Picture: Netflix
Netflix’s recent shot at taking the Yellowstone crown with its Australian neo-western series Territory has come to an end after only one season. Australian outlets and C21 Media report today that the show has been canceled and will not be returning for a second season.
Released on Netflix globally in late October 2024, the big Australian epic set in the outback sees rival factions all vying for control of the Lawson cattle station, which is now leaderless and without an heir to inherit it. It scored positive reviews from audiences and critics, although it didn’t hit it big in the Netflix top 10s, as we’ll come onto in a second.
Anna Torv led the cast, playing Emily Lawson alongside Robert Taylor, Michael Dorman, Sam Corlett, and Philippa Northeast. The series was created by Timothy Lee and Ben Davies with Easy Tiger Productions and Ronde Media producing.
Per C21 Media, the series was primed for a season 2 return, but the cast and crew were told a few weeks ago that it would not be returning. They mention logistics around timing could be part of the reason the show was shuttered.
Que Min Luu, Netflix’s director of content for Australia and New Zealand, released a statement on the show’s cancellation (a rarity for Netflix): “We are incredibly thankful to have had the chance to work with the wonderful cast and production team to bring Territory and the stunning Australian outback into the homes of millions around the world. Although we won’t be continuing with another season, we eagerly anticipate working with all of them again in the future.”
We should also note that the show had very limited press outside of Australia, mostly due to how Netflix promotes its shows more broadly. Beyond TUDUM posting about the show, most outlets were not provided with very expansive access. Whether this makes much difference in the grand scheme of things is up for debate, but allowing people to promote your show is never bad.
What was the viewership for Territory?
Series viewership likely wasn’t up to Netflix executives’ expectations, with the show failing to make a big mark on the top 10s. The series spent only three weeks in the global top 10s, picking up 87.10 million viewing hours, which equates to around 15 million views. The show was featured in the weekly top 10s of 75 countries, with Australia and New Zealand being the top performers, and the show appeared for six weeks.
If we compare that to some of the other big shows released in 2023 and 2024, you can see the show is right among other high-profile cancellations. For big-budget shows like Territory, the cancelation line seems to be around Obliterated (one of the most-watched cancelations in recent memory), which fell far short of that.
Netflix Australia does have other big projects in the pipeline that it hopes will capture audiences throughout 2025 and beyond. Some of their big projects this year include The Survivors, Son of a Donkey, and the recently released Apple Cider Vinegar. Last week, we reported that another Australian show, Surviving Summer, would not be returning for a third season.
We’ll be adding Territory to our list of 2025 Netflix Cancellations, which now includes four titles (not including titles announced to be ending).
Are you disappointed that Territory won’t be returning for a second season on Netflix? Let us know in the comments.
