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Credit: Inside the MagicThe Disney Channel is canceling yet another well-liked series. This time around, it’s Secrets of Sulphur Spring, which has been abruptly shut down after three critically acclaimed seasons.
According to Deadline, Secrets of Sulphur Spring is the second Disney Channel series to be canceled in January alone, after Bunk’d was not renewed by the company. This is not a good sign for the future of the iconic network, which has been increasingly sidelined by Disney’s ongoing quest to pivot from traditional television to a streaming model.
Secrets of Sulphur Springs was created by Tracey Thomson (who also acted as executive producer) and starred
Preston Oliver as Griffin Campbell, a 12-year-old newcomer to a small Louisiana town who discovers a portal to the past in a dilapidated hotel. The series co-starred Kyliegh Curran and Elle Graham and premiered on the Disney Channel on January 15, 2021.
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Now, almost exactly three years later, the show has been canceled. Disney has had a difficult time in the last couple of years, financially speaking, which could be part of the reason that Secrets of Sulphur Springs was not renewed for a fourth season. However, it is notable that the time travel series was also one of the Disney Channel’s most critically acclaimed; the first season of the show currently holds 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, while the second and third are even higher.
On the other hand, the show has also been seeing dwindling viewership even as critics like it more and more. Secrets of Sulphur Springs initially premiered to almost half a million viewers, but the final season ultimately got barely a quarter of that number.
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Although the Disney Channel has a long history in the company, it has been increasingly replaced by the Disney+ streaming service, which has become the favored venue for premiering new high-profile shows. CEO Bob Iger has made public statements that he is not looking to get rid of traditional television, but you would never know if by how many shows are getting pulled off the air.
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