Why Was The Recruit Cancelled After 2 Seasons? Fans Believe Another Netflix Show Can Be at Fault

Fans of Netflix's The Recruit blame scheduling conflicts with similar spy thriller show for its cancelation. Read on to know the details.

Written by Ipshita Chakraborty , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Mar 06, 2025 | 12:31 PM GMT | 9.1K

Youtube / Netflix

Netflix has canceled Noah Centineo's spy thriller The Recruit after two successful seasons, and fans are outraged. The series first arrived on the streaming platform in December 2022, and its second season was released in January 2025.

One of the stars of the show, Colton Dunn, who portrayed Lester Kitchens took to Threads to express his views on the sudden news of cancellation. He wrote, "The Recruit has been cancelled y'all. Such a bummer. I’ll share some pics and fun memories on IG but just wanted you to hear it from me."

He added, "Thanks if you watched. I’m AVAILABLE NOW! Hire me for you tv story!!"

Fans were upset at the cancellation, calling out Netflix's scheduling decisions. Some viewers pointed out how The Recruit having a release date too close to The Night Agent, another spy drama might have overshadowed its comeback.

The Recruit found a strong following, in 2022 with its new season sending Centineo's Owen Hendricks to South Korea. The story follows a young CIA attorney who finds himself unexpectedly caught up in high-stakes global battles after a clandestine asset threatens to reveal classified agency secrets.

Season 2 added new cast members Maddie Hasson, Angel Parker, and Teo Yoo among the recurring cast members. Centineo told The Hollywood Reporter, last month, "Reuniting with the cast on a personal level was just so good. They’re amazing people. We like each other, we love each other, we hang out with each other off set all the time. It created this propulsive element to the second season."

Meanwhile, The Night Agent has also been released around the same time. Angry viewers have blamed the streaming service, claiming it was set up for failure and its potential unfairly denied.

One fan wrote on X, "They released this and the night agent within the same month. What did they expect."

Another added, "Kept on confusing this show for The Night Agent anytime I saw news about it so maybe it was destined to be axed."

Most fans feel Netflix's scheduling of both shows in such close proximity negatively impacted The Recruit's ratings.