Prime Video's The Peripheral Is Finally Being Appreciated 4 Years Later

Year after year, Prime Video always seems to produce some great new shows that gather mainstream attention. 2025 gave us Ballard, 2024 saw the debut of Fallout, and 2023 expanded The Boys' legacy through Gen V, proving there is always something fresh to get excited about. Unfortunately, this usually means other projects often go overlooked, no matter how good they are.

One such victim of this was 2022's The Peripheral — a sci-fi thriller based on William Gibson's novel. Given its popular source material, it seemed like The Peripheral would be a bingeable masterpiece for Prime Video, one that could potentially last several seasons and even become a flagship show for the streaming platform.

Unfortunately, things didn't quite pan out this way as the series was canned after just one season, but four years later, it's finally getting some well-deserved recognition.

The Peripheral Became A Streaming Success 4 Years Later

When The Peripheral first arrived on Prime Video, it didn't seem to make a huge impact, despite mostly solid reviews. Although it landed in the platform's top 10 shows during its early stages, the series failed to go viral or make much noise online in the long run, leaving its fate up in the air after its open-ended season 1 finale.

Curiously though, interest in this mysterious sci-fi drama has picked up recently, with The Peripheral becoming a streaming success in January 2026. Alongside hitting the #1 spot in Nigeria, this underrated gem also entered Prime Video's top 10 charts in numerous countries, including South Africa, Romania, Czechia, Switzerland, Belgium, Hungary, and Finland.

The reason behind this surge in popularity is hard to put a finger on, but there's clearly still an appetite for this style of project, which could make Prime Video reconsider The Peripheral's cancellation all these years later.

Why Prime Video Canceled The Peripheral After One Season

Deciding to cancel The Peripheral always felt like a risky move given the show's huge potential, but the reason behind it is even more devastating. Originally, Amazon planned on continuing the story as the book adaptation was renewed for a second season. However, this all changed during 2023's SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes, which lasted several months.

With the uncertainty surrounding the industry, Prime Video controversially chose to ax The Peripheral season 2 and focus on other projects, leaving so many lingering mysteries. It's obvious there was much more in store for this thriller, with executive producer Lisa Joy even mentioning her desire for at least three seasons, making the cliffhanger ending even more agonizing.

Ultimately, The Peripheral deserved better than to be abandoned so soon, and while it's understandable why the show was canceled initially, the fact that it hasn't been picked back up feels like a missed opportunity.

The Peripheral's Cancellation Is Frustrating

Seeing any high-rated show get canceled is always disappointing, but with The Peripheral still having material from the book to adapt and a very interesting fictional universe, this one is particularly sore. The season 1 finale left a lot unresolved, setting up an exciting future for characters like Wilf, Aelita, Burton, and Cherise.

Additionally, the show's complicated sci-fi elements left doubt about whether Flynne survived or not, which still needs to be addressed. Unfortunately, The Peripheral's cancellation only continued the annoying streaming trend that sees projects discarded way too early, and future seasons could've made this series a huge hit that is unlike anything else being produced today.

Boasting a 79% critic score and an 85% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it's clear that the overall reception was positive. Therefore, deciding to leave this great story on a cliffhanger despite audiences as well as creators being eager for more only adds to just how frustrating The Peripheral's fate is, and we can only hope it returns someday.