Netflix has given us some truly incredible shows and movies over the years, but not every project lands the way it was supposed to. Some titles had massive budgets, A-list stars, and tons of hype — yet still managed to disappoint audiences and critics alike.
From cringeworthy comedies to big-budget flops, these 19 Netflix originals are remembered more for what went wrong than what went right.
1. The Ridiculous 6 (2015)
Adam Sandler’s first big Netflix deal kicked off with a western spoof so bad it became infamous. Indigenous actors reportedly walked off set during production, citing deeply offensive material.
Critics called it lazy, boring, and culturally insensitive — not a great start for Netflix’s big comedy ambitions.
The film quickly became a symbol of everything that could go wrong when a streaming giant hands a comedian a blank check with little creative oversight.
2. The Kissing Booth Trilogy (2018-2021)
Few Netflix titles sparked as much eye-rolling from critics as this teen romance series. The third film hit a jaw-dropping 19% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is pretty rough for a franchise that stretched across three full movies.
Fans of the genre kept watching, but critics couldn’t look past the recycled drama, predictable plotlines, and characters that never really grew. Sometimes popularity and quality just don’t go hand in hand.
3. True Memoirs of an International Assassin (2016)
A 0% on Rotten Tomatoes is not a score you see every day — but this Kevin James action-comedy earned it. Critics used words like “lifeless” and “lazy” to describe the film, which also drew international backlash for its unflattering portrayal of Venezuela.
The movie deepened early worries that Netflix wasn’t being careful enough about the quality of its original comedy output. Some films just shouldn’t make it past the pitch stage.
4. The Cloverfield Paradox (2018)
Netflix pulled off a bold marketing move by surprise-dropping this film right after the Super Bowl. The excitement faded fast.
Critics tore into its convoluted story and underwhelming special effects, calling it a disappointment for fans of the Cloverfield franchise.
What should have been a thrilling sci-fi mystery became a muddled mess that left audiences more confused than entertained. A flashy reveal can only carry a movie so far when the story falls apart.
5. Death Note (2017)
Adapting a beloved manga is always a risky move, and this one didn’t stick the landing. Fans of the original Japanese source material were vocal about their disappointment, pointing to major changes in tone, character depth, and overall spirit of the story.
Critics agreed, labeling it a shallow and poorly executed take on a genuinely complex source. Death Note the manga is a masterpiece — this Netflix version reminded everyone just how hard it is to translate that magic to live action.
6. Me Time (2022)
Eighty million dollars. That’s what Netflix spent on this Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg buddy comedy — and critics gave it a brutal 7% on Rotten Tomatoes in return.
Even fans of both stars found it hard to defend.
The jokes felt recycled, the chemistry was forced, and the whole thing had the energy of a movie made on autopilot. Spending big doesn’t guarantee laughs, and Me Time proved that point in a pretty expensive way.
7. Rebel Moon – Part 1: A Child of Fire (2023)
Zack Snyder’s $166 million space epic looked stunning on screen — but looking great and telling a great story are two very different things. Critics hammered it for being “all style and no substance,” pointing to a predictable plot and a narrative stuffed with too many characters.
Snyder fans showed up, but even some of them admitted the film felt hollow. When your budget rivals a small country’s GDP and critics still shrug, something went wrong in the writing room.
8. The Electric State (2025)
At an estimated $320 million, The Electric State is one of the priciest films Netflix has ever produced. Yet critics handed it a devastating 14% on Rotten Tomatoes, citing drab visuals and performances that felt completely switched off.
Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, and the Russo brothers all attached to one project should have been a recipe for success. Instead, it became a cautionary tale about how throwing money and talent at a weak script rarely saves a movie.
9. Red Notice (2021)
Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson, and Gal Gadot in one movie sounds like a guaranteed blockbuster. Somehow, Red Notice still managed to feel completely forgettable.
Critics described it as glossy “content” built for background watching rather than genuine entertainment.
The film reportedly cost a massive amount to produce, yet audiences seemed to forget it almost immediately after watching. Star power alone can’t create chemistry, and this heist comedy proved that three charismatic leads don’t automatically equal one good film.
10. Bright (2017)
Will Smith and a fantasy-cop concept seemed like a fun gamble for Netflix’s first major blockbuster swing. Critics weren’t buying it.
Reviews called Bright muddled, heavy-handed, and a wasted opportunity to build something genuinely original.
