Netflix’s live-action adaptation ofCowboy Bebopshould’ve been a big hit, but the original anime is so iconic and masterfully crafted that it set up the remake to fail. Ever since Netflix threw its hat in the ring and got into the original programming game, it’s become renowned as a home of prestige television.
Critically acclaimed gems likeHouse of Cards,Mindhunter, andOrange is the New Blackput the streamer on the map as a premium network on par with HBO or Showtime. Blockbuster hits likeStranger Things,Squid Game, andBridgertonproved they can deliver genuine crowd-pleasers, too; it’s not all awards bait.Netflix has released some truly great original shows.
ButNetflix has also become notorious for canceling shows before their time. Since the streaming service is constantly being flooded with content, it’s rare that shows have a chance to find their feet or grow an audience before getting the axe. Shows likeGLOWandSanta Clarita Diethave been cut short, while others haven’t even made it past one season.
In 2021, Netflix released a show thatshould’ve been a sure-fire hit, but it wound up being another one-season wonder.Cowboy Bebophas a huge built-in audience, a cast of lovable characters, and a mythology that lends itself to dazzling sci-fi spectacle. In theory, a live-action remake should’ve been a massive success, so what went wrong?
Netflix’s Live-Action Cowboy Bebop Should Have Been A Huge Hit For The Streamer
Netflix’s live-action remake ofCowboy Bebopshould’ve been a big hit just based on its connection to the anime alone. The anime is so beloved, with so many fans, that enough of them should’ve checked it out andenough of them should’ve stuck around to at least secure a renewal for a second season.
On top of that, it hada cast full of famous actors that fans recognize from other iconic properties. John Cho, known for playing Harold in theHarold & Kumarfilms and Sulu in theStar Trekfilms, played the lead role of Spike Spiegel. Daniella Pineda fromJurassic World: Fallen Kingdomplayed Faye Valentine, while Mustafa Shakir fromLuke Cageplayed Jet Black.
Netflix’sCowboy BebophadMission: Impossible – Ghost Protocolwriter André Nemec as its showrunner.
Plus,Netflix’s live-action adaptations of classic animated showsare getting a lot better. In 2023, it released a surprisingly satisfying adaptation ofOne Piece, and in 2024, it released a live-action version of the anime-inspiredAvatar: The Last Airbenderthat was nowhere near as bad as it could’ve been.Cowboy Bebopseemed to have everything going for it.
The Live-Action Netflix Series Was Canceled After Just One Season
The Finale Left The Show On A Cliffhanger
Much like the anime,the live-action version ofCowboy Beboppicks up in the year 2071, after the human race has successfully colonized the Solar System. It revolves around a ragtag band of bounty hunters aboard the spaceship Bebop, as they pick up odd jobs across the galaxy and get into all kinds of interstellar trouble.
Netflix’s remake ran for 10 episodesbefore being canceled.Cowboy Bebop’s cancelationleft the show on a cliffhanger, as the finale episode had deliberately left the door open to continue the story in a second season.The cancelation came in less than three weeks after the show had dropped, so viewers barely had a chance to find it.
The reason a lot of sci-fi shows get canceled early on is that networks have to balance a show’s profitability from viewership with the costs of production. Since sci-fi shows likeCowboy Bebopare really expensive to produce,they have to attract a large fan base immediately to justify their existence. Apparently, despite the name recognition,Cowboy Bebopdidn’t do that.
Cowboy Bebop’s Anime Set The Adaptation Up To Fail From The Beginning
Cowboy Bebop Is One Of The Most Iconic Anime Classics Ever Created
SatisfyingCowboy Bebopfans with a live-action remake was always going to be a near-unwinnable uphill battle. Very few shows, especially in the medium of anime, are quite as iconic asCowboy Bebop. The original has been hailed as one of the greatest shows ever made, soit set an extremely high bar for any adaptation that followed.
Cowboy Bebophas also proven to be hugely influentialon the sci-fi genre as a whole. Netflix’s version was the first official live-action remake, butit wasn’t the first show to be heavily inspired by this space western about intergalactic gunslingers. FromFireflytoGuardians of the Galaxy, audiences have been watching unofficial live-actionCowboy Bebopremakes for years.
From Firefly to Guardians of the Galaxy, audiences have been watching unofficial live-action Cowboy Bebop remakes for years.
The originalCowboy Bebopis an eye-popping feast of sci-fi visuals and futuristic action. It’s a unique genre cocktail of space western, neo-noir, buddy comedy, and grounded melodrama. But underneath all that flash, it also carried a hefty dose of social commentary.The remake struggled to replicate the unique tone, and left out the social commentary altogether.
Ultimately, the originalCowboy Bebopis too much of a masterpiece for any subsequent retread to possibly compare. Yes, the live-action version made some questionable choices — it removed a lot of Faye’s character development to make her a one-note badass — but even without those changes to the source material, it was never going to be as good.
