Hulu Cancels One of Its Most Beloved Original Series

Hulu has canceled its popular period series The Great, starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult, after just three seasons. Created by Tony McNamara and based on his 2008 play of the same name, The Great is a satirical comedy-drama based loosely on the history of Catherine the Great, Empress of All Russia during the 18th century. Season 3 was released on Hulu on May 12, meaning there will be no new episodes.

During its tenure, The Great earned nominations for seven Emmys and multiple Golden Globes, as well as several Critics Choice Awards, Film Independent Spirit Awards, and WGA and SAG Awards.

Fanning played Catherine the Great, and the show followed her as she married Emperor Peter III (Hoult) and successfully overthrew him to take his throne. The third and now final season followed the pair as they attempted to continue their life as a married couple following Catherine’s coup.

The Great also starred Phoebe Fox, Gwilym Lee, Adam Godley, Douglas Hodge, Belinda Bromilow, Bayo Gbadamosi, Florence Keith-Roach, Charity Wakefield, and Sacha Dhawan, with guest roles performed by Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs.

At the time of writing, it’s unclear whether Hulu’s cancellation of The Great has anything to do with the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, though the success of the series coupled with fan reactions to its sudden end paints a confusing picture. This isn’t the first series to see cancellation this summer and it likely won’t be the last. The Great could be shopped to other networks for future seasons, but there’s no guarantee of its return.

(featured image: Christopher Raphael / Hulu)