{
  "id": 8431062,
  "title": "Wonder Man's strong retention rates weren't enough to save it",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/wonder-mans-strong-retention-rates-werent-enough-to-save-it",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-18T22:15:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The A.V. Club",
    "slug": "the-a-v-club",
    "url": "https://www.avclub.com/wonder-man-retention-rates-luminate-study"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Wonder Man's strong retention rates were not enough to prevent its cancellation, according to a new report from Luminate. The streaming service determines if a show will be renewed based on a retention rate, which measures the percentage of viewers who continue watching a series. For Disney+, the \"likely renewal floor\" is 36%, with a \"safe zone\" of 48%. Despite reaching a retention rate of 52%, Wonder Man was cancelled, suggesting other factors were at play. Disney had previously renewed the Marvel series, but it wasn't until months later that the show was cancelled, sparking speculation and confusion among actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who demanded more information. The study also shows that shows with solid retention rates, like Netflix's 2025 hit The Waterfront (62% retention), can still be cancelled if they fail to reach the required threshold quickly enough. Streaming platforms, particularly Netflix, tend to renew shows more often than broadcast networks, but also more likely to offer a planned completion. Budget overruns, costing over $10 million per episode, have increased by 7% over the last five years. Despite exceptions like long-running shows like South Park, NCIS, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, most broadcast TV shows typically last between 3 to 5 seasons. Between 2022 and 2025, scripted shows have dropped from 50% of network output to 42%, while unscripted shows have declined from 60% to 40%. The report sheds light on the declining cable TV industry, perplexing streaming choices, and the decline in scripted and unscripted content production.",
  "summary": "A new study from Luminate reveals that Netflix's unceremoniously axed hit The Waterfront had a 62% retention rate.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}