brothers Sun comes at a time when many production companies and streamers are shrinking their output. The industry is still recovering from both the WGA and the SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023. As a result, many streamers are rethinking their programming strategy and re-aligning their budgets.
Still, it’s disappointing that The Brothers Sun couldn’t garner a second season. Despite heavyweight producer Brad Falchuk (American Horror Story, Glee), Oscar-winning star Michelle Yeoh, and a genuinely engaging premise, the series failed to find a big enough audience. It makes one wonder what it takes for a streaming series to break out and be considered successful.
(featured image: Netflix)