The film blended fantasy creatures with real-world social commentary in a way that most critics found clumsy rather than clever. Despite its flaws, Netflix greenlit a sequel — a decision that raised more than a few eyebrows given the original’s reception.
11. Marvel’s Iron Fist (2017-2018)
Out of all the Marvel shows Netflix produced, Iron Fist landed at the bottom of every ranking. A 17% on Rotten Tomatoes is rough for any superhero series, but especially painful for one connected to the broader Marvel universe that fans were genuinely excited about.
The fight choreography was surprisingly weak for a show built around a martial arts hero. Critics also flagged casting controversies and flat writing.
Season two improved things slightly, but the damage to the character’s reputation was already done.
12. Marco Polo (2014-2016)
Netflix dropped $90 million on the first season alone — and reportedly lost $200 million on the entire series. That’s a staggering number for a show that critics called dramatically inert and emotionally flat despite its gorgeous production design.
Marco Polo had the look of a prestige epic but struggled to make audiences care about the characters or their stories. A second season came and went without much fanfare, and Netflix quietly pulled the plug before a third could be made.
13. Girlboss (2017)
Some critics openly asked whether Girlboss was Netflix’s first truly terrible show — and that’s not a compliment anyone wants attached to their series. The show tried to spin the real story of Sophia Amoruso into an inspiring, edgy comedy, but the central character came across as unlikable rather than refreshingly flawed.
Without a protagonist worth rooting for, the inspirational message completely fell apart. Netflix canceled it after one season, and most viewers didn’t seem too heartbroken about the decision.
14. Gypsy (2017)
Naomi Watts is a genuinely talented actress, which made Gypsy’s failure all the more baffling. Critics described the show as “boring and flat” — a flavorless psychological drama that squandered its lead’s abilities at every turn.
The premise had potential: a therapist secretly inserting herself into her patients’ lives. But the execution felt sluggish and uninspired, leaving audiences disengaged rather than unsettled.
One season was all Netflix needed to see before deciding this particular experiment wasn’t worth continuing.
15. Fuller House (2016-2020)
Nostalgia is a powerful hook, but it can only carry a show so long. Fuller House ran for five seasons on the strength of fans’ love for the original Full House — not because the new content was particularly good.
Critics pointed to stale humor, repetitive storylines, and a format that felt like a relic of 1990s television rather than a fresh take on a beloved world. Viewership reportedly declined steadily, suggesting even the most loyal fans eventually moved on.
16. The Get Down (2016-2017)
Few Netflix originals arrived with more ambition — or a bigger price tag. At $120 million, The Get Down was one of the most expensive series the platform had ever produced, set against the electrifying birth of hip-hop culture in the South Bronx.
Despite the passion behind it, audiences didn’t connect the way Netflix had hoped. The overproduced style overwhelmed the storytelling, and the show became one of the first high-profile Netflix cancellations, leaving its story unfinished and fans genuinely disappointed.
17. Cowboy Bebop (2021)
Anime fans had been waiting years for a live-action Cowboy Bebop that honored the original series. What they got instead was a version that felt like a pale imitation — fun in some moments, but missing the soul that made the anime legendary.
Mixed reviews and rapidly dropping viewership told the story clearly. Netflix canceled the show just three weeks after its premiere, making it one of the fastest high-profile cancellations in the platform’s history.
Anime adaptations remain a genuinely tough nut to crack.
18. Space Force (2020-2022)
Steve Carell reuniting with The Office creator Greg Daniels for a military comedy sounded like a slam dunk. Space Force had the pedigree, the cast, and the concept — but somehow never found its footing with audiences or critics.
The second season saw viewership fall sharply, and Netflix didn’t bring it back for a third. John Malkovich added some genuine spark, but even his eccentric energy couldn’t rescue a show that always felt like it was still searching for its own identity.
19. The Boroughs (2026)
Here’s a twist — The Boroughs actually earned a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and hit the number one spot on Netflix’s own top 10 charts. Yet Netflix canceled it after just one season anyway, citing a hefty $10 million per episode budget and the Duffer Brothers’ move to Paramount+.
Viewership dropped sharply after the first week, which apparently sealed its fate. Great reviews and strong opening numbers weren’t enough to save it — a reminder that in the streaming world, math matters just as much as critical praise.