Supernatural alum Ruth Connell played the Night Nurse in Dead Boy Detectives, told Yahoo Canada;
I’m personally still not over it and it’s one of the most successful shows that’s been cancelled. It’s an algorithm that probably decides, at this point. We had fans pay for billboards to go up outside Netflix to say, ‘Bring back Dead Boy Detectives.’ And especially for my character, I knew she had a lot more to do in Season 2, so I was particularly devastated. … I’m in denial. I don’t know if there’s some other universe where it’s being made and happening.”
On the surface, the reason for Dead Boy Detectives‘s cancellation or suspension is clear – it’s based on Neil Gaiman’s work. The writer is accused of sexual crimes by several women.
However, Netflix has not yet confirmed this is the reason.
Meanwhile, the site Save Dead Boy Detectives is still going, and the petition to save the show is pushing towards 25,000 names.
It’s this site that explains about the fan-bought billboards, saying;
Despite critical acclaim, weeks in Netflix’s top 10 most-watched list, and a wide fan following, Dead Boy Detectives was cancelled in August of 2024 to a massive outcry from the viewers who loved it. Instead of taking the news lying down, fans across the globe pooled their money in a collaborative GoFundMe to purchase a billboard calling for the renewal of what has largely been hailed as one of Netflix’s best shows of 2024.
These fans argue that Gaiman is not heavily involved in the show. They concede he has written a few scenes.
It’s less clear if Gaiman profits from the show’s success. Given the proximity of the show to Gaiman, it is also unknown if any key actor no longer wants to be involved.
Upsetting and frustrating certainly describe the situation for Dead Boy Detectives and other popular shows, such as Good Omens, thanks to Gaiman’s alleged and horrific behaviour.
